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“I don’t want to sabotage you. Why would I leave my partner to make my dish all on her own if I wanted to sabotage you?”
She thinks it over for a bit. “Why are you doing this?”
I shrug. “Everyone needs a fair shot at the prize.”
She thanks me and tells me what to do. As I help her, I run back to Chloe to make sure she’s not too overwhelmed. She reassures me that she’s fine and that I should focus on Sienna.
It’s so crazy in here, but we get everything done—my dish and Sienna’s. I help her plate and assist Chloe as well. She doesn’t complain once, which makes me love her ten times more than I already do.
Time’s up and our hands are in the air. When Sienna presents her dish to the judges, she smiles at their compliments, and she even gives me a thankful one.
“Liam, please describe your dessert.”
After I do, the judges are very excited and pleased as they taste it.
I look at Chloe and she gives me two thumbs up. She totally rocked it.
“Now the judges will deliberate,” Viraj announces. “And then they’ll announce who won this year’s competition, the trophy, and the scholarship to the Robinson Culinary Institute!”
The audience cheers. The judges leave to a nearby room while the rest of us sit at our stations.
“Thanks so much, Chloe,” I tell her with a smile. “You owned that dessert.”
She waves her hand. “I was just following what we did during practice.”
I hesitate as I reach for her hand, then curl it to my side. “I know, but you were amazing.”
“So were you.”
“Thanks.”
Quiet.
Quiet again.
It feels like forever until the judges return to the stage. The finalists are asked to step forward and stand before the judges’ table.
“We’re very pleased with your dishes tonight,” Catherine says. “You all did exceptionally well and we’re excited to see more from you in the future.”
One by one, they talk about our dishes and what they loved and didn’t love about them. Of course they mention my lack of sauce, but I don’t let that get to me.
They loved my dessert most—well, Chloe’s dessert. One judge jokes that he licked his plate clean. I wish I could throw my arms around Chloe and thank her until the sun falls from the sky.
“The winner of this year’s Young Chefs of Tomorrow is….” The judges exchange smiles, the audience is on the edge of their seats, and my heart is thumping so hard in every inch of my body that I can hardly breathe.
“Sienna from Silverton Academy!”
The air is sucked out of me.
I didn’t win.
But that’s okay. I smile and clap with everyone else. She was a fierce competitor, a great cook, and she deserves this. She beams as she waves her trophy around. The audience cheers and I notice her glancing around, as if searching for her parents. But I don’t think they’re here. She does have fellow classmates and teachers there, though. But it’s hard to miss her sad eyes.
Chloe comes over to me and wraps her arms around my waist. I’m taken back for a second at her warmth and close proximity, but then I hug her back, lifting her a few inches off the floor.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
“It’s okay. Please don’t blame yourself.”
