Keeping Us Apart

Fruity Lexia (5)

TWO DAYS LATER

After the group trip to the conservatory, Joel loosened his reins on me. I've been dying to explore by myself while I have the free time. Ahren and I had agreed that I'd begin work Monday, and it's already Friday. I've been up since eight, motivated to actually get out and take a look around Brisbane. I try my hardest to keep quiet as I tiptoe from my room to the kitchen and start the coffee pot, the familiar drip of coffee filling the air around me. 

There's a sudden sound of movement behind me and I whip around, wielding a coffee mug as a weapon. Ahren chuckles and holds his hands up in surrender, looking rather amused as he walks toward me. I roll my eyes and turn back around, waiting for the pot to fill up.

"G'mornin', sunshine," he says cheerfully, walking over and beginning to pull out the stuff to make pancakes. I look over at him as he mixes the ingredients together, biting back a smile. Guys that can cook are always pretty rare to come across in my experience. But I'm not actually smiling because of that, oh no. Ahren hasn't even so much as glanced at me since I jabbed him at the conservatory. I was almost afraid I'd bruised his ego and now he was upset with me, but I quickly convinced myself that it didn't really matter since he was simply pretending to be hurt.

I don't say anything, just pour myself a mug of coffee and add three spoonfuls of sugar. The smell of the pancakes makes my mouth water but I refuse to accept what I assume is a peace offering. Ahren must catch the hint because he just wafts the enticing aroma towards me and chuckles.

"So it's your turn to ignore me, huh?"

"Aha! So you admit it, you were ignoring me," I say with a pleased grin, turning to look at him. My words hang in the pancake/coffee scented air for several heartbeats.

"Sorry," he finally says. For some reason my heart gives a little squeeze. In the brief time I've known Ahren he's never struck me as the type that apologizes too often. So hearing the words leave his lips now feel sincere.

"It's okay. Those pancakes smell awesome."

Ahren flips a couple onto a plate and smears them with butter, turning to hold them out in my direction. "They're chocolate chip. Want some?" I nod and take the plate, inhaling the chocolatey aroma.

"Thanks," I say, turning to dump syrup over the cakes and grab my coffee cup. But Ahren catches my eye in that way he has and gives me another soft smile.

"Of course, Hudson," Ahren replies with a smile. "Ya know, I'm actually never up this early.."

I keep eating, waiting for him to finish the thought.

"And I also never make pancakes for other people." Hm, so the breakfast had been a special effort. I have to admit, I'm sort of impressed. But I remind myself that there must be a reason underneath his kind gesture if cooking pancakes isn't a normal thing for him.

"Well, thank you," I finally say.

"You've been saying that a lot lately," teases Ahren, scooping pancake into his mouth.

I offer a shrug as if it's not really a big deal and gulp down my coffee, burning the shit out of my tongue in the process. "Ouch!"

Ahren chuckles. "What'd you think would happen?"

My cheeks flush and I say nothing.

The sudden sound of a door opening and shutting causes me to turn on my stool at the counter. Joel shuffles in from the hallway, looking three quarters asleep and a mess. His brown hair is wild and he rubs his eyes with a yawn.

"Smelled pancakes," Joel offers as an explanation as to why he's up so early. Ah, makes sense. I laugh to myself as I get up and rinse my dishes in the sink, still nursing my singed tongue.