Wagering
Cooking Class

The sun had dimmed since a few minutes ago, leaving behind a hint of warmth left behind from him that shone all day.

In the parking lot of the deserted Faculty of Engineering, Fabian sat on the hood of his own car. His gaze glared upwards, at the sky that had slowly turned pitch-black. The lights installed on the high pole around the parking lot to witness how he was now worried half dead.

The question is just trivial. He was only worried about choosing whether he should still come to the Blue apartment to fulfill the promise of teaching the girl to cook, or if he had to disobey in order to keep his relationship with Baskara all right.

Indeed, nothing is certain about Baskara and Sabiru's relationship now. They were former lovers in the past, but now, Fabian still does not know whether the story has ended or even re-started. Even if it was over, Fabian was also not sure he had enough guts to touch Sabiru. Aside from being afraid of hurting the girl with all the flaws she has, Fabian also doesn't want there to be the slightest reason to make her relationship with Baskara stretch.

Because until now, Baskara for Fabian is still the most important part of his life. He could lose everything, as long as it wasn't Baskara. That's what he always believed.

Long thought, the answer that he would not come. Vibrating for the sake of shakes felt from the phone in his jacket pocket also does not provide much help because they come from random messages that his friends send in group chat. I don't know what was the topic of conversation there because Fabian did not try to read more. Whether it's about Jasmine who is still not clear where she is (the girl was suddenly absent from college activities) or precisely about their next betting agenda, considering that this period of betting will end in the near future.

Chief Fabian feels full now. And there was nothing he could do but start counting the segments on the ten fingers of the hand to determine whether he should go or not.

Don'tdon't. Go awayl. Don'tdon't. Go awayl. Don'tdon't. Go awayl. No ... Go awayl.

The result of his count stopped at the decision that he should leave. But, the answer did not then make him satisfied and even caused a sigh of disappointment that came out of nowhere.

In fact, he deliberately started from not so that the end result was the same. But what else to say? Fabian had no other way of deciding. So he immediately jumped down from the hood of the car, then moved in and sat on the driver's seat.

Seatbelt he did not install, because his footwork was much faster to step on the gas pedal until his car drove. In an instant, the car had merged with another vehicle that crowded the highway. The sound of a simple horn is common. What was remarkable was that Fabian deliberately turned on the radio, only to let various songs play out to fill the entire car and take over the focus in the head.

"Gue's no longer upset, dog." Sluggishly. But his lips went to sing a piece of the lyrics of a song that was playing upset when his car drove half way.

...****************...

The first place that Fabian went to once the door of Sabiru's apartment was opened was the kitchen. He even brought his backpack there, and then placed it on one of the table chairs.

The jacket that had previously wrapped his body was removed, leaving a white body fitting shirt that made the chest and abdominal muscles that he rarely showed then printed clearly there.

Fabian does love to cook, trying a lot of new menus because that's the only thing he can do to keep feeding his own body from the first. So when he was presented to so many fresh foodstuffs neatly arranged in the refrigerator, he seemed so excited to take them out one by one.

Green mustard, broccoli, carrots, shrimp, squid and some other ingredients he put on the counter. Then he moved deftly to take the knife and cutting board and some other containers to put the vegetables that he would smell.

In the midst of his activities, he suddenly realized something. Then, he stopped his activities that were peeling carrots, then turned to look for the existence of Sabiru who should be standing next to him to pay attention to the cooking process that he would show.

"here." His command while waving a hand that was still holding a knife.

The existence of the blade clearly made Sabiru shudder in horror. Frightened, the girl walked over. "Lo knife horror!" the girl protested.

"No tajem-tajem very, if you go to lo, will not make you die." Cerocos Fabian. No matter the knife, it was more important to immediately start cooking classes because he had absolutely no intention of lingering here.

Sabiru clucked, but remained standing next to Fabian after the young man turned back and devoted his focus to the groceries on the counter.

"What are we cooking today?" he asked while researching every food presented in front of them.

"It's easy, seafood capcay." Fabian replied while clapping the garlic then chopping it rough.

"Gue is just looking at it? Not asked to try it too?"

Fabian paused his activities again. This time he was cutting tomatoes into pieces. Come to think of it for a moment, there is a point as well. It's better to practice than just watch. So without much bacot, Fabian passed the knife from his hand towards Sabiru by making sure the pointy part was in his hand. It has become a habit. Whenever he was about to pass on sharp objects such as scissors or knives, he would make sure the person receiving them would not get hurt by letting them grab the handle. A simple habit, but not everyone is able to apply it.

"Lo continued to cut the tomatoes." Tell him while passing the tomatoes that he just partially cut.

As a good student, Blue also complies. Tomatoes were grabbed, then slowly he used a knife in hand to cut the tomatoes while Fabian watched from the side.

According to Blue, the way he cut tomatoes was correct. But apparently it did not happen in Fabian's eyes. It was clear from the actions of the young man who hurriedly restrained his hand before he did the next piece.

"That's not how it works." Fabian said while correcting the position of Blue's left hand that was too close to the tip of the knife. "If you position your hands like this, you will more often cut your fingers rather than cut food ingredients." Reciprocity.

"Try again." Declared.

Blue according to again. With maximum effort to maintain that the position of his left hand finger did not change from the last time Fabian corrected, he again tried to cut tomatoes.

But again his movement got the interruptions from the master. He had to stop waiting for the next word.

"No, no, Blue. Gini, pay attention." Fabian shifted his body a little backward, then grabbed Sabiru's hands and moved them slowly. Their position now when viewed from behind will look like a pair of lovers who are doing back hug on the sidelines of cooking sessions. Really vulnerable position will occur misunderstanding.

But in Fabian's brain, there was absolutely no other intention than to teach Sabiru how to use the knife properly and safely.

The finished tomato was cut into a size that suits his taste, then Fabian again distanced himself to pass the carrot that had been peeled to Sabiru.

"OK," Blue grabbed a carrot, but did not immediately execute the orange vegetable because he was rethinking the command Fabian gave. Roughly, how big was the size that could fit into his mouth in a single mouthful? That's more or less what he's considering now.

After being able to, Blue also carried out the duties given by Fabian. Slowly but surely, the carrot was successfully cut into smaller parts. Seeing the absence of interruptions present in the midst of his activities cutting carrots, Blue believes his work is correct.

And that is the truth. Because next to him, Fabian was smiling proudly. He thought, not in vain also decided to come because it turns out Sabiru is a student who quickly learns.

The process after Fabian taught patiently, and Sabiru absorbed all the knowledge quickly. Not many conversations occurred between them during the cooking session, only occasionally Fabian blurted praise whenever Blue managed to do something according to his direction.

Thirty minutes later, a large bowl of seafood capcay was presented on the dining table. The steaming smoke gave off a pleasant aroma that made the saliva in Sabiru's oral cavity gather together, ready to drip in case the girl forgot to tightly clench her lips.

"It smells good." His comment, Fabian nodded in agreement.

"Zor." Tell the young man to extend a spoon.

"Directly from the bowl? Not polite."

"Ribetan. Buruan," because Blue did not end up scooping capcay to taste, Fabian did it first. Not for himself, a spoon full of pieces of vegetables and a shrimp that he then thrust in front of Blue's mouth. "Remark." Declared. There is no romance at all. Oh, yeah sure. They are not having a romantic dinner.

While glancing, Blue opened his mouth. A spoonful of capcay moves into the mouth, first greeting the sensitive tip of his tongue and then touching his teeth when he starts chewing. The savory taste produced from chopped garlic and other seasoning mixtures successfully makes Blue eyes sparkle brightly. This was clearly far from his expectations. Beyond the initial expectations that just want to cook perfect and not salty.

"Enak," he said on the sidelines of a chew that was deliberately made slowly.

Fabian smiled faintly, then went along to make a bribe for himself. Just like Blue, he also felt touched at the taste of the cuisine they produced tonight. It may still be far from perfect, but Fabian dared to say that results like this are clearly good enough for a beginner like Sabiru.

"Good job." Comment, then make one more mouthful.

Bribes by mouth then they make. Little by little the capcay in the bowl decreases until finally it is completely toilet, leaving only a few drops of sauce that can not be taken using a spoon.

"Gue was moved," Blue said as she wiped the bottom of her own eyes. Acting excessively as if her tears had been falling nonstop.

Fabian chuckled softly. Then, somehow getting a whisper from nowhere, he reached out in a slow motion. One swab he put in Sabiru's head, as a form of appreciation because the girl had passed her first experiment well.

"What I said, you can. It just takes time and the right people to teach you everything." He said as he stared at the shady figure of Sabiru who somehow, looked much more beautiful in his eyes tonight.

"Thanks, yeah...." Blue smiled widely, revealing a neat row of white teeth.

For a while, that smile had managed to hypnotize Fabian. It was as if he was being led to an alien world, where there was only a beautiful garden of colorful flowers. A world entirely different to the one he had lived in all this time, where there was only endless darkness.

If Sabiru was not (or had been) Baskara's, Fabian would probably have tried his luck to love this girl even if only once in his lifetime. Unfortunately, God does not seem to allow him to anchor his heart to anyone. Perhaps because God has determined that his life will not be long? I don't know. Whatever the reason, Fabian felt he no longer had the power to curse God for all the decisions He made.

So before he sank too far into the alien world, Fabian immediately withdrew. Under the pretext of washing the bowl and used cooking utensils, he got up from the chair. Swinging his steps wide left Sabiru in her position while continuing to try to calm the uncomfortable turmoil that began to be felt in the chest.

"Conscious, Bi. Don't Sabiru." He reminded himself.

"Need help?!" sabiru shouted from the dining table.

Fabian glanced over, "No need. I'll watch tv, I'll follow."

The act of washing dishes then became a diversion issue. So that his mind is not getting chaotic and he has time to draw his consciousness back.

One by one the dishes and cookware were finished he washed and he put them back on the shelf. After drying his hands using a tissue, Fabian walked into the front room to catch up with Sabiru.

A smile rises without being prevented when Fabian finds Sabiru nagging while his eyes focus on the television screen which is now airing a booming Korean drama series everywhere. The story is about the revenge of a woman who has been a victim of bullying during school. The character of a strong main character becomes the main attraction, in the midst of the onslaught of girls who cry wildly because of a breakup. So no wonder if the series became the subject of discussion in many circles.

"Swipe dong, I'll watch too." Fabian.

Blue shifted her sitting position without much protest. Unknowingly, if his movements had made something that he should have hidden, then it appeared before Fabian's eyes.

A jacket. Black color, and very Fabian is familiar. It is somewhat unlikely that Fabian misidentified him, as he also had the same jacket. He ordered the jacket specifically at the place of one of his acquaintances, and there he made two. One for him, one for Baskara. His property is at home, he will wash because he has been wearing three consecutive days. So obviously, the one that's sitting on the couch now belongs to Baskara.

The existence of the jacket then made Fabian believe that the speculation that had stopped in his head was true. Baskara was staying at Sabiru's apartment last night, and the young man was probably still here until this morning when he came to deliver groceries.

Then about Sabiru's messy hair .... Ah, Fabian shook his head strongly in order to expel the other speculation that came. Whatever happens, it's none of his business, right? He and Sabiru are just pretending to be dating. So anyone who comes to this apartment and stays at all is not his business.

Come, Bi. Conscious.

Again, he could only remind himself more often.

Seriate