9 chapter eight | breakfast

Last night I had made a plan to wake up early and find my way into town so I could check up on my van and be out of the Jameses hair for the day. After everything they've done for me It's the least I could do. But the cards are never in my favor so I ended up sleeping in.

The house is oddly quiet at ten compared to last night so they must be outside or in town. I make my way into the kitchen for some much-needed coffee dressed in my trusty jean shorts and an army green tank top.

What I find in the kitchen is far from what I expect. Instead of coffee, or last nights dirty dishes, I find a dancing shirtless Austin. Music plays in the kitchen as he slides across the floor wildly making hundreds of pancakes. When he notices me he quickly turns the music down "and she awakes" he announces offering me a cup of coffee. He's trying to act calm but I think this is the first time I've seen Austin blush, I soak it in knowing that it is probably a rare occurrence.

"Is This your normal morning routine?" I ask chuckling to myself.

"No usually by this time of the day I'm out maiming helpless cats but I thought you'd be hungry So I'm making you breakfast," he says flipping a pancake in the air trying to catch it on the plate. He did not end up catching it.

"And you think I can eat all of this?" I ask him. in all seriousness, there must be five plates stacked high with pancakes and one bottle of syrup on the counter.

"That would be impressive, wouldn't it? No, I'm afraid I got a bit carried away. See I'm not in any way a cook. And I never, I mean never, cook. But I thought you might want pancakes so I tried to make you some And it turns out I'm kind of good at this, so I kept making them. and here we are with enough pancakes to feed a small army or also know as my family" he laughs. Although this makes me laugh I do not miss how kind it was of him to do this for me. But as soon as I think of this I try to push that thought as far out of my mind as I could. It was only a kind gesture nothing more. I try not to read into his actions by reminding myself that He's probably doing this to get in my pants. Then in another week, we won't even remember each other's names. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that wouldn't happen. I'd never forgotten Austin's acts of kindness. Or that damn smirk.

"That's very kind of you to make me this," I say sitting down on one of the bar stools.

"Anytime you feel a craving for pancakes all you have to do is call me. Apparently, I have an undiscovered gift" he laughs and sits next to me at the bar and takes three pancakes for himself and three for me.

"So where is everyone? It seems quite" I ask.

"Moms in town with the twins and the baby, Eric is out with his friends doing god knows what, and my dad's probably in the vineyard." He says before sucking maple syrup off one of his fingers.

"And what are you gonna do today?" I ask him.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could stay in today and watch some movies or play video games or something." He said, "I just feel like chilling today."

"You don't need to watch me. I can get out of your way," I tell him, not wanting to be a bather.

"No don't worry you're not in anyone's way, I was just feeling like staying in today. If that's okay with you."

"Alright that sounds good to me," I tell him "as long as I'm not an inconvenience to you."

"Impossible. You could never be annoying."

"Some people might disagree with you."

"And some people think 2+2=5. Those people should keep their opinions to themselves," Austin then stands up to rinse off the dishes and try to find a place in the fridge for the abundance of pancakes he has made.

I've never heard anyone talk like he does. He's so confident about everything he says but not in an arrogant way but instead talks like he knows all the answers. It's a fine line that I have rarely seen done correctly. He talks Like he's reciting lines of a book from memory.

And the way he acts puzzles me. Why stick your neck out for a homeless runaway? I could be a drug addict or a criminal. But he never questioned it, not for a second. I guess he gets this personality trait from his parents because they didn't even blink an eye when he brought me home. Another charming charismatic he has is when he's around his brothers and sister he fills the role of the older brother perfectly. They all look up to him. Even Jason, which might even be shocking to him. He must fill in the role even a parent cannot fill.

"Hello earth to Sam," Austin says while waving his hand back and forth in front of my face.

"Yes?" I ask, he must have been talking to me while I zoned out thinking.

"You kind of checked out for a second there. You kind of sat there staring into space. Actually, you were staring at me, and you missed a great joke I made about you liking what you saw. I can repeat it if you want?"

"I think I can live a long time without that thanks" I laugh before hopping down from the stool.

"Alright your loss," he says "so let's get down to business, I have all the classics, and by classics I mean mostly Disney movies, but if you're not into those then I also have 'Alien'," he says excitement written on his face.

"Wow look at all the choices" I joke.

"You can't blame that on me I live with children! My life is mostly made up of cartoons."

"Oh come on I bet you secretly love them."

"Me? Austin James, the captain of the basketball team and football team three years in a row, owner of an insanely manly truck, love Disney movies?? You've lost it," he said making a face. I only have to keep staring him down and he cracks "okay maybe a little, okay? It's no crime to love frozen!"

"Do you want to watch frozen?" I ask him while trying to control my laughing.

"Are you kidding? No! I just saw it the other night" he's quiet "maybe brave though."

"Knew it!" I can't help but hold my stomach as I laugh. He's trying to act like a strong 20-year old man but he deep down still loves "the classics" like we all do.

"Oh come on I know you love them too," he says in his defense.

"Of course I do! It'd be inhuman not to."

"Agreed."

And so we spent the rest of the day watching movie after movie while lying out on the couch. We talked and learned more about each other and tried to impersonate the movie the best we could. It was so relaxing to be able to lay out and rest. There was no running Or guarding my emotions. There was laughing and singing and food but no fear.

I got to know Austin a lot better today and thankfully I figured out the question that has been playing my thoughts. I don't think that Austin is hitting on me like I had thought yesterday. I was simply misinterpreting his southern personality and distracted by those striking green eyes. part of me feels relieved with this because after all, I'm not staying, I'm going to be leaving soon and cannot be tied down in any way. Besides I am in no way in the right headspace to start a new relationship. But another part of me, apart I don't clearly understand, is disappointed.