"I'm the only person you know who does things right. I feel sorry for you, Noah. You should really meet better people."
Noah snorted. In record time, he took the groceries out of the bag, while Melanie took each of the items he unbagged and placed them in a pile according to how they would go in the refrigerator. At first, she wouldn't let him touch anything, but when he annoyed her enough, she eventually let him put up the boxed foods inside of her cabinets. And not to his surprise, everything inside of the cabinets were neatly placed and organized.
Once they finished everything, Noah leaned against the kitchen counter and watched as Melanie wiped down whatever imaginary dust that had fallen while she put everything up.
"Are you doing something today?" she asked as she dropped the sponge next to the sink.
Noah quirked a brow. "Is that your subtle way of telling me to leave?"
"No, because if I wanted you to leave, I would tell you exactly that," she said as she turned around to face him, folding her arms on top of each other. "The reason I asked you if because I wanted to thank you for helping me take everything up. I would've had to make three trips by myself if you weren't here, and if you don't realize by now, I live on the sixth floor."
"Yeah, it sucks that the elevator isn't working right now," Noah said as he yanked his shirt away from his body as it clung to the sweat on his skin. Noah hadn't been planning on having a workout today, but it just happened that way. The stairs were a killer.
"So, how do you want to repay me?" Noah grinned. "With an A?"
"You think I'm going to give you an A because you carried some groceries up the stairs? You must not know me by now. I only give A's to those deserving."
"So, what do I deserve for this?"
Melanie shrugged. "Dinner?"
Noah blinked before laughing. "That's what I get for slaving up and down the stairs for you."
And she gave him a look that reminded him of the saying, ‘boy, bye.’
"It's either dinner or five dollars," she said. "Take your pick."
And just as she finished those words, Noah's stomach growled loudly. There was a pause of silence before Melanie burst into laughter.
"So, you're going to laugh at my pain?" Noah asked, ignoring the blush in his cheeks at something that embarrassing happening. Luckily, it wasn't in front of a girl he liked.
"Dinner it is, then," Melanie said as she began to pull a few things out.
"Do you even know how to cook?" Noah asked curiously. Melanie didn't strike him as the type of person who would spend her time in the kitchen. She struck him as the type of person who would instead spend her money buying food, not cooking it. She probably had one of those food delivery services.
Melanie tossed a peeved stare at him. "I know how to cook. Do you know how to?"
"I dabble in it a bit myself," he said with a nonchalant shrug.
"What? In the art of ramen noodles?"
Noah bit his lip to stop himself from laughing.
"Okay, let's see here," Noah said as he looked at the foods Melanie had taken out. Chicken, onions, potatoes, spinach, and some seasons. "Let's make this a battle and see who cooks the best."
"Is everything a competition with you?" Melanie asked as she turned to face him, placing one hand on her hip, amusement clear in her gaze. "Besides, I don't need you wasting my food when you don't know how to cook."
"Let's make this a bet. If I can cook better than you, then you have to take me out to eat again."
"You're trying to rob your elders of money?"
"No, just my professors."
A reluctant smile broke out on her face as she shook her head, and Noah couldn't help but smile in response. It was an involuntary response that happened every time he witnessed her smile.
"So, what do I get in return if I cook better than you?" Melanie asked.
"If you win, I take you out to eat."
