My Paradiso

Chapter 7: The Aftermath and the Offer

Chapter 7: The Aftermath and the Offer

The buzz in the classroom after Chef Ramirez's pronouncement was almost deafening. Marcus felt his cheeks burning under the weight of everyone's stares. He wanted nothing more than to disappear.

Restaurant-quality? He couldn't believe it. He'd known the adobo was good, but that good? And the way everyone was looking at him... or rather, at Celestia.

He risked a glance in her direction. She was still a bit flushed, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of surprise and something else he couldn't quite place. Pride? Satisfaction? It was unsettling. He was used to being invisible, and this attention was definitely not comfortable.

Aira and Mika approached Celestia, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. Marcus tried to fade into the background, gathering his things with more deliberate movements than necessary.

"Girl, what was that?" Aira exclaimed, her voice a low but excited whisper. "Since when could you cook like that? And with him?" She gestured subtly in Marcus's direction.

Mika nodded in agreement. "Seriously! That adobo was amazing. Chef Ramirez practically had stars in his eyes. You've been holding out on us, Celestia."

Celestia laughed, a light, airy sound that Marcus tried not to focus on. "It wasn't me," she admitted, a hint of pink still on her cheeks. "Marcus did most of it. I just... supervised."

Marcus cringed inwardly. Supervised? He'd practically had to guide her hand every step of the way.

Aira's eyes widened. "Marcus? Quiet Marcus? Since when did he become a master chef?"

Mika smirked. "And since when did you two become a team? There's definitely a story here."

Celestia shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but Marcus could see the faint blush returning. "There's no story. We were just partners for the activity. He's good at cooking, that's all."

As his classmates began to disperse, Celestia approached Marcus. He tensed, unsure what to expect.

"Hey," she said, her voice softer now that the crowd had thinned. "Thanks for, you know... making us not fail."

Marcus shrugged, still feeling awkward. "It was nothing. You helped with the... measuring." He wanted to disappear.

Celestia hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Listen, about the adobo... it was really good. Like, really good. And I realized..." She paused, her gaze meeting his. "I'm a disaster in the kitchen. A complete and utter disaster. I can't even boil water without setting off the smoke alarm."

Marcus didn't know what to say. He was surprised at her honesty.

"So," Celestia continued, "I was wondering... would you be willing to teach me how to cook?"

Marcus blinked, caught off guard. Teach Celestia Rivera how to cook? It was absurd. And yet...

"What?" he managed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Celestia's expression turned slightly pleading. "I'm serious. I'll pay you, or I'll help you with anything you want. Tutoring, connections, anything."

Marcus stared at her, dumbfounded. This was insane. He, Marcus Sebastian, was being offered a deal by Celestia Rivera. He had a million questions running through his head.