I tapped a button on my laptop, then swung my head in time with the music that began to play in response. A soundtrack from my favourite game, and I hummed along, singing to myself as I clicked fire from the hob and poured oil into a wok.
*Where have you been~ Been searching all along~*
I flipped over the bowl of chopped vegetables, dumping them straight into the pan. Sizzling filled the air, along with the smell of onions, peppers and garlic. I tossed the mixture, let it settle, repeated the process until everything browned. A dash of soy sauce, a splash of sherry; the sizzle became a bubble, the smell more complex. Perfect.
“Jake!” I screamed. “Dinner!”
He didn’t reply, so I turned down the heat, drained the noodles and set off upstairs. Jake had been quiet of late. To tell the truth, I’d barely seen him. Not that we knew each other well, we’d only been living together for a month. He liked sports, running around, outdoorsy things; I liked videogames and sewing. As far as I knew the only things we shared were financial troubles and a need for a new housemate. Even so, I’d noticed that as of a week ago he’d started spending more time alone in his room. Cramming, maybe. Or an internet girlfriend. No reason to miss dinner.