I stretched for the third time that night, back cracking, muscles complaining. Five hours of work and I'd made real progress. Everything I doubted before… suddenly felt possible.
"Shouldn't you take a rest?" Kenan's voice came from behind me.
"I'm almost done anyway."
The clock on my phone read 3:00 a.m.
"You have until the rest of the day to finish it."
Why was he trying to talk me into sleeping?
I yawned for the fifth time that night. Yeah… I should probably quit. As much as I wanted to keep going, my brain was already sludging over.
"Alright," I muttered, dragging myself up.
"Come on." I nudged him toward the bedroom my parents prepared for him.
The alarm I set earlier went off like it had a personal vendetta. I pried one eye open, checked the time… and dropped right back into the pillow.
The next knock wasn't a knock ; it was a hammering.
"I'm coming!" I shouted, dragging myself upright. I swung the door open. "What?"
Kenan stood there, my laptop in his hands. "Don't we have things to do?"
I stared at him, nodded… and walked right back to bed. He sat at the foot of it.
"Okay, I'll read what I've got so far."
Thumbs up. Eyes drooping.
"Were you listening?"
"Of course I was."
Lies. I hadn't heard a word.
"Alright, repeat the last thing I said."
I stuttered — and then bonk.
"Ow! What the—?" My hand flew to my forehead.
"Are you awake now?"
"Yes!" Still rubbing the spot. "Why would you do that?"
"You weren't listening."
"I was. You were just mumbling into your throat."
I kicked his shin lightly. He stood, smirking, and I followed.
"Fine. I'm listening now."
I opened the window, instantly regretting it as sunlight stabbed my retinas. Kenan kept reading, voice softer now, less like a lecture.
"I didn't know you were capable of actually doing it," I teased.
He stayed quiet, eyes on the laptop.
"You had breakfast yet?"
He shook his head.
"Since you're my guest, you'll have the luxury of eating my cooking."
Kenan didn't move.
"What, do I have to drag you?"
"Isn't it better I dig through the trash?"
So early and my peace was already being murdered.
"If that's what you're used to eating, don't project it onto me." I walked out, leaving the door open.
The kitchen was empty. I opened the fridge. Closed it immediately. Everything in there would require actual effort.
I sat on the barstool, phone in hand.
"I thought you were cooking?"
Kenan stood in the doorway.
"I don't have the energy anymore."
He walked straight to the pantry. A minute later pancake mix.
Yes. Make yourself useful.
He set out a bowl. I briefly wondered if I should help. The lazy side of me won.
"Need help?" I asked anyway.
I hope he said no.
"Yeah, get me a pan."
Ugh. Fine. I grabbed one and set it on low heat. He mixed the batter and poured the first tester pancake.
I stabbed it with a fork when it was done.
"How is it?" he asked mid-bite.
"It's cooked fine. Bland, but that's what syrup's for."
Cora's voice rang out before I could take another bite. She stopped in the doorway, eyes lighting up.
"Oh my, you two are playing house already."
"No," I said immediately.
"I'll be the child," she announced, sitting. "Make me some too."
"No, I'd rather you starve."
"I was asking Kenan. We all know if you step in the kitchen, no one makes it out alive."
I nudged Kenan. "Tell her I can be trusted in here."
"Is that true, Kenan? What did he make salted cookies?"
"It's true. And no, they weren't salty." replied with his focus on the pancake he was waiting to flip.
"Ooh, so you two have been playing house for a while now…"
"It was for the project," I cut in.
"It's always for the project, right, Ciro?"
I pointed at the pancakes. "Watch your next words or you won't get any."
She mimed zipping her mouth shut. I grabbed strawberries from the fridge, washed and sliced them, and set them aside with whipped cream and syrup.
The first three pancakes went to her — reluctantly.
"Your welcome," I muttered.
"They're good. Shame Ciro can't cook."
Whose sister are you?
Kenan set a fresh stack in front of me. His looked better than mine.
"Stop staring at my plate, Ciro."
"What? I'm not—"
"Look at your own."
I did. Took a bite.
Worth the wait.
Happy that my hunger was finally quenched.