It All Started At 6 a.m.

Chapter 3

Leah

---present-day---

I walked into my closet to get dressed and started sifting through my clothes. Finding appropriate clothes in the morning is such an exerting task to do and that too when your system is not fueled by caffeine. 

I grabbed a pair of black jeans and a white T-shirt and paired the outfit with my converse.

Picking up my bag from my study table and tucking my phone into my pocket, I made my way out of my room and started walking downstairs. I glanced at the time only to find out that I still have 1 hour before school started and as I was descending the last few stairs, an aroma of freshly made pancakes and bacon, filled my nostrils. And as if on cue, my stomach let out a loud grumble.

So with a mission to pig out on food, I entered the kitchen. My dad was behind the stove making his signature chocolate chip pancakes with blueberry compote and crispy bacon that he made every Monday morning. Keith Scott could surely cook.

He reasoned that a good start on Monday morning can make your Monday merrier. I didn't get his logic at all but how does it matter anyway? I got to eat pancakes.

But seriously, how can anyone be so buoyant on Monday?

It's such an evil day of the week.

Noticing my presence, mom looked up from stirring sugar in the coffee mugs and greeted me with a warm smile and "good morning." I kissed her cheek as a gesture of thank you as she handed me my cup of coffee.

Dad too, when done with his cooking greeted me with one of his easy grins and started stacking up two plates with food for mom and himself.

It was like their little routine. Every morning my dad would make us all breakfast and served himself as well as my mom breakfast and pecked her on the cheek while mom handed him his cup of coffee. It'd been twenty years since they're married and their love for each other is still as fresh as if they just started dating.

Mom and Dad started dating back in high school. After their graduation, they had to attend different universities. Somehow they both managed the long-distance relationship. Later when they got settled with their jobs, they both moved in together and that's when mom had proposed to dad by going on her knee. To date, they're still in love with each other.

Averting my attention from my parents, I stacked up my plate with pancakes and a massive scoop of the compote, with a side of bacon, and sat down at the table.

The three of us ate our breakfast in silence until it was broken by my dad. "Are you excited for your senior year, Leah?" He asked me while sipping on his coffee.

"As excited as I can be," I replied trying to sound cheery but failing miserably. How can school be fun?!

"C'mon Leah, it won't be bad. Plus you'll be having Ethan with you." Mom said trying to cheer me up.

"That's even worse," I muttered under my breath. And by the look that they shared, it was my cue to get up and leave the damn house before they started torturing me with their teasing.

My parents absolutely adore Ethan. They love him like their own son. And honestly, that was fine by me until they started shipping us together. Whose parents even do that?!

I mean yeah, Ethan is attractive and can be charming whenever he wants, but he is still a jerk who wakes me up at 6 every morning. And that itself overrules all of his good qualities.

Stupid morning person and his stupid morning workouts.

I unlocked my car and was about to get in the car when I saw Ethan jogging up to his car in a blue shirt and black jeans, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Noticing my presence, he smirked and leaned against his car. The soft rays of the sun lights up his face and were giving it a soft glow.

Did I mention that he looked good?

"You know you've been staring at me for solid 3 minutes. I get it that I'm irresistible and you want me all to yourself but Leah, control your temptations." Arrogance was dripping from each word as he said that. And how badly I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.

"My temptations right now are to punch you in the face, repeatedly, but that'd be animal abuse." I retorted with a hard glare.

Believe me, I was really having a hard time resisting myself from having the pleasure to hit Ethan Adams.

"Ouch koala bear, your words stabbed through my heart."

"Want me to kiss your boo-boo?" I asked in a baby voice.

"By all means." He bowed.

"Asshat."

"Don't worry Leah, someday you'll be willingly kissing me. And not just my boo-boos." He winked and blew a kiss in my direction, got in his car, and drove away.

All I could do was glare at his car.

******

Word of advice for those who wear specs: Never write a chapter without putting your specs on. It burns your eyes. I was squinting the entire time I wrote this chapter. So yeah, don't do that.

Aaaaannndd it's weekend.

Feliz fin de semana!! It doesn't matter to me though.

Okay, I'm going to shut up now.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Until next time.