215 Making Curry (2/2)
”Don't you think so too?” Irina looked over and asked me.
”Well...”
I paused for a second and stared at the flickering flame. It was so small and yet it was filled with so much energy. However, no matter how bright or hot this flame burned, it'll eventually burn out. The firewood isn't enough fuel to sustain this fire for ever. This fire...it'll eventually extinguish, and hopefully, Irina's feelings for me would one day extinguish as well.
”It's just a fire,” I finally commented.
”You're so boring,” Irina pouted her face somewhat at my realist response.
”That's why you don't have a girlfriend,” Noah teased.
”As if you have one,” I calmly responded back, not feeling any flux in emotion. ”Besides, I'm not even looking for one at the moment.”
”Are you one of those people?” Zaksus stopped by and commented. ”Are you the type of people that thinks your younger sister is the cutest?”
”Where the hell did you learn that?” I shook my head and said in disbelief. ”Did Noah teach you that?”
”I didn't tell him anything!” Noah quickly explained himself. ”Zaksus, you hidden pervert.”
”Wait, how?” Zaksus's eyes were opened wide as he looked around at us in disbelief.
”Don't mind what he just said, Alvelyn,” Luna gently patted Alvelyn on her back.
”Or maybe it is true,” Erith also approached Alvelyn and gestured for her to look over in my direction. She intentionally did a half-minded job in covering her mouth and whispered out loud in a volume that was completely audible, and I believe she intended for it to be audible by me. ”Alevian might actually have a sister complex.”
”Who would?” I stared at them blankly in disbelief.
”Let's not waste the fire and heat the pan,” Alvelyn calmly and maturely dug us out of the situation as she walked between Erith and Luna and grabbed the pot from the surface of the table. She then made her way over to the campfire and started setting the put onto the pot hanger that Loyd had set up over the fire.
”Let me help you with that,” Loyd said with a smile on his face as he reached a hand out, palm facing up, to accept the pot from Alvelyn. ”It's very hot. You might burn yourself.”
”Thank you,” Alvelyn nodded as she handed Loyd the pot, placing the handle in his hands.
”No problem,” Loyd smiled once again as he went to work with the pot. He cautiously avoided burning himself with the campfire and hooked the pot to the pot hanger that stood over the campfire. ”There.”
Alvelyn nodded as she went back over to the table and grabbed the oil as well as a spatula.
”Can someone bring me the onions?” she said out loud.
”I got it,” Luna said as she made her way back over to the table and grabbed the bowl of diced onions that Mura and Muria had prepared.
”Thanks,” Alvelyn smiled as she accepted the bowl from Luna.
Alvelyn then waited momentarily for the oil that she had drizzled into the pot to dry up before dumping in the onion. Then, she had Erith bring over some of the spices which was what Alvelyn added in next into the pot.
”We'll cook the chicken and vegetables in here first,” she explained. ”Then we can add in water and make the curry.
”You look like you know what you're doing,” Irina said as she peered over Alvelyn's shoulder. ”Do you cook at home?”
”Occasionally,” Alvelyn answered. ”It's mostly Alev that is cooking.”
”Alevian?” Irina looked over at me as if surprised.
”Did I tell you I know how to cook?” I said in an apathetic voice.
”I'm just kinda surprised,” Irina explained.
”No once can imagine you with an apron around your waist, cooking by the stove,” Muria added in from the cutting station. Her cutting board was cleared of vegetables as Mura took on that job. Now, she was cutting the chicken meat into similar-sized, rectangular cubes.
”That's rather rude,” I sighed.
”How come you've never invited me over for dinner?” Noah asked me.
”Why would I?” I asked him.
”I don't know,” he said with a blank look on his face. ”Just because.”
”That's not really a reason,” Luna smiled and chuckled.