Answer Me

Chapter 13

I woke up at early dawn. The sun was creeping its way up slowly from the horizon. The sky was a perfect shade of dark blue and lilac. I could still see the full moon and some of the stars. Erin was snuggled beside me, one of her arm rested on my chest. Her head was close to my rib. Her breath was steady, in and out, up and down, moving in its own tempo. Andante.

I had never thought that I could watch her beauty this close. I had always wondered why she kept assuming that she wasn't beautiful when she looked like an angel. Not just looked like, she was an angel by heart anyway. I scrutinized her face. Her big brown eyes shut. Her lashes, despite not being so long, were dark and curly. Her lips were full and they wore the same shade of a lip balm although she wasn't wearing it. Her skin that she hated the most might not be so smooth but, it wasn't so bad. I liked the color, fair but a little bit rouge on her cheeks.

Then, her eyes fluttered. Ah, those beautiful brown eyes.

She was beautiful.

I woke up to the sight of Riley's side. I saw white cotton fabric, his T-shirt. I quickly sat up and the moon and stars above us weren't on a pitch dark canvas. We were lying under the lilac and bright orange canvas that would get brighter as minutes passed by. If the whole family saw us like this, I didn't know what it would be after that.

"Oh my God. I fell asleep here. Get up, you sleepy head." I shook Riley's body hard. "Wake up. Before your parents see us."

"Morning, dude," he greeted in the same raspy voice like in my first dream of him. Only that this time it wasn't as romantic as the dream. He rose and hunched at his place, raking his fingers through his already tousled hair. Why must I wake up to this beautiful torturing? He stood up and stretched his body. The hem of his T-shirt lifted a bit, revealing a small part of his abs. Another torture to wake up to. I was killed before I could even brush my teeth. "Actually, the worse is if my bros see us," he said while folding the sheets. He looked down at me and smirked. McTease.

The house wasn't awaken yet. I went back to the guest room and got ready to go back. The sound of clanking cutleries and the smell of something tasty came from the kitchen. Joan was up already probably, preparing breakfast. I quickly tied up my hair and walked to the kitchen. Maybe I could help Joan with the breakfast.

"Goooood morning," she greeted me and she sounded like Connor. Well, she was Connor's mom. Her smile really resembled Connor's though if you really looked at it.

"Is there anything that I can help?" I offered.

"Hmm. That's so nice of you, Erin. You can help me with the coffee."

"Sure." I carefully handled the coffee maker and brewed the coffee. The scent of the coffee was my definition of happiness. Being in the McDonoughs' house with this strong scent of coffee was my definition of golden happiness.

"I smell my drug," Connor announced as he walked in the kitchen. "Whoa, Erin is the one who makes the coffee. Bet you can beat Starbucks?" he asked while kissing his mom on the cheek.

"We'll see." I gave him a smug grin.

On the breakfast bar, Joan had put a big plate filled with French toasts. I set down the coffee pot. Toby was the last one to join us. The French toasts, even it was just a simple meal, tasted so well. Connor took his first sip of the coffee. I watched him gulping the sweet black nectar from God.

"Dank! I lost my bet! Erin, this is so much more than Starbucks." He grinned so wide at the sip of coffee. I was quite sure I would beat Starbucks because making coffee had been my forte since I was ten. Mom loved the coffee I made so much. "Mom, you should lock her in the guest room and release her every morning to make coffee."