Hailey threw herself on the dark-haired man, hugging him tightly. He was confused and couldn't help but just stand still, staring at Ada who smiled at him. "Oh my god, I can't believe this."
"Imagine how I feel," the dark-haired man replied.
"Okay, can we enter? The sun is not being especially pleasant right now," Ada said, interrupting their moment.
Hailey almost immediately looped her hand around the dark-haired man's and pulled him with her as she walked further into the building.
"I didn't believe her when she said you were on Earth," Hailey stated while gesturing to Ada who smugged. "But she really was right."
Hailey dragged the dark-haired man to sit on a couch in the sitting room and placed her hand on his cheek while scooting even closer to him. "You're really here," she mumbled.
The dark-haired man was so shocked he could barely think properly. He managed to collect himself and placed his hand over Hailey's, placing their hands on her thigh.
"How are you here?… On Earth?" He probed. "You are not actually from Earth, are you?"
"Oh no… I'm a Weir, I promise," she stated. "After you left, some guy knocked on my door and offered me a job to work for Earth. It was weird and creepy at first but he showed me proof and the more reasons to see the legitimacy in his words."
She glanced at Ada then back at the dark haired man. "Right now I'm the leading engineering and one majority shares in 'Nator' a company here on Earth…"
"Am I interrupting something?" Jesselyn's voice came in, cutting Hailey before she could add to her words.
They all turned to look at Jesselyn who stood by the door of the kitchen with her hand folded around her chest.
"Uh oh," Ada exclaimed before crossing her legs.
"Who's this?"
The dark-haired man looked between Jesselyn and Hailey with his brows furrowed. The two give each other a scorned look with Hailey eyeing the former thoroughly.
"This is Hailey, Hailey... Jesselyn," the dark-haired man introduced them.
Hailey shoots a warm smile at Jesselyn. "Nice to meet you. You must be the other Storm agent, right?"
Jesselyn doesn't reply. She remained quiet and only glared at Hailey, especially eyeing the space between the dark-haired man and her.
"What is that smell?" Ada questioned out loud, trying to break the tension in the air.
"Oh," a small smile slipped off the dark-haired man's face. "She tried to cook but ended up almost burning the kitchen." He gestured at Jesselyn.
Ada turned from the dark-haired man to Jesselyn with her brows shooting into her hairline. "Why didn't you just order the food? Earth also has a restaurant you know?"
"Not this again."
"What?"
"I'll tell you the same answer I gave to the gentleman over here: one, I do not enjoy eating from a restaurant. Two, how could I have ordered even if I wanted to? I just moved to Earth. Three, I wanted to cook myself."
"I figured everything out the first night I landed on Earth," Hailey stated while pushing herself closer to the dark-haired man.
Jesselyn was furious but managed to remain calm at the same time. "It's not a competition, Hailey, we are two separate people."
The light red-haired girl nodded and shot Jesselyn a smile. "Of course."
Ada pressed her teeth as the unclouded tension between the two continued to rise. She smiled as an idea popped up in her mind. "Why don't you two cook for 'Andy' I bet he is hungry, right?"
"I mean, I am not exactly hungry, but I could use a few tastes in my mouth."
"Let me stop you right there," Jesselyn chipped. "The scale tips in her favor because I can not cook! Have you been listening?"
Ada hissed and slipped her hand around Jesselyn's waist. "Don't you worry, to make it a fair fight, it'll be the two of us, utterly terrible cooks against her."
The light red-haired girl shrugged before getting up on her feet. "I'm cool with that. After Andy tastes the food, he'll judge mine as the better one and that'll show that two heads aren't better than one," she stated while folding up her sleeves.
"Alright then," Ada said before walking into the kitchen with Jesselyn while the light red-haired girl followed behind them.
The dark-haired man leaned back on his seat and let out a soft chuckle before his face slowly turned into a stoic expression again.
He was distracted by everything that was happening but still couldn't take his mind off everything that had happened back on Winter Weir.
In his mind, he still believes he could have somehow prevented the death of Rory and so he blames himself solely for what happened to her. And whenever he closes his eyes, he sees his last moments with Ishary. He knows they were the last and wishes he had ended things in a better way with her.
He couldn't think straight. Whenever he pondered what to do next, his mind became fuzzy, and his chest ached. He has no choice but to try and suppress it all. 'For how long?' he asks himself.
Some hours later, after exploring more places in the mansion, the dark-haired man entered the kitchen on the invite of Ada. He sat on a chair and Hailey dropped her plate on the table in front of him. She took a deep breath before whipping the cover open to reveal what she made.
A perfectly grilled steak sits on the plate. Cooked to perfection with a mouthwatering sear on the outside and a tender, juicy interior. Accompanying the steak is a colorful medley of roasted vegetables, including carrots, asparagus, and beets. The carrots and asparagus offer a delightful tender-crisp texture, while the beets add a touch of earthy sweetness. Completing the dish is a velvety smooth mashed potato puree, creamy and comforting.
"This looks good."
"Wait till you taste it."
As the dark-haired man cuts into the perfectly cooked steak, the aroma of charred meat fills the air, almost causing him to feel hungry. He takes a bite, and the tender, juicy meat melts in his mouth. The outer crust, seared to perfection, provided a satisfying crunch, while the interior was succulent and full of flavor. As he continues to enjoy the steak, a smile forms on his face.
"Wow Hailey, I didn't know you knew how to cook."
Hailey smiled. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me. And I believe we'll get the chance to explore it soon."
"Okay, moving on." Jesselyn pulled the stake away while Ada dropped a bowl on the table. She opened it to reveal what was in the bowl.
"A… a fruit salad?" Hailey questioned the obvious. "You made a fruit salad?"
In the bowl was a colorful combination of juicy watermelon chunks, sweet strawberries, tangy pineapple, and succulent grapes.
"It's not just any fruit salad, it is 'The' fruit salad," Jesselyn stated while Ada nodded in agreement.
"This is not cooking, it's…" she paused, looking for the right word to use but couldn't think of anything. "… It's just not cooking. You literally just threw chunks of different fruits in a bowl together, a three-year-old could do it."
"That's not true. The child won't understand this perfect mixture," Ada defended.
"Calm down," the dark-haired man chipped. "I'm the one doing the judging, so let me do my job."
They finally went quiet and turned to face the dark-haired man who pulled the bowl to himself. "Alright."
As he took a spoonful of the fruit salad, his eyes lit up with anticipation. The vibrant colors of the watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes were visually appealing, making his mouth water in anticipation of the explosion of flavors. He took a bite, and the refreshing juice of the watermelon immediately flooded his taste buds, leaving a hint of sweetness behind. The strawberries provide a burst of tangy sweetness, perfectly complementing the watermelon. As he savors the tropical notes of the pineapple, its tanginess adds a delightful contrast to the overall flavor profile. The grapes, with their juicy texture, offer a refreshing and slightly tart element to the medley. With each bite, the dark-haired man experiences a symphony of flavors, a harmonious blend of sweetness, tanginess, and juiciness. The combination of textures and flavors creates a refreshing and satisfying eating experience, leaving him feeling rejuvenated and content.
"So?"
"Which tastes better?"
He put his left index finger up and continued to swallow down the fruit salad until the bowl was empty. The dark-haired man poured himself a glass of water and gulped it down.
He leaned back on his chair and exhaled, letting what he just had sunk into his system.
"So? Which tastes better?" Hailey queried.
The dark-haired man shrugged. "Who cares? All that matters is that I got fed two wonderful plates by three wonderful ladies, that's the joy of it."
The trio glared at him with their brows furrowed. Hailey turned to the other two and scoffed. "Can you believe this guy?"
"I'm gonna leap over this table and choke you to death if you don't pick a side now."
...
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