Patiently Waiting For Jared Holmes | on-going

VIII

Chapter eight.

The following morning I hadn't felt as shitty as I had the night before.

I had gotten up extra early to cook for everybody in honour of Katie's birthday - pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausages, everything. I was tired and grumpy, but it would have been selfish of me to put my problems first when today was Katie's day.

"Wow, something smells good." The birthday girl says as she entered the kitchen. She dressed in washed-out blue shorts and a white tank top. How she could wear shorts in this weather was beyond me.

"Breakfast for the birthday girl." I replied and grabbed a piece of bacon from my plate. "And her associates, of course. We can't starve."

She giggled before thanking me and sitting down at the island. I turned back around to finish frying the last batch of pancakes, humming along to the radio and dancing around in my spot.

Katie blabbered absentmindedly about our plans for tonight and what she was going to wear.

I nodded along when I needed to, and didn't pay any attention when two overgrown, teenage boys stumbled into the kitchen.

"Who's making breakfast?" Nick grumbled. His hair was messy and he was still rubbing the sleep from out of his eyes.

I raised the spatula that I was holding. "That would be me. I'm just finishing up the pancakes now."

"Sweet. Thanks sister Mary." He sat down next to Katie, leaving the only two empty places opposite them both.

"Boy if you don't quite that." I threatened, poking the spatula in his direction and ignoring the electrical charge that Jared brought into the room. I avoided his wondering eyes as he sat down opposite Nick.

Nick raised his arms in surrender. "Habit."

"That's it, no bacon for you."

"Now that's just mean!"

"Its not nice, is it loser?"

Nick pouted at my teasing and I rolled my eyes before bringing the stack of pancakes over to the island.

"I hope you choke." I have him a sweat smile before taking my seat.

I was hyper aware of Jared's bulging biceps that were threatening to make contact with my arms. He was silent as he plated his food, and so was I.

"Guess what Nick got me for my birthday!" Katie suddenly piped up. Nick elbowed her.

"What?" I asked as I played with my eggs, poking them with my fork. I had lost my appetite suddenly. The smell of Jared's cologne was intoxicating. My stomach was in knots. Why?

"Well, first he whipped out cream and strawberries and let me eat them off of his d-" Nicks hands covered her mouth, abruptly silencing her words. His cheeks were flushed a pink colour and I couldn't mask my look of horror. If I had any ounce of appetite left, it was long gone by now.

Beside me, Jared was choking on his pancakes. I didn't blame him, it was disgusting for me to hear.

"Katie, Shut up." He choked out, scrunching his nose up in disgust.

Nick moved his hands and Katie glared at him before giving us guilty looks.

"Oops?"

"Gross." I whispered, she smirked.

"Anyway! Then after we were watching a movie, you know forty first dates or whatever its called? And I was talking about how beautiful the island looked and then next minute he's dumping two plain tickets to the island of Oahu in my lap!" She beamed.