Aversion – antipathy

Excitement fills Megan. Today is the first time they get to cook in Home Economics. She can't wait to sharpen her growing cooking skills, as the class promises to do. By Thanksgiving, Megan hopes that she will be able to make a decent feast fitting of the holiday.

"Today we are making omelets. You will find your recipe card in your kitchen station and the food in the refrigerator. Hop to it," Mr. Davis, the teacher, instructed.

Megan and her four kitchen-mates head to their station, happily chattering away. They procure the ingredients, and begin to prepare them. Megan begins to break and scramble the eggs, while the rest start to dice the onions, mushrooms, and a red bell pepper.

Megan gets out a skillet and sets it on the stove. She begins to turn the burner on when she realizes something. The stove is gas, not electric, which would mean… oh. Her hand begins to shake, and she knows it's irrational, but it's ingrained so deeply into her species and that is something you just can't fight.

"Betty, could you do it?" Megan asks, all the while trying to control her voice so as to not let on how much turmoil she is feeling.

Betty laughs and jokes, "What, are you scared?"

And then she sees the fear in Megan's brown eyes and the quibble in her lip and says, "Don't worry about it. I got it."

She turns the handle, waits for the click, and then continues to turn the handle until a blue flame bursts to life.

Megan stares at the mocking flame and knows that she can't stay in this class.

It's a shame. She was really looking forward to it too.