surprises

20. It was the chocolate cake

     Eyes half open, I walked down the hallway, the cold wooden floors making me hurry down the stairs slipping on my slippers once I reached the bottom.

     Autumn was sure kicking in faster than I wanted. I don't think we were going to be chucking ourselves in the water anytime soon, as I'm pretty sure that's giving me a one-way ticket to frostbite. I expected this kind of weather in winter, sure, but I thought Australia was supposed to stay warmer for longer. My chattering teeth disagree.

     As I made my way through the house I reached the kitchen, making a beeline for the cupboard and yanking the box of porridge of the shelf. There is nothing better than a bowl of hot porridge to warm you up on a morning as cold as this.

     Pouring a cup of oats into a pot and adding some water and milk, I put it on the stove turning up the heat and giving it a quick stir with the wooden spoon.

     Jumping from foot to foot, I tried to warm up my body, which was now sporting a lovely array of goose bumps going from my arms all the way down to my ankles. Casting a glance over to the porridge to make sure it wasn't burning on the bottom, I raced up the stairs, nearly tripping up the stairs several times in my awkward slippers and going into my room, hunting for a pair of trackie pants to wear with my singlet top that I bought yesterday. I quickly transferred pants and went back downstairs, my slippers clumping down on the wood.

     Stirring the porridge which was now spitting bubbles at me, I turned of the heat and went over to pull a bowl out of the bottom draw, setting it down on the island counter. My gosh, even the Millers bowls looked a fortune. Pouring the porridge into my bowl, I went over to one of the stools by the bench, grabbing a spoon out of the top draw as I went.

     Letting out a hiss as the hot bowl scorched my fingers, I quickly set it down, slipping into one of the seats. Spooning a mouthful into my mouth, I let out a contented sigh as a felt the warmth slip down my throat and into my chest, heating up my body.

     "And to think I said you were my best friend. You don't even make me breakfast" Someone exclaimed from behind me. I didn't even have to guess who the voice belonged to.

     "You said I was your best friend, not your slave" I retorted, turning my head around to smirk at Rider who was pulling up a seat beside me, his own spoon in his hand and taking a bite out of my porridge.

     "Do I ever get anything to myself!" I exclaimed, letting out an exasperated sigh, followed by a laugh from both of us. Taking another mouthful of my porridge, I let the warmth heat up my body, savouring the sweet taste of the sugar.

     Don't get me wrong, I love these boys but I'm just not used to turning every corner, or walking into every room and seeing someone there. Time will tell, I suppose, but for now I'll just be a nice little gremlin and put up with it. Even if it does mean having to share my breakfast ever once in a while.

     After all, everyone says the more the merrier, Right?

     Right...

     "Sure, you get.." he trailed off, setting his head on his hand and thinking, causing me to roll my eyes and punch him in the arm, murmuring 'idiot' under my breath.

     We fell into a compatible silence, every now and then Rider taking a spoonful of porridge out of my bowl. Placing my bowl and our spoons in the dishwasher I washed my hands under the sink. "Is everybody just having a sleep in this morning?" I asked, looking at the clock on the microwave, reading 9:47.

     "Maybe" Rider hummed, his eyes casting a glance over to the time as well. "Mason came back around 2 am, barging into my room and going on about how he wanted to marry Carter, so he won't be up for a while" he recounted, finishing with a chuckle, seeing the weirded out expression on my face.