Beyond: Beyond the Lights

Chapter 11

JAMES

The blaring sound of my alarm clock jolted me awake, pulling me out of a deep, restful sleep. I groaned and reached over to silence it, my hand fumbling in the dim light of dawn. I rolled out of bed, feeling the cool morning air against my skin. As an early riser, I was used to starting my day before the world really woke up.

I moved quietly around the apartment, trying not to disturb Kian. He was the exact opposite of me - a night owl through and through. The thought of waking up at such an ungodly hour seemed to be the bane of his existence, and I'd long since learned to tiptoe around our shared space to avoid disturbing him.

Through the cracked open door that revealed Kian's room, I could see that it was still dark, his bed a tangled mess of sheets where he lay, blissfully unaware of the day's beginning. I smiled to myself, thinking about how he always managed to hit the snooze button at least three times before dragging himself out of bed.

In the kitchen, I set about making breakfast. Kian's golden retriever, Koda, trotted in, tail wagging, and plopped down beside me. I gave him a scratch behind the ears before starting the coffee maker. As the rich aroma began to fill the apartment, Maria, my four-year-old daughter, padded into the kitchen in her pajamas, her sleepy eyes barely open.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I said, lifting her up and giving her a hug. "Did you sleep well?"

Maria nodded and yawned. "Uh-huh, Daddy. Can we have pancakes today?"

"Pancakes it is," I said, smiling as I set about preparing breakfast. Koda's tail thumped in approval as she watched me with hopeful eyes, waiting for any scraps that might come his way.

Just as I was flipping the pancakes, Kian wandered into the kitchen, his hair sticking up in all directions and a half-asleep expression on his face. He greeted me with a groggy mumble, rubbing his eyes.

"Morning, Jamie," he said, clearly still battling the remnants of sleep. "Why do you always have to be up so early?"

"Some of us actually enjoy the morning," I replied with a grin. "Besides, I have a lot to get done before practice."

Kian yawned again and shuffled over to the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup with a practiced motion. "I don't know how you do it. I swear, if it weren't for coffee, I'd still be in bed."

Maria giggled, her attention now divided between her pancakes and Koda. "Daddy makes the best pancakes."

Kian gave me a sleepy smile. "Lucky you. You're always on breakfast duty."

I laughed. "It's a labor of love."

After breakfast, I helped Maria get ready for daycare and made sure Koda had her morning walk. As I dropped Maria off, I thought about the day ahead. I was hoping to run into Madeline again. It had been a week since we last spoke in our accounting class, and I was curious to catch up.

I headed to campus, feeling energized by the early start. The crisp morning air and the quiet before the day truly began were moments I cherished. My first class was a lecture on business strategy, and I settled into my seat, preparing for the day's academic challenges.

The morning passed quickly with classes and meetings. By mid-afternoon, I was heading to the library to meet Kian for a study session. As I entered the library, I scanned the room for familiar faces.

Just as I was setting up my study materials, I saw Madeline and Elena approaching. They were carrying a stack of books and chatting animatedly. Seeing Madeline again made me smile; I'd been hoping to reconnect.

"Hey, Madi!" I called out, waving as they approached. "It's good to see you."

Madeline looked up, her face lighting up with a smile. "Hey, Jamie! It's great to see you too."