Walls Between Us

20 | plans

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C A R T E R

I watch the maple syrup from the bottle fall drizzling over the freshly cooked pancakes. The color of the dish turns mouth-watering delicious. I smile as I put the syrup bottle down, feeling proud of my handiwork.

Heavy footsteps storm into the kitchen. I look up just in time to see Dawson, who stops halfway through hooking the fifth button of his suit. He seems to have frozen in place as he blinks perplexedly, eyes moving between me and the pancakes before me.

"Good morning, Dawson," I greet him.

The enthusiasm in my time causes his pupils to widen.

"Where's the cook?" he asks, his eyes searching the kitchen.

"I told her not to come today."

The information causes his lips to part and close as if he is searching for words.

"You look happy today," he says finally, walking cautiously towards me like he is walking on eggshells.

He reaches close to the counter. With my hands resting on the countertop, I stare at him while he reaches forward a hand to touch my forehead. I give him a blank look while he feels my temperature with his eyebrows weaved together. He sighs when he believes that I am not having a fever.

When he drops his hand, I push a plate of pancakes towards him.

"Here, try it."

With the same caution, he takes a seat on one of the counter stools while I take mine beside him, both of us digging out forks into the pancakes. We both take a bite at the same time and Dawson closes his eyes for a split second at the taste of it.

"How's it?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

I make great pancakes.

He shivers at the sound of my voice, jerking his head in my direction.

"It's good," he chokes out. "Carter, you're scaring me. What happened?"

I take another bite of the juicy dish, smirking at his question. He observes me curiously, leaving the rest of the cakes unattended.

"I don't kiss and tell," I hum with the maple syrup melting on my tongue.

"What?" Dawson jumps from his seat, visibly shaken by my insinuation. "You kissed Amaya?"

"I'm pretty sure we did more than kissing but you think what you want to."

I shrug, unable to stop the stupid grin from getting all over my face. I haven't been able to get last night out of my head. I have been on edge since morning, waiting for Amaya to call me which I am pretty sure she will soon. Things took a turn between us and for me, it was for the absolute best.

"Wait..." Dawson begins, looking shaken. "You slept with her? Fuck...when did that happen? You didn't say a thing when you came home. I thought you guys fought again."

"It happened after I carried Parker up to her apartment," I reply, popping another bite into my mouth. "I told her I wanted to stay. She got upset, we fought, and then we had hot, angry sex. It was amazing. She was shocked later and then I left to give her space."

Dawson has his mouth hanging open when I finish telling the story. His hands rise to his hair, fisting the strands as he stares at me.

"Gods, Carter...I leave you alone for two hours around her and you fuck it up."

He falls to his seat in a dazed state while I narrow my eyebrows at him.

"It wasn't my fault, Dawson. If anything, what happened last night was the best thing ever."