"we should probably get up now," i say with a laugh. tommy nods and stands up, then holds his hand out to help me up.

"toby's looking for you," i inform him. he nods.

"i figured. does he need anything?" tommy asks.

"not sure. he just said he was looking for you." i start to make my way out of the room until tommy calls out to me.

"where are you going?" he asks.

"downstairs. i told niki i'd help her make cookies after i said hi to everyone."

"can i help?"

i laugh at the thought of tommy making cookies.

"can you bake?" i ask, scratching my head.

"probably. i'm a big man, i can do many things." i shake my head.

"your online persona is showing."

"i'm a big man on and off camera."

"whatever. just come help." we head downstairs and walk over to niki. she looks up from spreading out all the ingredients and smiles.

"thank god, val, i need some help. and hi tommy, what are you doing?" she says.

"i'm here to help," tommy replies smugly. niki laughs.

"like hell you are."

"what? i bet i'll make the best cookies you've ever tasted."

"i highly doubt that."

"come on nihachu, just let me try."

"fine. but i'm relying on valerie for most of this." niki turns towards me and gives me a wink. i wink back.

we get started on the cookies, mixing the basic ingredients together after picking out egg shells that tommy drops in the bowl. after finally getting everything together, tommy whisks all the ingredients.

"you sure you don't need help with that?" i ask with a smirk.

"what makes you think i need help mixing this?" tommy asks, eyes focused on the bowl.

"i mean, i haven't dropped an egg shell in a mixing bowl since i was eight, and you dropped all three egg shells in there."

"shut up."

tommy finishes whisking and starts to pull the cookies dough out and put them on the cookie pan. niki pats my shoulder and tells me she's going to wash her hands. i nod and quickly pull out my phone to take a picture of tommy.

i giggle at the picture and tommy looks up.

"why are you laughing?" he asks.

"nothing, keep going."

we put the cookies in the oven and set a 10 minute timer.

"what do we do while we wait?" tommy asks, looking at me. i shrug.

"where's everyone else?" i ask.

"why would i know?"

"fair point. let's just wait, then."

we sit around the kitchen, talking about my flight over and his drive. the alarm suddenly goes off and i jump.

"why the hell is that your alarm?" i ask as the default iphone alarm continues to blare.

"why wouldn't it be?" tommy asks, turning it off.

"that's the absolute WORST sound known to mankind."

"whatever, you big baby." tommy opens the oven and pulls the cookies out.

"those look good," i say. tommy nods.

"see? the big man CAN bake." i roll my eyes and smile. tommy goes to pick one up and i grab his wrist.

"you're going to burn your hand touching them. let them cool, big UNPATIENT man."

"tommyinnit doesn't like to wait."

"tommyinnit's gonna have to wait." my stomach growls and tommy looks into my eyes.

"have you eaten?" he asks.

"mmm no..."

"you fucking idiot." tommy walks to the fridge. "why didn't you tell me?"

"i wasn't thinking about it!"

"what do you want to eat?" he asks. "we barely have anything, but we'll probably go to the store tomorrow." he turns towards me and motions me over. i walk over to the fridge and pull out an apple. i show him the apple and raise my eyebrows.

"you haven't eaten all day. you're not just going to have an APPLE," tommy says with a sigh.

"i ate breakfast."

"i don't care. you still need more than that." tommy closes the fridge and opens one of the cabinets, pulling out a bag of microwavable popcorn. "you'll also eat this." i shrug as i take a bite into the apple.

"and one of the cookies," i say.

"that goes without saying."

once i finish my apple, the cookies are cooled down. tommy picks up two cookies and hands one to me. we taste them at the same time and our eyes widen.

"yo wait this is good..." i say with my mouth full.

"pro bakers pog?" tommy says, holding out his fist. we fist bump.

"pog."