CHAPTER 4.2

CHAPTER 4.2

We went to the canteen to buy a footlong with a bun. We call this footlong sandwich.

“Thanks!” and he smiled at me again.

“Hey, Louuuu!!!” I heard a noisy voice and the misery is coming... Misery is Eloisa.

“Yeeees?” I respond.

“Do you have glue, colored paper, and a pencil?”

“Woah?! Do you think I am a school supplies store? Am I your mother?? I don’t have those!” I said sarcastically and I bite my footlong sandwich.

“Help me to borrow from your classmates!” 

“Speaking of a classmate, he’s my handsome classmate, Gio. Gio, she’s Eloisa, my friend.” I introduced

“Hello!” Eloisa smiled flirty while Gio is poker face only. He’s busy eating his footlong sandwich.

“Excuse me, do you have the materials I need? OMG, this is embarrassing but I badly need it!” Eloisa said in a childish voice so I rolled my eyes at her. She’s so flirty.

“What a flirty!!!” I shouted

“I don’t have” Gio answered sparingly

“Okay thank you so much! Bye girl enjoy your food!” Eloisa said and she ran away.

“Let’s go?” I asked Gio and he nodded.

While walking to our room’s direction, I received a message. 

“Hey your classmate is sooo handsome and charming!” it’s from Eloisa. I smiled. She’s starting to flirt again, huh?

I type. “Of course! He’s intelligent and talented also!” and I send her the message.

Gio and I entered the room and our adviser was there. It seems like my adviser has an announcement so we sat down in our chairs.

“Okay since everyone is here, I have an announcement to all of you” Ma’am started the discussion.

“Starting next week, there are changes on your schedule, subject teachers, and including your room” she added that made everyone shocked.

"Ma'am, you will no longer be our adviser?" Cristine asked

“What a fool! Only subject teachers can be changed! We had a meeting earlier and there are changes in the schedule. Your dismissal will be earlier. Before, it used to be 1:00 pm but now it's 12:30. Earlier somehow. The schedule of your subject teachers will change also. Some will do the afternoon shift, some still morning shift like me. So this is the last day of some of your subject teachers to you. They can still be your teachers but be ready, they may not come to you on Monday” everyone was saddened by this news. Good news because it will be easier for us to go home early but it is sad because it is impossible to replace our other subject teachers quickly. Why still need to replace our subject teachers when we have fallen in love with them?

“The last announcement is your NEW classroom. Since this room is intended for 9th-grade students, we’re leaving!!!” Ma’am shouted and everyone became energetic

“So Ma’am where’s our new room?” Jane asked.

“Besides the stage. The color lime-yellow building there. We’re on the second floor!” and everyone cheered because that classroom is beautiful. It's windy because of the backyard farm.

“When are we moving there, Ma’am?” I asked.

“AS IN NOW!!!” Ma’am said excitedly. We picked up our belongings and went to our new room.

We arranged the equipment in our new room because we still have the last subject. We have baking today and we will make butter cookies. We also baked before but it was an epic fail. We baked pandesal. Pandesal is a common bread roll in the Philippines. Usually, pandesal serves in the morning for breakfast and in the afternoon for merienda. Our group did it well but there are some groups that the finished product is just like a stone because of the hardness. The shape is similar to a computer mouse. So funny. #EPICFAIL

Butter cookies are easy to bake because we have experience doing it when we were in 8th grade. The ingredients are simple and easy to find.

We have prepared Personal Protective Equipments or PPEs. Hairnet, gloves, apron, and mask. We also arranged the tools we needed such as mixing bowls, wire whisk, measuring cups, and spoons.

“Okay class, go to HE Room,” Sir Escalante said--- our HE Teacher.

Everyone has gone to the HE Room where the baking, cooking, and waitering services take place. This room was made for BPP, FBS, and Cookery Students.

“Do you know what to do? I have already given you the instructions and ingredients. You are big. You may start now” Sir said. It's easy to do so we can do it.

Each group has a table. Gio's group is next to us.

“Oh, the game let’s start! Make sure your hands are clean to prevent contamination! ” I reminded my teammates and we started. We have released liquid ingredients such as butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. We put it in the mixing bowl and stirred with a wire whisk.

“Vianca, are you taking a photo?” 

“Yes, boss. #Photographer. This has Talent Fee” she said

“Sure! This is your TF once we finished cooking this!” and I pointed out the dough of butter cookies.

We added the sugar and salt to the mixture. When we noticed that the consistency was quite good, I took out the measuring cup to measure the flour. I took a flat object to remove the excess from the cup and put it in the mixture. I looked at the other groups. The others are already but few are just chilling.

I looked next to us. Gio’s group. They’re arguing because they don’t get the right consistency of the dough. I can also see in his face that he is sweating profusely. It's good that we're all wearing our PE uniform.

“Is this okay, Lou?” Joshua asked while he’s mixing the dough

“Yes, that’s okay!” I said. I took out the pastry bag and put the dough inside and knotted it. I punctured the end of the pastry bag and put I a pastry tip.

“Let’s use this to make a design!” I told them. I already pipe the dough and give it to them so they can try it.

“I love the shape just like meee!” Vianca praised her work.

The dough was gone and we filled a tray. In fairness, we have done a lot. I took the sugar and sprinkled it on top for added flavor. Then we went straight to the convection oven and put the tray inside.

I can still clearly see the stress on the faces of our classmates. FYI, that’s only just butter cookies. Their faces were more stressed when we were doing pandesal because the others are crying.

Joshua and I are currently sitting on the couch where there is an electric fan and waiting for the cookies to be cooked. It’s easy to cook.

“Don’t argue, classmates” Joshua said while watching our classmates.

"Cooperation only." I laughed as I looked at them. 

"Gio what's up?" Joshua shouted at Gio and he looked to us. His face was so sweaty and irritated.

After a while

Our butter cookies were finished so we took them out of the oven. Now my classmates are just started cooking their doughs because they just finished fighting as well. When we got the cookies, we went back to our table to make the packaging. Vianca has already made a box and we will just put the cookies inside for the presentation. I put inside of the box a small container where the chocolate syrup I made was placed. It’s delicious to dip butter cookies in chocolate syrup.

We went to the presentation table and put our cookies there.

Dismissal

It’s been 1:30 in the afternoon. We just only finished TLE subject now because the others were late in baking their dough.

Guess what who got the highest grade? Of course, our group!!! Sir loves the sugar on top of the cookies and the designs because of pastry tips. Even chocolate syrup tastes good. We are currently in court and on our way home. The atmosphere is quiet because the afternoon classes started. 

I brought some butter cookies that we made. Sir asked for the one in the presentation because he said he would give it to the teachers so we just made another one. But we were still ahead after the other group. Well, #FasterThanFlash.

As we walked, I could hear my other classmates not enjoying their work. The others were burnt, some were bitter and tasteless. It is also salty.

“Louuuu!” I heard someone call my name behind me so I turned around. I saw Gio running.

 "Can I taste your work?”

“Oh, sure!” I picked up a Tupper ware that was almost filled with butter cookies. The second time we did it, we made more to bring something home and we also had a lot of ingredients left so why not use it? Right? I opened the Tupperware and Gio get one.

“It’s good!!! Why are the finished product is not like that?” Gio said in amazement.

“Why? Where’s your group’s work? Let me taste it as well!” 

"No. It just smells like you're going to lose your appetite” And he laughed. 

"By the way, can I ask for cookies if it's okay?" Gio asked.

"All right, just get it!" I answered and he took out of plastic and placed cookies. I noticed he took a little and I added a little more. 

"Is that okay?" I asked him. His eyes widened. 

“That’s a lot!!!” He complains

“That’s okay! I’m going home because I’m tired! Goodbye!!!” and I turned my back on him and started walking again.

"Take care" He shouted at me. I turned my head to him as I’m walking.

"You also!" I said smilingly.