6

"Landon?" I wake up on the living room couch, Micah's body wrapped around me. Ashlae is crouching down in front of us. She's dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Her black ahir twisted into a messy bun.

I sit up, running at my eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's around one o'clock in the afternoon," she says. He hands me a glass of water. "Shay and I made scrambled eggs. If you want anything to eat?"

"Yeah. Thanks." I finish the glass of water in a few gulps. "Let's get something to eat. Shay's probably had all the scrambled eggs by now."

"He better not." She laughs.

I follow her into the kitchen. Shay is getting started on another batch of eggs when we walk into the room. He's wearing one of Mr Williams's ridiculous 'Kiss The Cook' aprons over a pair of Nike active shorts. "Any requests?" he asks.

"Can I get an omelette instead?" Ashley asks. We sit down by the kitchen island. "Or, like, one of those famous egg rolls. Have you seen it on Tiktok?"

I shrug. "Never heard of it."

"Here, I'll show you." She pulls out her iPhone and we watch silly videos until Shay finishes with the cooking. We help him butter the toast to go with the eggs and he prepares a salad with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber and pineapple. We fill glasses with apple juice. Then carry everything into the living room. Micah is still fast asleep on the couch.

I sit down beside him, kissing his forehead. "Micah?"

He groans and turns away from me.

"Hey," I call to him, brushing his dark blond hair away from his face. "Don't you want anything to eat?"

"I think he's hungover," Shay says, stuffing toast into his mouth. "He has way too much to drink last night."

"I did not," he argues. "I told you, I only had like two drinks. My head feels like it's going to explode."

I give him painkillers to drink with a glass of water. We run on the TV and watch a few episodes of Heartstopper while we eat.

I sit in Micah's lap while he hides his face in my neck. "I don't want to leave the house," he groans. "I feel very much like a vampire right now. The sun is killing my eyes."

"We should go out and do something today," Ashlae says. "I refuse to be stuck in the house all day."

Mr Williams comes downstairs. He's in a part of Adidda shorts and is rubbing a towel in his wet hair. His usually dark blond hair is the colour of kohl. He pauses when he sees us in the living room. He looks down at himself. Naked torso. Wet hair. I flush, looking away.

"I-I didn't realise you all were home," he stutters, clearly embarrassed. "I'll get dressed."

Ashlae shrieks. "Dad, with all due respect, you are way too hot to be single. We need to get you a girlfriend."

Micah chuckles. "Oh, no. You've created a monster."

Mr Williams considers me. I try not to look at him. He laughs weakly. "You think?"

Ashlae gets up from the couch. She pushes her dad back up the stairs. "Get dressed. We're going out."

"Out where?"

"To get you a new girlfriend," she says to him.

He turns to face us. "Help me," he mouths.

"I don't know, Mr Wiliams. This could actually be good for you," Shay argues, leaning into his seat.

We finish the rest of our breakfast. Then we carry all the dishes into the kitchen. Shay and I help Micah with the dishes. Halfway through drying, they are splashing water at each other like kids at the pools.

"I swear to God, if you get any of that gross dishwashing water on me, Micah Williams," I say to him.

He's on the other side of the kitchen, holding a glass of murky water. "Get out of the way then."

Shay grabs me for cover. "You wouldn't actually throw that at your beloved girldfriend. Would you?"

"You're the best friend ever, Shay. Really," I scoff. I can see Micah actaually consider tossing the glass at us. Taking no prisoners I suppose. I try my best to turn away from him. "Just do it already!"

It all happens at once: Micah grabs me from Shay, tossing him the glass. Shay catches it just before it hits the ground. The water goes sploshing all over his apron. I don't get wet, like at all. He must have done this a million times before. He evens has time to kiss me on the cheek in truimph.

"Oh, I'm going to get you back for this," Shay says. "You don't know what you're in for, Williams."

Ashlae comes downstairs with her dad. It's like every cliched, sexist, perpectuator of the male gaze scene in a film when the girl comes down the stairs in her prom dress and the boy is all emotional because, for the first time, he realizes that she's the most beautiful girl in the world and he's in love with her.

Except, I'm the boy. And I'm the one realzing that he's the most beautiful person in the world and I'm falling in love with him.

"You're totally lending me that exact outfit when your date is over," Micah says, meeting the two of them at the bottom of the stairs. He's already taking reference photos on his iPhone.

Mr. Williams is dressed in a white shirt, black trouser and a pair of Doc Martens. The first three buttons of his shirt is undone. A silver chain around his neck and matching wristwatch completes the outfit.

"Didn't I do the best job, like, in ever?" Ashlae asks. She's absolutely smug. She's the crazy artist and her dad is her famous masterpiece.

Mr Williams eyes are on me, hanging onto my every word. His green eyes are hopeful. What does he expect me to say? "Yeah. You did really well."