"It doesn't look anything like a pancake," Emma pouted, staring at the deflated used-to-be batter supposed-to-be pancake.
"Hang on. I got this," Olivia replied, grabbing the bowl of batter and mixing it a little more before pouring a little bit of it on the pan.
"You forgot the spray-on cooking oil," Emma noted.
Olivia cussed and emptied the contents of the pan into a separate mixing bowl so it wouldn't contaminate the untouched batter.
"Third time's the charm," she crossed her fingers.
Doing it right this time, Olivia poured the batter onto the pan and spread it till it started rising, taking the shape of a pancake.
"There we go!" Emma cheered. "You're a genius, Liv," she pecked her girlfriend on the lips and got a bright smile from the green-eyed girl in return.
"I took a few cooking classes here and there back in high school," Olivia nodded her head, then scrunched her face in disgust at the thought of the teacher and some of her classmates.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked, face laced with worry.
The older brunette shook her head and let out a sigh. "I was just thinking about my teacher and a few of my classmates from those cooking classes. They were homophobic, all of them. When word got around that I was into girls, I never stopped hearing about how wrong it was every time I stepped into that kitchen,"
Emma gave her girlfriend a tight hug. "It's okay. Everything will be different this time," she said confidently.
"Different how? How do you know?"
"Because you have me now," the younger girl started. "I promise never to leave you alone in your times of need. Whenever you have a problem that needs to be let out, I'll be there," she assured Olivia.
"Thank you Em, I really appreciate that," Olivia smiled.
"Yeah, yeah. Pancakes?" Emma playfully dismissed her girlfriend.
Olivia chuckled and turned her attention back to the stove.
•••
A lot more stories and pancakes later, the two girls were finally satisfied with the number of pancakes each of them had.
"I only have two!" Emma had said as Olivia was prepared to put all the utensils away.
Now, they both had three pancakes on their plates.
"Shall we start decorating these before we eat them? A good picture for Instagram never hurt anybody," Olivia asked her girlfriend.
"You, always so artsy. But okay," Emma nodded.
Olivia beamed and kissed her girlfriend tenderly.
•••
"Which one should I post?" Olivia asked casually as she scrolled through the pictures they took on her phone.
"I like this one, and that one, and this— Liv, you can pick the picture on your own. I'm done," Emma replied.
She couldn't decide which was the best. Her girlfriend had insane talent.
Olivia chuckled at her girlfriend's response. She decided to post all three photos Emma had managed to choose.
"There," she showed the cheerleader the post.
"Perfect," the younger brunette smiled and kissed the green-eyed girl.
"What do you wanna do now?" Olivia asked, shifting slightly so she could face her girlfriend entirely.
"Well...I know that our project for our music class is done, but...can we write another song?" she pouted.
Olivia smiled. "Sure, anything for you baby girl,"
•••
"Emma! I don't play any instruments!" Olivia complained.
"Fine!" the younger girl huffed. "Could you grab my laptop and just record the harmonies for me? Put it on loop and stuff," she replied.
"That I can do," Olivia winked.
Emma grabbed her guitar and started playing a few chords she had learnt from her friend Shawn just a few days before.
"Wait!" the younger brunette stopped and looked at Olivia.
"What is it?" the green-eyed girl looked at her in confusion.
"How fast can you pick up an instrument?" she asked.
"I told you, I've never played—"
Emma raised an eyebrow.
"Alright...uh, pretty quickly, I guess. I may or may not have touched the keyboard a couple of times..." she trailed off.
"I knew you had it in you," Emma winked. "Now let's get on with this song!"
•••
A few hours and three packets of crisps later, the two girls were finally done with their song.
"Let's go through it one more time,"
Olivia nodded her head and pressed the record button as Emma started strumming a beautiful melody on the guitar, counting the beats till she began singing.
Before I met you,
I had nowhere to go.
Wandering through the halls,
Trying to boost my ego.
I had no care in the world,
Letting my life burn down.
Didn't know what else to do but frown.
I was weak, had nowhere to turn.
I was weak, letting the Scotch burn
My throat,
Numb my heart, oh baby
I'm falling apart.
Weak, (oh) so weak.
Olivia's fingers flew across the keys, just as her girlfriend had demonstrated earlier. She looked at Emma as she sang.
From the moment I met you,
My life turned around.
I wanted you then,
And I want you now.
Every time I see your name
Light up on my phone,
I can't think of what to say,
But I want you to know:
You make me strong,
When you lift me up.
You make me strong,
When you wrap your arms
Around me (oh),
Engulf me in a hug.
Strong, you make me strong.
Emma looked up from her guitar and met Olivia's eyes. "You ready?" she mouthed to her partner, to which she received a nod.
The bridge was special to them both; it described their dynamics perfectly. Before they got together, that is.
Because of that, they decided it was best they sang it together, alternating between lines.
That seemed to make it more memorable.
Emma went first, eyes locked on Olivia, who had returned her focus to the keyboard before her.
I wish it was easy
To tell you how I feel.
I wish I didn't make it such a big deal.
It was Olivia's turn, but she didn't look at her girlfriend. This was emotional for her, and she was afraid she'd tear up before the younger girl.
I wish it was easy
To know more about you.
Am I delusional,
Or do you like me too?
Olivia looked up shortly after she sang her portion of the bridge. Her eyes met her girlfriend's, who was looking at her supportively.
Olivia smiled. Maybe things weren't so bad after all.
They sang the last part together, their voices in perfect harmony.
I was weak, had nowhere to turn.
I was weak, letting the Scotch burn
My throat,
Numb my heart, oh baby
I'm falling apart.
Weak, (oh) so weak.
But now I'm strong,
'Cause you lifted me up.
You made me strong,
'Cause you wrapped your arms
Around me (oh),
Engulf me in a hug
Strong....
Yeah you make me strong.
They ended the song with a perfect mix of both guitar and keys, eyes never leaving each other.
"That's was great. You sounded amazing babe," Olivia complimented her girlfriend.
"Me? Look at you! Did you hear yourself? I didn't know Olivia Jauregui could sing and play the keys so well," Emma smirked in response, causing Olivia to chuckle.
"Very funny honey. What can I say? I had a good teacher,"
Emma blushed.
"Come on, Netflix and chill?" the green-eyes girl suggested.
"I'm all up for Netflix and literal chill, you know," Emma pointed out.
"Of course, what did you think I meant?"
The blush on Emma's face deepened at Olivia's question.
"Whatever, let's go!" she attempted to change the subject, saving their file into a separate folder and shutting the equipment off. "Come on!" she squealed, dragging her girlfriend back to her room.
Olivia chuckled and ran after the young brunette.