Forever Chasing

Chapter 8: Morning sunshine

Harper woke up slowly, feeling a soft weight draped over her. As her eyes fluttered open, confusion swept over her. She was in Connor's bed, the familiar surroundings of his room now making her heart race. But what caught her off guard the most was the oversized t-shirt she was wearing—it was his. She looked down at herself, realizing that her makeup had been wiped off, her hair brushed neatly.

Her mind flashed to the night before—the argument, the rain, Connor picking her up, and the way she'd fallen asleep in his car. Did he...? She blinked, trying to process how he'd taken care of her, something she wasn't quite sure how to feel about.

Swinging her legs out of bed, she padded out of his room and down the stairs. The sound of quiet groans filled the air as the rest of the group started stirring awake. The house had a certain lazy Sunday vibe to it, with everyone tired and sluggish from the party. She spotted Noah and James sprawled out on the couch, the remnants of last night's fun still evident in their messy hair and sleepy expressions. Ella sat in an armchair, rubbing her eyes and yawning dramatically.

"Morning, sunshine," Noah mumbled, raising an eyebrow at her. "You look... cozy."

Harper felt her cheeks flush, a mixture of embarrassment and something else entirely. She didn't respond, focusing instead on the scattered empty cups and food wrappers littering the living room. Automatically, she began picking up the mess, her mind still buzzing from the night's events. Suddenly, Connor appeared beside her,already dressed in a black compressed t-shirt and grey sweatpants, looking like he has aready been out, strange, he effortlessly tossed a few cups into the trash. They didn't say anything, but the shared task felt strangely natural, like they'd done this a hundred times before.

As they finished tidying up, Ella finally shook off her sleepy haze. "So, what happened last night? Did you two finally admit your undying love for each other?" she teased, waggling her eyebrows.

"Shut it, Ella," Harper shot back, her heart racing at the thought.

But before she could dwell on that, Connor had already moved on, heading to the kitchen. Harper followed him, curious about what he was up to. He pulled out pans and ingredients with a confidence that caught her off guard.

As he got to work, Ella sidled up to Harper, leaning close with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Why does Harper have Connor's shirt on?" she whispered playfully, nudging her friend. Harper's cheeks warmed at the realization, her hand unconsciously tugging at the hem of the shirt. But before she could respond, Ella quickly backtracked, her face turning a bright shade of red. "I mean—uh—why do you have my brother's shirt on?"

Harper raised a brow, her earlier embarrassment giving way to curiosity. That's weird, she thought, watching as Ella dropped the subject and pretended to scroll through her phone, but the faint blush on her cheeks told another story.

Turning her attention back to Connor, Harper couldn't help but be impressed. She hadn't known he could cook. The sounds of sizzling and the delicious aroma filling the kitchen were a pleasant surprise. James, as if reading her mind, smirked from across the room. "He's been the unofficial house cook for ages now. Honestly, it's the only reason we all haven't starved."

Harper snuck a glance at Connor as he flipped pancakes effortlessly. There was something undeniably attractive about the way he moved, a kind of relaxed confidence that drew her in. She felt a flutter in her stomach and quickly shook her head to dispel it.

Soon, they all sat around the kitchen island, plates filled with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. The atmosphere was light as they dug into their breakfast, the conversation bouncing around lazily. Ella was sharing some embarrassing stories about the boys from last night, which had everyone in stitches.