We made our way down the stairs inside the Hall and relaxed visibly when we noticed that everyone had just assembled. The assistant producer stood behind the crowd of contestants. Upon noticing us, he broke out into a huge grin. Brandon's hand tightened around mine, I knew he was still miffed about it. With a deep breath, I gave the producer a slight nod. He returned it with an eager one, checking off our name from the list. He went away after that. We were the last to arrive.

Bella was at the back with Giulia and we joined them. She gave me a smile which I returned a second later, still not used to see her like that. Someone coughed behind us and Sarah came into view. Before she could open her mouth, director called attention, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"Thank you for assembling here. I am sure you all received the message last night," he said, and I snorted, not too loud though. "Matt has something to say to you all."

I craned my neck as our judge Matt came into view. He looked ashen, and even the cakey foundation didn't hide the dark circles under his eyes. The death must have taken a heavy toll on him and I wondered who had died. Not that I could ask anyone right now.

"Um..." There was a silence as we waited for him to speak. "I apologize to everyone; specially the staff here and the contestants. Due to a family emergency, I will leave tomorrow. Thank you for being supportive and shifting the competition, even though it was hard. Also, after today I won't be able to continue as your judge. Hope you can take care of me until then."

I pouted, biting my inner cheek. I thought he would be back after tomorrow so it was a disappointment to hear that it won't happen. This could be the last time we see him. My head hung low, and I took in a deep breath. It was hard for everyone and Brandon held my hand throughout. A few more pleasantries from the other judges and then the Director took over.

"We start in five minutes. Please take your positions!" he shouted, and we all shuffled away at his command. Brandon and I took a random spot, Bella kept close to us, taking the adjacent table. Sarah raised her eyebrows in a jesting manner, pointing towards Bella. I shook my head and shrugged.

The intro started, and we breezed through the introductions. My stomach churned as the time to announce the task came closer. My sniffing was still a distraction, and I hoped to keep my sneezing spree at bay.

"For this round, the trust and understanding between you and your partner would be tested," Tony spoke.

Brandon and I shared a look.

"This new segment emphasizes the motto of the competition, 'Love Never Grows Apart'," he continued, and I wondered what sort of insane task we'll be assigned to do today. "Each team will choose one ingredient from these."

He pointed to the long table where lines of boxes sat. I blinked hard to focus through my heavy eyelids. "You have to make one dessert with one and half an hour of cooking time. But, the catch is you cannot discuss what you will cook with your partners."

There was an expected intake of sharp breath from everyone. Brandon and I shared yet another look.

"First forty-five minutes of the cooking will be done by our main competitors. In the second half your teammates will cook. The team to produce the best dish will earn another of these safety badges. Bottom eight dishes will compete for survival, and the worst four will leave the competition."

It took me a moment to understand what he was going on about, but when I did, only one thought prevailed.

We were doomed.

I pursed my lips and took a deep breath. The problems lined up in my head like humongous mountains and I pondered on them.

Problem number one, we couldn't discuss the dish. Therefore, there was no way Brandon would know what I was cooking unless the ingredients were obvious, and the dish was simple. Which, if we wanted to win, could not be simple.

But the even bigger problem that Brandon was no pro at cooking. I knew he was only as good as a newbie in a kitchen, with a trick or two up his sleeve- that much had been clear the first day. How could I trust him to complete making the dish when he hardly knew baking? This was their time to shine, and I was afraid that Brandon would lack behind majorly.

The competition is about trusting your partner to do it, I criticized myself. Could I trust Brandon with it?

Moreover, four teams to leave the competition sounded brutal, but there was no other option.

A pause settled over the kitchen area as everyone whispered, perhaps the same things going through my head. We were kids after all, and right now, we needed serious planning to do.

"You think we can do this?" Brandon asked, turning me by my arm, so I faced him. Other teams were busy discussing too, and I felt tiny and weak compared to them. Brandon saw my hesitance and sighed.

"I can't believe they are doing this to us!" I tried to imitate anger, but my voice was hollow. Honestly, that was all I could say. The image of the eccentric casting manager flitted into my mind, and I knew that she had a role in this round of the competition.

"We have to act smart," Brandon whispered. I leaned in closer as he explained to me what we had to do. "Look, we don't know what we'll get."

"An easy ingredient, I hope," I pitched in.

"Right, but we can't be sure. I know I am not the perfect person for this job, but I have an idea."

I raised my eyebrows and motioned him to hurry. "First of all, try to do as much as you can in the first round."

"That'll be for the-" I sneezed, and he moved back. I grumbled, "Damn this cold!"

"The medicine will work soon, don't worry." He patted my shoulder, then his eyes widened. This time in a hushed whisper, "The medicine will work soon."

I bit my lips and winced as my memory refreshed. So that was what was nagging me this whole time. I had to give credit to my mind for making me forget that in the short time span from the hotel room to here.

"Shit. Are you feeling sleepy?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe? It's hard to tell."

"Hell, that idiotic person! And these fucking rules," he muttered, rubbing his face with his hands. He looked flustered, and a strange feeling settled over me.

Today might not be our best performance.

"Don't worry; I am sure the nervousness will keep me awake. It's just a medicine."

"You shouldn't be so sure about that." From the way he said it, I knew he hadn't had a good experience with it as well. "Try to chew gum while cooking, it might help."

"Where do I get a chewing gum?" I raised my hands.

"Right." He sighed. "Let's get back on the track. What I want you to do is..."

After a minute, the ingredient choosing started. Nothing drastic came out of any of the boxes. A few got exotic fruits; others got regular ones. A much needed relief for everyone. "Tyler."

I wiped my hands down my apron and rushed to the table. About five boxes were left, randomly numbered. Should I do eeny, meeny, miny, mo? Or choose intuitively? Going with the latter option, I chose number nine. Tony opened the box, and my stomach clenched in anticipation.

"Oranges!" he said, handing me the plate full of oranges. I sighed in relief, my shoulders sagging. He gave me a thumbs-up and I grinned back at him. Not a bad ingredient at all.

I hurried back to my station, and gave a side-glance to Brandon, who was standing along with other teammates. His eyes seemed to bore in mine; as if he was trying to send a message across. A few others were still left, so I kept swiveling my head to him, trying to understand what he was indicating. There was not much distance between the two of us; he could have just mouthed it or something. But he didn't, and I was glad for that. I wasn't the one to break the rules.

Brandon's inquisitive gaze got me thinking. There had to be a solid reason behind it. What was so important about the oranges? I frowned, thinking hard.

Oranges... I knew I had used them quite recently. But where? I shook my head to clear my mind and instead concentrate on deciding what I would bake instead. A marmalade? Or a fruit custard? No, that would be too generic.

Even though I kept thinking about the recipe, simple enough that Brandon could pick up and unique enough to impress the judges. But like a word on the tip of my tongue-- just there, but still not be able to recall it-- I thought about what Brandon had been trying to tell.

"Francis," the judge called out. My eyes focused again, and I looked ahead to see Francis choosing one of the two boxes left. I kept looking at him, his name running in my mind.

Francis.

It clicked in an instant.

Boy toy.

"I took the liberty of decorating it, since you were busy with your boy toy," Brandon replied.

"You did it?"

"Yeah. It's no big deal."

"Right."

I thought back to the delicate looking creature, with soft petals and oranges. The cake we had baked together and the one he had decorated back home. Was he talking about that cake? Could it be possible? He knew the recipe after all. I clenched my fits and then unclenched it. My throat was dry and the impending decision to make was pressurizing me. The wheels in my head spun at a thunderous rate, and with a determined sigh, I made my decision.

The cooking time started, and as Brandon had explained, I arranged the items in the order they were to be used. If I could just bake the cake in the forty-five minutes and leave the icing to Brandon... that would be perfect. But that goal was far-stretched.

I did a side-glance towards him, wiggling the can of coffee beans in my hand. His face lit up into a smile, and I sighed, relieved. He was talking about this recipe. Bending down, I set the oven to pre-heat at 180 degrees. I stifled a yawn and blinked a few times to stop my eyes from drooping.

Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt lined up in the order they would be used. One by one, I put them in the bowl, feeling much like I was running my own cookery show. The electric mixer was plugged, and I placed the bowl under it. Another yawn assaulted me, and my vision turned blurry. The constant buzz of the mixer lulled me, and I shook my head to get out of the trance. Lethargic was the word to describe me right now. My speed irrevocably compromised.

I gave a final shake to the mixture, satisfied with the combination. Eggs, I thought, grabbing three. Caster sugar, I recited in my head, picking up the packet. A spoonful spilled out in my haste, and I bit back a curse. Mixing in the butter and sugar, I looked up to see the time left.

Thirty minutes down. The time left twisted the insides my stomach, it wasn't enough. Whatever Brandon had said, the effects of the medicine, they weren't that bad. Except the -now more frequent- yawns and heavy eyes, there wasn't much happening. I wasn't flat down on my face, sleeping. Though that was the exact thing I was yearning to do.

Not giving in to the urge, I mixed in the instant coffee with lukewarm water. The waft of smell had an awakening effect, and thinking it was a good idea, I put a spoonful of the mixture in my mouth, under the pretense of judging its flavor. Bitter taste filled my tongue, and I scrunched up my face, placing the spoon in the sink.

My senses tingled out of sleep, not the effect of caffeine, but rather because of the nasty taste of coffee. I was always the cream and sugar kind of girl. Sweeter the better.

I added the milk, churning it to give it a soft dropping consistency. The moment I made the last swirl and hit the bowl with my spatula to collect the mixture, the half time bell rang. Cheng's voice boomed through the kitchen area, "Okay everyone! Time to switch with your partners."

I hesitated. The instant coffee had yet to be stirred in and the cake mix put into the baking plate. Did I just spend forty-five minutes preparing the base? Without a second to waste, I hastily arranged the order in which Brandon was supposed to do the rest of the task.

"Tyler, go!" I smelled his deodorant before I registered his voice. Brandon patted my shoulder, urging me to go.

I gave him a fleeting look, my feet already carrying me away. He gave me a reassuring smile which really did assure me. I paused, taking a few steps back, and then said, "Best of luck."

The smile he gave me sent flutters through my stomach. He didn't waste time watching me go. It relaxed me when he picked up the instant coffee and poured it in the mixture. Maybe everything will indeed go well.

Bella met me halfway and gave me an inquisitive stare. Upon noticing that I had noticed her, she asked, "Are you okay?"

Instead of saying I'll be fine or any such white lie, I shook my head. We were being ushered into the same lounge/ room we had been shown to in the first round. I motioned her to stoop down to my level. She looked around once and then did as I asked. "I took medicine for cold. It's making me sleepy."

"Oh." She went back to her full height.

We sat down on the couch, farther away from the TV screen. Now that there wasn't activity, staying awake was getting more difficult. They played the video in cuts and pieces, focusing on a contestant one at a time. When Brandon came on, I sat a little straighter. Bella was towards my right side and I saw her follow my motion. Brandon was busy mixing something, which I hoped was the frosting because that cake needed at least twenty minutes to bake.

Giulia was on next, their allotted fruit being coconut. As I watched, the TV screen split into two, and I blinked to focus on the real image. My eyes were drooping, and I had the irresistible urge to lie down on the couch and sleep.

I yawned, and Bella offered me water. I shook my head. With thirty-five minutes left at the clock, I closed my eyes.

*****