THIRTY-SEVEN

Abby stood at the counter, her hair pulled back in a messy bun as she got to work on making the pasta. She filled a large pot with water and set it to boil on the stove. Once the water had come to a rolling boil, she added a generous amount of salt to the pot.

Next, she reached for the box of pasta on the counter and tore it open, pouring the noodles into the boiling water. She gave them a quick stir to prevent them from sticking together and then set a timer for the suggested cooking time.

On the other hand, Lyra was sitting on the couch in her living room, one leg crossed over the other, and a nail file in her hand. She had a small nail file kit spread out on the table in front of her, with a variety of different nail tools, all designed to help her achieve the perfect manicure.

She began filing her nails, she moved the file back and forth across each nail, carefully shaping them into a neat, smooth curve. She paid close attention to each nail, making sure that they were all even and the same length.

As she worked, she held each finger gently between her fingers, angling the file to get the perfect shape. She worked her way around each hand, filing each nail with precision and care.

Abby couldn't contain her excitement any longer and blurted out, "Guess what?"

Lyra let out a sigh and replied, "My head is pounding enough as it is, don't tell me to guess,” switching to a buffer and began smoothing the surface of each nail. She rubbed the buffer back and forth over the surface of each nail, smoothing out any ridges or bumps.

Rolling her eyes, Abby continued, "Leo asked me out on a date."

She heated a large skillet over medium-high heat and added a generous amount of olive oil. Once the oil was hot, she added some minced garlic and sautéed it until it was fragrant.

Lyra stopped filing her nails and turned to Abby, "Leo? Who's Leo?"

Without realizing, she accidentally hit her hand on the handle of the pan, causing her to yelp in pain.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she felt the searing heat of the handle on her skin.

"Ow!" Abby screeched in pain and licked her burning finger.

She immediately dropped the spoon she was holding and held onto her hand, which was starting to turn red.

"Are you okay?" Lyra asked, her eyes wide with concern.

Abby quickly turned off the stove and made her way to the sink. She turned on the tap and ran her hand under the cool water. It provided some relief to her burning skin, but the pain was still there.

Abby shook her head and said, "I'm fine, just a little burn."

She added a can of crushed tomatoes to the skillet, along with some salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. She let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it had thickened slightly.

Lyra turned back to Abby, curiosity piqued, "So who's Leo?"

Abby drained the cooked pasta and added it to the skillet with the sauce. She tossed everything together until the noodles were coated in the delicious tomato sauce. She sprinkled some grated Parmesan cheese over the top and then used a pair of tongs to plate the pasta.

Lyra lifted each hand to examine her nails from different angles, checking for any imperfections or rough spots. She was meticulous in her work, taking her time to ensure that each nail was perfect.

Abby smiled, "That chef….”

Lyra's eyes widened in excitement and she let out a small squeal.

"Girrrrrrlllll," she exclaimed, dropping her foot to the ground.

Abby danced, flailing arms, doing a quick footwork, and wide grins. She spun around on one foot, pumping her fists in the air and letting out an excited whoop.

As Abby started to slow down, her arms still flapping like a bird's wings, she caught Lyra's eye and grinned even wider. "I did it, girl! I bagged myself a date with Leo!" she exclaimed, punctuating her words with a quick hip shake.

Lyra chuckled at Abby's antics.

"But wait, Abby, I was only gone for two days! And there's good news already? How did it happen?"

Abby chuckled and replied, "Well, I just started a conversation with him while ordering food, and I used some food jargons I knew, and it set the ball rolling. He practically walked over to my table and asked if I had time on Friday."

Lyra puts down her nail file and stood up, making her way to Abby who had started dishing out the food onto plates. They joined hands with in a high five and both of them squeaking in happiness.

"Girl, I am so happy for you!" Lyra exclaimed, giving Abby a tight hug.

Abby returned the hug, a big smile on her face. "I'm happy too! I just hope this goes great," Abby said, her smile faltering slightly.

Lyra pulled away and put her hands on Abby's shoulders, "Of course it will, you're amazing and Leo is going to be blown away." Abby smiled at Lyra's words, feeling a little more confident about the date.

As Abby continued to dish out the pasta onto plates, Lyra stood by her side, still holding her hands.

"You know, I've always been a little envious of your cooking skills," Lyra said, glancing over at Abby.

"I mean, I can barely cook a frozen pizza without burning it."

Abby chuckled, "It's not that hard, you just have to follow the recipe."

Lyra nodded, "Maybe you can teach me someday, but for now, I'll stick to filing my nails," she said with a grin.

Abby laughed, "Speaking of which, how's your head doing?"

Lyra chewed her food, "It's feeling better, thanks for asking," she replied, nodding slightly.

As Abby finished dishing out the food, she turned to Lyra, "Ready to eat?"

Lyra nodded eagerly and the two of them made their way to the living room, balancing their plates and glasses of wine.

As they settled onto the couch, Abby took a bite of her pasta, letting out a satisfied moan. "Mmm, this is so good," she said, looking over at Lyra.

Lyra grinned, "I told you, you're an amazing cook."