"Hi, Jam, can I ask when my friend will face the first preliminary round?"

"What's her name?" asked Jam.

"Beauty, about her family name I forgot. I do believe only a few girls here has that name," calmly lied Sheila.

"Hmm, Beauty, there's two of them. One is Beauty Peralta, the other's surname is Ferol."

"I'm still not sure which one but anyway just give their sched. How old are they?"

"Why not call your friend to know the details?" Jam was somewhat hesitant since the partic.i.p.ants' profiles are confidential. She would not have given the other any information if she was someone unimportant. Being one of the culinary team members who would represent the international compet.i.tion was a given with privileges, so Jam could not easily complain.

"I newly arrived home from France, remember? I don't have her number, just only heard she is joining. Anyway, just give me the scheds of these two. Sorry for bothering." Sheila had to be careful even with her special privileges, she couldn't go out of bounds.

"Okay, here." Jam wrote them on a small piece of paper and pa.s.sed it to Sheila.

"Thanks, Jam."

"No problem," replied Jam.

She was curiously interested to see what kind of girl Clarence chose.

Sheila was an intelligent girl but her overconfidence was her flaw. She looked down on others result of overindulgence from her chef mentors when she was still a child. They called her a prodigy. With her achievements and talents in culinary arts, she surpa.s.sed her seniors until she reached junior high.

She revisited the past where she was one of the contenders for the junior master chef awards while she was in junior high but she only reached second after being a contender four times. She lost twice from a senior of hers and same thing against Clarence.

Clarence was two years younger than her but very matured in his way of thinking. After meeting and winning against her during a junior master chef showdown, he sought her out. He was a constant visitor of hers. As a young man of fourteen, he tried to get near her by asking her father to teach him how to make handmade noodles.

A month after the next showdown, she would turn seventeen. That would be her last chance to win that prestigious award.

"Clarence, can you lose for me? I really wanted to win and this will be my last chance."

"Sheila, I don't think that's right. It would be unfair with the rest if I'll do that. I would still give my best. I also want to prove to everyone that I'm worthy to be your man by winning this."

"If you let me win then I'll be your girlfriend. How about that? Are you still going to say no?" Her eyes were so bright and her coquettish smile was so enticing that almost bewitched the boy to say yes. However, he was a man of principle.

He knew he wanted this but if he gave in to her request then he felt he lost her instead. With that condition, her heart was not for him at all. He became doubtful if that kind of relations.h.i.+p would last. He thought of her as part of his future, yet he saw himself journeying alone if she would become his lover in this manner. He resolutely decided to win and still woo her relentlessly.

The day came for the showdown. They fought the final round one on one. Her last dish of which she practiced for days lost against his that was designed out from a few minutes of inspiration. That inspiration even turned out to be her. He made the dish for his deep affection for her. That was known after he was interviewed by the press.

She went home crying after her loss. The next day she received a message from John Rivera asking her out for dinner. With her disappointment with Clarence, she accepted the invitation. She knew the latter would bring his winning trophy and offer it to her on that same day the dinner date was set. Thus, she deliberately asked John to get her on that same time she knew Clarence would arrive.

Clarence went to their house dressed handsomely with his trophy and a bouquet of flower in hand. He planned to officially confess to her and ask her to become his girlfriend. A car stopped near him. John got out of the car casually with nothing in hand. They both stood at the door. This moment Sheila decided to come out.

"Hi, John. Oh my, Clarence, I'm so forgetful. What a shame, I forgot to tell you I will be out for a date with John. I hope you don't mind. Well, see you later." She said with a smile on her face ignoring him purposely.

John who knew this setup played along and even kissed her on her lips in front of Clarence as he greeted her.

"Sorry, Clarence. Sheila is now my girl. Goodbye."

Sheila was a little bit shocked with the kiss but went with his game anyway with the intention of making Clarence jealous and regret not giving in to her.

This broke Clarence's heart. He was glued on the spot even though the car was no longer in sight for quite some time. He threw the bouquet with his trophy near the doorstep as he left the place. After coming back, she found them lying on the ground untouched.

The days went by as she worked and waited for Clarence to visit her again, still he didn't come back. She thought he would still pursue her relentlessly as he said. Yet, not even his shadow could be found. She tried to talk to him by phone or through the chat room, still, he was nowhere to be found.

With a scholars.h.i.+p offered to her, she decided to study in France, though her parents were against it. She thought Clarence would try to stop her this time but he didn't. Regrets filled her heart as she left.

Clarence was clear to her that he was a kind of man who loves to pursue a woman who challenges him to chase without playing games. Sadly, Sheila was playing with his heart.