05/24/2025
Burning Burgers
The smell of smoke filled the backyard, and Kyle knew something was wrong. Not just a little “oops, I overcooked it” wrong, but full-blown fire alarm wrong. He turned around just in time to see flames licking the edge of the grill, the burgers inside charred beyond recognition.
"Not again!" he groaned, grabbing a water bottle and squeezing it onto the flames. The sizzling sound was oddly satisfying, but it did little to calm his nerves.
From the patio, his best friend Jake doubled over in laughter. "Dude, you have one job—not to set the food on fire!"
Kyle scowled. "It’s the grill! This thing has a mind of its own."
"Or maybe," Jake smirked, "you should stop getting distracted by texting your crush while cooking."
Kyle's face burned almost as much as the burgers. He had, in fact, been sneakily texting Emily, the cute new neighbor who had just moved in next door. She had agreed to come over for the barbecue, and now, thanks to his legendary bad luck, he was about to serve her blackened hockey pucks instead of juicy burgers.
As if on cue, Emily strolled into the backyard, the sun catching the highlights in her hair. "Wow, something smells… crispy," she teased, wrinkling her nose.
Kyle scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh, minor setback. Totally fixable."
She peeked at the disaster on the grill and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
Jake, still laughing, tossed Kyle a pack of fresh patties. "Maybe let Emily handle the cooking before we all end up eating charcoal?"
To Kyle’s surprise, Emily grinned. "Actually, I do make a mean burger."
Kyle stepped aside, watching as Emily took control, flipping the new patties like a pro. In minutes, the air was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of properly cooked burgers instead of the acrid stench of burnt ones.
As they sat down to eat, Jake nudged Kyle and whispered, "Dude, she just saved your entire cookout. Marry her."
Kyle rolled his eyes, but as he watched Emily laugh and chat with his friends, he had to admit—burning burgers had never worked out so well before.