"What do you want? Why were you targeting me?"

"I don't want anything from you …," she faced Sheila, thinking of something. Silence. "But if you allow, I think I need your help."

"Speak."

"Can you teach me how to cook? I mean, how to cook special delicacies?"

Sheila was taken aback hearing the request. "What for?"

"So I can take the cooking contest and get a scholars.h.i.+p and be admitted in the school."

Sheila slightly felt regret for asking. Somehow, she perceived the sincerity of the person requesting. "You could have just ask me for help from the start."

Slowly, Harriet's face glowed, she seemed to see a silver lining coming her way. "Sorry, actually, this only came to mind while we're talking." Deep inside, she prayed the other person will say yes.

"Fine, I can teach you some compet.i.tion recipes I know."

"You can?"

"Of course."

"You promise?"

Suddenly, it dawned on Sheila that she's been tricked, yet, ate the bait for goodness sake. "I promise." She rolled her eyeb.a.l.l.s.

"Yey! When can you teach me?" Sheila jumped up and down like a child receiving a reward.

"It's too late. Go back to your room. We'll do that after cla.s.ses."

Harriet hugged Sheila and softly said, "Thank you."

Sheila patted the other girl's back. "No problem."

A spectator heard their little conversation and shot a profile of Sheila using his phone. "What a nice girl and a nice face." It was the same man who shook hands with Sheila in the audiovisual room.

He sent the photo to Hugh and sent a text message.

[Me: Look, I met a pretty girl and from the Philippines, like Mom.]

Hugh saw the name Riley as the sender and opened the image. He dialed the texter's number in a hurry. "Where did you get this photo?"

"Secret. Finders, keepers. Wish me luck." Riley said and hung up. He wore a big grin on his face.

"Riley, wait. Where are you now?" But the line was cut off instantly. "d.a.m.n, how come he got a photo of that girl?"

Hugh went to his workroom. Paintings were hanged on the walls and some were piled at the side. He uncovered an unfinished painting leaning on a canva.s.s stand. The face was half drawn with no other features. He opened the photo in his phone and stared at it. He took the brush, dipped it in the black paint, and continued his work.

While painting, Hugh received a message.

[Dr. Berg: Emergency, no surgeon on duty. I need you to close a patient's stomach.]

[Me: Coming]

. . . . .

The next day, Harriet brought Sheila to a huge kitchen far back of the church building. It was dusty but the whole place had all they needed aside from the ingredients. There were an oven and huge stoves with a gas pipe attached. She could see all sizes of pots and bowls. An old fas.h.i.+oned mixer stood at the side but mentally skipped using that one.

"This is the church's kitchen before the school was built. I can clean this place and you teach me. How about that?" Harriet smiled while speaking as she turned around and pulled a broom.

"Well, do as you wish. I need to go to cla.s.s now. See you later." Sheila left Harriet on her own.

"See you, too." Harriet watched her back and sighed. "I hope she'll keep her word. Harriet, work and show your sincerity." She told herself and moved the broom in swift movements, dust flying around her.

. . . . .

Sheila walked like a celebrity after dispersing the rumor from the people's minds but it didn't go over her head.

"Hey! Sheila, your demo was great."

"You're really skilled. I like it. See you in cla.s.s."

"Can we partner next time?"

Experience taught her, she was not in control of people's minds and emotions. They may praise her now but they could backstab her anytime. She kept her circle of friends to those who had been true to her when she was down.

She went back to the church's kitchen after cla.s.s and saw the whole place squeaky clean. Harriet was still there clearing the garbage.

Adrenaline rushed to Sheila's brain and excitedly said, "wow, this is great. Let's start. Bring the knife, chopping board, and ingredients here."

"Yes!" Harriet jumped in delight and speedily placed the said objects asked on the table.

"Now, you need to learn how to cut your vegetables. Here's how to do it. Observe carefully." Sheila placed a cuc.u.mber on the board, held the knife with her right hand, balled the left one on top of the vegetable. She slowly cut it, to demonstrate her hand movements. "See? Try it."

Harriet did and easily got the hanged of it. Sheila took hold on one slice then the rest. Some were thick but most got it right. 'This girl is a fast learner and exactly has skills. Not bad, a good talent found.'

"Okay, practice more later. Read this recipe first and tell me if you understand what to do." She gave Harriet a piece of paper.

Harriet read. "Let me see. I need to slice onions, carrots, raddish, and potatoes into circles evenly. Then I'll steam the broccoli and cauliflower. Marinate pork chops and roast on hot coals. Am I right?"

"Yes, do them now aside from the pork chop."

"Now? I still have work to do."

"Just do it when you're free."

From then on, this was their daily routine. Sheila would add more techniques and recipes for Harriet to follow every day. The two got closer as days past. Their closeness even went beyond the trainer and trainee thing. They were like sisters sharing their make ups and sorts.

Even Dandy joined their training and their girlish expedience. If two was a pair and three was a crowd, three girls wearing the same style and clothing was totally a nutcracker. Wherever they went, they were the perfect attention grabber.

Sheila was the leader, of course. If Sheila wears blue, the two would wear blue. If Sheila said to go shopping, the two went along, somehow Dandy ended paying since she bought and ate more. If Sheila wore only one sock, the two did the same. Not for long, they became the trendsetter for girls of La Delicatesse Culinary School. Girls followed her style and gathered a small fan-base, calling it Sheila's Avant Gardiste.

The day came for the cooking battle for the scholars.h.i.+p. Dandy and Harriet were more than ready as they faced the other hopefuls. In conclusion, they got the scholars.h.i.+p.