Abby

I feel frozen to my spot as the judges make their way toward Daniel’s station.

The grin stretched across his face almost makes me feel sick, and it’s all I can

do not to run off the stage right now.

“Wow,” Vanessa says as she takes the first bite of Daniel’s dish, which looks

leaps and bounds ahead of mine just by presentation alone. “Really, Daniel;

wow. Despite everything, you created a phenomenal dish.”

“Thank you so much,” Daniel says, his eyes flickering toward me. “You know,

with my sous chef’s wrist in so much pain, it was difficult. But we made it.”

Enter title…

Next, the judges begin making their way toward me, and I feel like I’m going to

be sick. They stop in front of my station, and I can feel the cold weight of

Logan’s gaze on me already.

“Hello, Abby,” Vanessa says, her gaze sweet as ever despite the circumstances.

“Your performance in the second round was lacking, but you’re here now. How

do you feel?”

I swallow. “I feel…” I pause, my throat cracked and dry. “I feel… Hopeful,” I

mutter. Vanessa nods in response along with the third judge, but Logan—his

face is as inscrutable as ever.

times

me, Abby, the chef with the ‘violent’ partner. I

here now, if only to have his presence by my side,

vast

her voice low. “This… This isn’t

expected from you.”

in my chest as panic begins

I start to explain, but my words falter under

but it’s not one of understanding. “I see what you tried to

on the plate. I’m sorry,

the second judge, Xavier, a chef of few words.

there before he

he adds

to argue, to defend my dish, to

I swallow the words. They know the chaos that unfolded. They saw

they seem

clear and authoritative, that

have here is a fundamental problem,” he states, his cold

meeting mine.

of my station, my knuckles whitening. “Please, enlighten

the quiver in my voice isn’t too

an eyebrow. “Well, to put it plainly…” He pauses,

instructions, Abby. This dish is not what

asked for.”

gasping for air. “But

“This is farro

and mushrooms. It’s exactly what

where you’re wrong,” Logan says with a disappointed

farro mafaldine

already digging through

piece of black truffle and holds

it this way

look like a black truffle

seems as though all of the oxygen has been sucked

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