skin turn a perfect, crisp gold under the oven light. This wasn't just any dinner, this was my future. The Ashton Culinary Academy application was sitting o

ed into the kitchen, her phone

sis! Ready for

l smile. "Almost. Just need

since we were kids, the one who knew this recipe meant more to me than a

siasm she used for her followers. "Welcome back to the 'Ultimate Prank Challenge'! Today,

ng brush slipped from my fing

to a cruel smirk, "is that this is actually her entry for the 'Worst C

t pounding, begging him with my eyes to say something, to tell me this was a joke. He just stared at his shoes, his shoulders hunched. The live

rm on the counter, "is we 'accidentally' spilled water all over

nkblots. My chance was gone. They hadn't just made a joke of my passion, they had actively destroyed my opp

joying their kill. Brittany was basking in the glow of the screen, Liam was still a statue of shame, and I was on the outside, a

father' s old apron, and folded it carefully, placing it on the counter. My hands were shaking, but m

ny's calls of, "Aw, Chloe, can't you take a

m knock softly. "C

h held tight. I needed to hear his exc

y said it was just for fun. And she promised... she promised we'd h

out of his own mouth. He was still clinging to the idea that we were a 'we', that our shared

w minutes later, I heard Brittany's voice, sharp and dismissive, floating up from

amatic. It's not like she was actually going to get into Ashton anyway. She's just a

thing that connected me to my father, the one part of me I thought was special. The

as incomplete. They've withdrawn your consideration." Her voice wasn't angry, or even sad. It was just... factual. A statement of news. She didn't ask what happened. She didn't ask