Chapter 2 – Awkward Coexistence
Ella woke up to the sound of clattering dishes. She groaned, rubbed her eyes, and tiptoed to the kitchen.
Liam was there, balancing a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. "Morning," he mumbled without looking at her.
Ella froze. The smell of burnt toast filled the tiny apartment. "What… are you doing?"
"I'm making breakfast," he said, flipping what looked like a slightly blackened pancake. "You hungry?"
She wrinkled her nose. "If by hungry you mean 'risking food poisoning,' then yes."
Liam smirked, finally looking at her. "You'll survive. Maybe."
Ella rolled her eyes but couldn't help laughing. "You are impossible."
He grinned. "And yet, somehow, adorable when you're annoyed."
The rest of the morning passed in a series of tiny disasters:
Ella tripped over Liam's shoes in the hallway.
Liam accidentally splashed pancake batter on her shirt.
Their cat—yes, Liam had a cat—decided it was a perfect time to jump onto Ella's lap mid-breakfast, sending cereal flying.
By the time the clock hit noon, they were both laughing so hard they forgot the awkward tension from yesterday.
Later, Ella found herself sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, staring at Liam who was reading a book. She wondered, for the first time, what it would be like if they weren't at odds all the time.
Before she could think too much, Liam's voice broke the silence. "Hey… thanks for laughing with me. Most people don't."
Ella blinked. His eyes were softer than yesterday, almost… kind. She smiled. "Well, most people aren't you."
There was a small pause, a moment too long to ignore. Something passed between them—a hint of connection, like a spark waiting to catch fire.
And just like that, Ella realized that living with Liam might not be as terrible as she thought…