Breakfast

The morning sunlight streams through the window as Elise opens her eyes. It's a bright summer's day, the kind she's missed with all the rainy weather recently back home. Despite just waking, she's still exhausted, but that's probably her own fault for spending a restless night doing calculus after she couldn't sleep. Again.

At least the hours of sleeplessness have given her time to come to a resolution: simply ignore Aiden's existence.

Elise groans just from thinking about it, flipping onto her stomach and throwing the pillow over her head. Can't she just hide in bed for the rest of the day?

The movement must've drawn Adelaide's attention, because from across the room where she's brushing her hair, she calls, "Awake now, Sleeping Beauty?"

"No." Elise presses the pillow farther into her face, the fabric muffling her voice.

"It's almost 9."

"Only?"

"I'm pretty sure the Carters are waiting on us for breakfast."

"...I'll skip breakfast."

Thankfully, Adelaide is familiar enough with Elise's moods to not find it out of the norm, which keeps her from asking questions. Instead, she responds, "We're the guests here, we shouldn't be rude."

"...Fine."

"Morning, Elise!" Mr. Carter greets her cheerfully as she enters the dining room after her five minute routine of dressing, washing her face, and brushing her teeth. He's in an apron and a playful chef's hat, flipping the pancakes on the stove.

"Morning."

"Sleep well? Oh, Aiden, will you pass me that spatula?"

Their eyes meet for a moment as Aiden, who's been helping in the kitchen, whisks over with spatula in hand. He grins, and she freezes. She almost forgets to respond to Mr. Carter, but after coming back to her senses, she lies, "I slept alright, thanks."

"Mm, that's good." He flips the last pancake onto the plate. "That's all the pancakes! Aiden, bring the plate over to the table, will you?"

"Yessir!" He salutes and carries the stack to the table, where the rest of the family is already gathered. Elise follows him. Looking at the chairs, she resolutely sits herself next to Mrs. Carter, striking up a conversation to give the impression of being occupied.

"How is your research project going, Mrs. Carter?" Even if it's partially for an excuse, this is a topic that genuinely interests Elise nonetheless. Mrs. Carter works as a research scientist in astrophysics, and back when they were neighbors, Elise delighted in the times that she would talk about her work with Elise or even let her use her telescope for stargazing.

Elise listens to Mrs. Carter talk, determined to ignore Aiden. She's aware, though, of him taking the seat at the adjacent side of the table.

As they start eating, though, a familiar voice asks, "Could you pass the syrup, please?" At the corner of the table, she happens to be the closest to the maple syrup.

So much for ignoring him.

Elise reaches for the jug, nearly spills it, catches herself, and, face flushed, slides it over to Aiden. She doesn't understand why attempting to ignore him would make her so clumsy. "Syrup at your service."

"Thanks." He grins.

She hates that smile, hates how it makes her heart melt every time she sees it, hates how it makes her want to make him laugh so she can see it.