?MAY
I??
(R0m-nce is a Meal)
By Sommy Pearl F.
Chapter 65&66.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Coral opened the door and looked at Raymond’s face. She had heard him knocking.
“What do you want?” She asked, the instant their eyes met.
Raymond sighed.
“Come. We are about to start cooking cl@$$” He said.
“You aren’t my teacher. Where’s Ryder?” She asked, straining her ne-ck and eyes.
“He went out” He replied.
Coral scoffed.
“So, you wanna teach on his stead?”
“That’s a norm” He said.
“So, what if you teach me? Who would teach her?”
“Her? Who are you talking about?”
“I don’t wanna say her name. It makes me have this typical mouth odor”
“Coral, stop with this act!”
“So, who’s gonna teach her?”
Raymond inhaled
“Me. I’m gonna teach you both, May and you”
“Count me out, buddy” Coral said.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“How do you expect me to work with her? I can’t stand her. She irks me a lot that I feel like puking. I’m gonna wait till Ryder is back. You don’t have to worry, I’m a fast learner” Coral said.
May came out from the side she was peeking. She glared at Coral with her eyes filled with tears.
“What did I do to you? What made you change this way towards me?!” May screamed.
“Isn’t it obvious. It’s because I can’t stand you. You really irritate me!,, Didn’t you hate me then as well! You were also cold to me when I first came here,, weren’t you?”
“I apologized to you for that. I also regret my actions. Correction, I never hated you, I felt a childish mild jealousy for you and thats because Raymond liked you but now, I’m totally cool with you. I want to-
“Keep shut, modaFu-cker!” Coral snapped.
“What?” May muttered.
“Let me ask you… Are you gonna still be close to me if I tell you I like Raymond back? Won’t you hate me like you did back then?”
“It’s not hatred-
“Both are the same to me! Hatred and Jealousy! They are harsh emotions”
“I’m really sorry but mine wasn’t the jealousy you are thinking about! If it was, you would have been dead by now. I could have harmed you”
“Kid yourself” Coral scoffed.
“Now, the answer to your question. I am sure gonna hate you if you like Raymond back so don’t you dare like him, got that”
“So, why critize me if you are gonna behave just the way I am”
“There’s a hu-ge difference. I’m gonna hate you only but you are gonna hate and still hurt me,, Isn’t it so?”
Coral swallowed ha-rd.
“Have I ever harmed or hurt you before?”
“You don’t have to hit me to harm me. Feelings and trust can be harmed too. Thats what truly hurts the most”
Coral only glared at her without a word.
“Seems you are behaving this way cause of love? Cause I don’t really un-derstand why you even hate me” May said.
“Chef god?” May called and looked at him.
Raymond looked back at her.
“Let’s go” She whispered, took his hand and left.
Coral snarled before shutting the door with a loud slam.
Percy’s Apa-rtment****
After inhalation and exhalation, Ryder pressed the door bell. Percy who was inside her grand apa-rtment saw his face throu-ghthe computerized system and opened the door.
With a frown and her arms akimbo,, she said;
“You are late”
Ryder scoffed aloud.
“Is that the first word you are supposed to say?”
“Why? Were you expecting those cringy words like I miss you, where have you been, blah blah blah” Percy rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. From your emotions,, I know you really really miss me”
Percy smiled.
“Is that that obvious?”
“Very” He smiled, back.
“Come in, Ryder. Big sis really missed you a lot” She said.
“I miss you more” Ryder replied, after he came in.
They hu-gged each other warmly.
“Is he the one? Your little brother? The Ryder of yesterday?” A voice came.
They dise-ngaged and faced Sandra who was looking back at them, smiling.
“Yes, He is he” Percy replied.
“Who’s she? Is she the guest you talked about? The so called surprise?” Ryder whispered to her.
However, Percy ignored him.
“Wow. He looks really tall and handsome. He and May would make a great couple” Sandra said, and stood closer to him.
Ryder wide-ned his eyes.
“May?” He asked.
“Don’t you remember May from Italy? Your childhood sweetheart?” Percy asked.
“Huh…yeah” Ryder nodded.
“Hello, I’m her mother, Sandra” She winked.
“Hey, Don’t you remember her?” Percy pinched him.
Ryder’s eyes moved to and fro. He opened it wide suddenly and looked at her.
“Miss Sandra?!” He gushed.
“Sure is, hunny? Howdy?” She smiled.
“I’m great. It’s been long!” Ryder said and hu-gged her. Sandra returned the hu-g and they broke it afterwards.
“May? Where’s she?” Ryder looked around. He waa quite sad and disappointed that his heart now beats for another May.
“Is this Deva ju?” He thought.
“May went to Italy” Sandra replied.
“What? Why?”
“Sit. Time for a long story” Sandra said, and they all sat down.
Minutes Later,, After Explanation***
“So, she is in Italy now,, studying law?” Ryder asked.
It reminded him of the May he knew. Raymond once how May started living with him,, how she was supposed to go to Italy and study law and all of the rest.
“Yeah…” Sandra replied.
“Very soon. I’ll be a lawyer’s mother” She giggled.
“Hmm… Can I see her pictures? I wanna see how well and far she has grown” Ryder said.
“Sure. I have lot in my phone. Come see” Sandra gestured to him.
Ryder stood behind her and just then, May’s picture got displa-yed. Sandra showed it various kinds, as she scrolled forward.
“May?!” He gasped.
“Yeah…May” Sandra smiled.
“I’ve got to go. Thats the dish you asked me for” Ryder pointed at the flask and ran out.
“Geez… You just arrived! Why so fast!” Percy yelled.
“What’s with him? He looked so shocked when he saw her” Sandra said and Percy shrugged her shoulders.
****
“She was the one all this while. Why haven’t I known? Though, my heart was really clever to know” Ryder thought, as he left the apa-rtment..
I’ve got to tell her. She has to remember me” Ryder thought again and quickly climbe-d his power bike. He hurriedly zoomed out of sight.
****
Raymond smiled as he tasted the Italian pasta May prepared.
“Is it okay?” She asked, with her crooked li-p.
“Yeah… you did great this time around” He nodded.
“Yippee!” May gushed.
“You have only 6 points though”
“Huh? Just 6… Out of how many?”
“10” He replied.
“What was my mistake now?” She pouted her li-ps.
“It’s too overcooked and quite soggy but the taste is worth it” He replied and ate another spoonful.
She frowned childishly and looked at his face. When her eyes thorou-ghly scrolled his face, she chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?” He asked, though his heart fluttered cause of her smile.
“Why do sauce always do this? Hold on. Lemme wipe this away for you” She said and got on her tip toe.
May stretched her hand and cleaned the sauce of his lower li-p. He reacted by pa-rting it away from the upper one slightly.
His heart was racing fast. He blinked his eyes nervously. When she was about to drop her hand, Raymond quickly grabbe-d it.
“What’s it?” She asked quite surprised, still on her tip toe.
“I actually thought I could fight this but I can’t. It only keeps getting worst… I’m really crazily in love with you and I think my che-st might explode” He said, softly.
May swallowed ha-rd and blinked her eyes.
“I’m sorry to say that I can be a je-rk for love” He muttered.
“I…I… don’t…un-der…stand”
“I badly wanna ki-ss you, May” He said.
May heart jumped.
“May I?” He asked.
She felt her breath turn hot and ha-rd.
“Yes, you may” She nodded, lightly.
He smiled and pulled her arm, and her bo-dy had to collide with his. He took his hand to her face while the left arm was around her wa-ist.
May’s whole bo-dy vibr@ted when his mouth seized hers. He kept taking her li-p in and out like it was producing sauce.
She felt his tongue brush hers and she quickly caught it,, and began to ki-ss him dee-ply in esctacy. Her eyes were now closed and she found her arms already wrapping around his ne-ck.
Raymond slowly broke the ki-ss. He looked into her eyes and carried her up. He kept her on the kitchen’s cu-pboard and went back to her li-ps, ki-ssing her p@$$ionately.
May tangled her legs around him as she found the ki-ss getting more sweeter and hotter.
He went dee-per into her, not stopping. He munched her li-ps crazily and she returned it. Her hands were now pla-ying with his hair at the back while his arms were moving lightly around her wa-ist.
****
Ryder ran to the kitchen. He knew they would be there. Besides, It was learning time.
He entered the kitchen but what his eyes saw made him leave back. He hid and slowly peeked.
His eyes became swollen with redness and tears.
“What’s this?” He muttered as he watched May and Raymond ki-ss p@$$ionately and dee-ply.
He couldn’t hold it any longer. He slowly left the restaurant, and jumped on his bike,, ri-ding away fast.
The helmet he wore over his face was what hid his pouring painful tears. His heart was broken.
****
Raymond’s li-ps slowly left hers. He raised his eyes to hers after opening them. Her eyes were still slowly opening.
Their faces were really close now with their ha-rd breath pouring on each other.
“I love you” He muttered, and tucked the strand of her hair to her ear.
Smiling brightly, May replied.
“I love you too”
Tbc