The Summer to my Fall

4:

Ian's POV

I excitedly opened the box of cinnamon rolls I had bought. The glaze was just too perfect, the perfect translucent milky goodness, smothered over the warm rolls glistening in the shades of brown and beige. The sweet aroma hit me with so much strength it had me screaming.

"You bought cinnamon rolls again?! We had that like yesterday!", I heard Tripp's annoying voice as he joined me on the table and helped himself to a roll. I glared at him, "FYI, it's been a week since we ate it! And nobody forced you to eat it!"

"Can you both not argue right now? I'm so hungry...", Anthony strode into the room like a hungry zombie. Poor fella had been stuck home with a viral fever for nearly a week. He had been out last when we went out with Kai. Too bad their romance had already been put out before it could begin. But Anthony didn't want to take a step at all since it was Kai. But Kai did seem smitten with Anthony. But then again, I probably shouldn't think too much about it.

I quickly got up ignoring the cinnamon rolls, shockingly might I add, and checked on Anthony, "Your fever is completely gone. How do you feel?", I asked. He groaned as he comfortably merged into the couch with a throw pillow hugging close to him, "I guess okay. But my throat is still being dramatic and I am so hungry", he complained.

At least, he wasn't sick anymore, "I'll prepare you some breakfast. You should take a shower now. You might feel refreshed". He whined but reluctantly dragged himself away. Tripp sighed and took a seat, "I swear, it has mostly to do with his dramatic ass".

I nodded, "Sadly, true. He hasn't eaten anything tasty in forever. I'd go crazy if I hadn't either. Probably vicious even". Tripp laughed, "Oh god, mad crazy. What are you cooking him huh?"

Tripp, Harley, and I had been forced to give simple food to the boy the past week. But I think he's okay now. However, sweets were still off the table till his throat was completely okay. Probably the next day he'd be completely okay, "I'm making him breakfast burritos with queso", a warm, filling, and tasty meal. He'd sulk less and that's all I could ask for. Besides, it was one of the few dishes I could cook. I was not meant to cook. I sucked most of the time but having to live alone mostly forced me to cook stuff so I wouldn't starve to death or spend my savings on takeout. Doesn't matter how much savings my parents left, I was not going to touch that unless I had earned back what I had spent on my education.

That was the goal all three of us, Ivy, Kai, and myself, had set while we spent our dad's money on our education.

"Awesome! Make me two!", Tripp added excitedly as he ran off with another cinnamon roll. The little weasel!

Rolling my eyes, I made my way to the kitchen. Breakfast burritos were the easiest to make provided you didn't burn the eggs or didn't use fake bacon. I swear the number of people that do that! But honestly, not everyone eats pork. Brisket is always an alternative but heck that's more effort and I wouldn't do more work.

I grabbed all the ingredients and got to cooking right away. Harley joined me as well. She made the queso while I focused on the burritos. Two hands are always better than one. We managed to cook everything by the time Anthony was back from his bath.

I set up the table and brewed a quick simple ginger tea for Anthony. Unsurprisingly, he was the first to dig in. Harley and I couldn't contain our smiles as we watched our boy eat heartily for the first time, "You better relax on your last leave day", Harley warned Anthony as he ate. He barely nodded and continued.

"Oh by the way, how's the kid you have been hanging out with?", Tripp asked suddenly making all of them nod at me questioningly. I smiled, "He is so sweet. I have never met a kid so curious and joyful. It just makes me sad that he doesn't have a mom. His dad must have been going through a lot all alone and having to stay strong for his son".