Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual. The sunlight streamed through my window, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked a few times before groaning, stretching my arms over my head. My body ached slightly from all the work I'd done yesterday, but it was a good kind of sore—the kind that reminded me I had actually done something productive.

I rolled out of bed and grabbed my phone. 7:12 AM. Too early for a summer morning, but I didn't mind. I was already thinking about the garden.

After throwing on a clean t-shirt and some old jeans, I made my way to the bathroom. As I splashed cold water on my face, I glanced at myself in the mirror. There was still some dirt under my fingernails from yesterday. I grinned a little—guess that was just part of the job now.

By the time I made it to the kitchen, Sarah was already up, sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal. She glanced up at me and smirked.

"Wow. Up early to play in the dirt again?"

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a piece of toast from the counter. "Yup. And guess what? It's actually growing."

She snorted. "Good for you, Gardener. Maybe you'll finally grow something useful, like a sense of fashion."

I ignored her and shoved the toast in my mouth, grabbing a water bottle before heading outside.

The morning air was crisp, the kind of coolness that only lasts for an hour before the summer heat kicks in. I stepped onto the grass, stretching as I looked over the garden.

It was still there, just as I left it. The plants were standing taller than yesterday, their leaves reaching toward the sun. The tiny green shoots from the beans and peppers had grown slightly, and the tomato plant Adam brought looked strong. The radishes were the quickest, already showing signs of life just beneath the soil.

I crouched down, running my fingers lightly over the damp soil. It was still moist from last night's watering, but it wouldn't last all day. I grabbed the bucket I had been using as a makeshift watering can and made my way to the outdoor tap, filling it up before carefully pouring the water over each plant.

The sound of water hitting the soil was oddly satisfying. I watched as the dirt darkened, soaking up the moisture, and I could almost feel the plants thanking me.

As I finished, I heard footsteps approaching from the side of the yard.

"Morning, farmer."

I turned to see Adam strolling over, hands in his pockets, looking half-awake. His hair was messy, and he was wearing a hoodie despite the rising heat.

"You look like you just rolled out of bed," I said, smirking.

"Because I did," he yawned. "You texted me last night about checking the garden, so here I am."

I chuckled. "You didn't have to come this early, dude."

"Yeah, but if I stayed in bed any longer, my mom was gonna make me clean the house. This seemed like a better option."

I shook my head and handed him a second bucket. "Well, since you're here, help me water the rest of the plants."

He groaned dramatically but took the bucket anyway, kneeling beside me. "Fine. But if I get dirt on my clothes, you're buying me lunch later."

We worked in silence for a few minutes, moving from one section of the garden to the next. The sun was getting higher, and I could already feel the heat creeping in.

"So," Adam said after a while, "you thinking about adding anything else?"

I sat back, wiping sweat off my forehead. "Yeah. I was thinking of getting some herbs—basil, mint, maybe even some rosemary. Stuff that smells nice."

Adam nodded. "Not a bad idea. We could also plant flowers around the edges, make it look more like an actual garden instead of just a dirt patch."

"Yeah, I like that." I smiled, already picturing it. "Maybe we can go get some later."

"Cool. But first, breakfast," Adam said, standing up and stretching. "I came here hungry, and now I'm starving."

I laughed. "Fine. Let's go inside before Sarah starts making fun of me again."

As we headed toward the house, I glanced back at the garden one more time. It was small, but it was growing.

And so was I.

As we stepped into the house, the cool air hit us immediately, a relief from the heat already building outside. The kitchen smelled like coffee and toast, and Sarah was still at the table, scrolling on her phone with a half-empty bowl of cereal in front of her. 

She glanced up when she saw Adam and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you actually brought reinforcements this time?" 

Adam grinned, running a hand through his messy hair. "Yup. Figured I'd help out your little farmer sibling over here." 

I rolled my eyes and headed straight for the fridge. "I'm making breakfast. You want something?" 

Adam plopped into a chair and stretched his arms behind his head. "Depends. What's on the menu, Chef?" 

I grabbed eggs, butter, and some bread, setting them on the counter. "Scrambled eggs and toast. Simple but good." 

"Sounds good to me," he said, drumming his fingers on the table. "You need help?" 

I shot him a look. "Do you even know how to cook?" 

"Somewhat, but I wouldn't call that cooking. If you need help, just ask." 

Sarah snorted. "Please, I'd pay to see that disaster happen." 

Adam put a hand over his chest, pretending to be offended. "Wow. No faith in me at all." 

I just shook my head and got to work. The eggs cracked with a satisfying snap against the bowl, and I whisked them together, adding a pinch of salt. The butter sizzled in the pan as I poured the eggs in, stirring them around as they cooked. Meanwhile, the toaster popped, and I grabbed the warm slices, spreading butter over them while they were still hot. 

"That actually smells good," Adam admitted, leaning forward as if to get a better whiff. 

"Shocking, right?" Sarah said.

"I don't have to cook much because of him at least" Sarah said.

"Alright, if you two don't stop talking, I'll eat your portions myself," I threatened, scooping the scrambled eggs onto plates. 

"Okay, okay, we'll be nice," Adam said, grinning as he grabbed a plate. 

Sarah rolled her eyes but took hers too, still scrolling on her phone as she picked at her food. 

We ate in mostly comfortable silence, the occasional clink of forks against plates filling the space. 

"You know," Adam said between bites, "this is actually better than I expected." 

"Gee, thanks," I said dryly. 

Sarah smirked. "Careful, Adam. Keep complimenting and you might get roped into cooking next time." 

"Hey, I don't mind eating free food," he said, pointing his fork at me. "If you keep making stuff like this, I'll show up for breakfast more often." 

I shook my head, but I couldn't help but smile a little. 

As breakfast wrapped up, I leaned back in my chair, feeling full and content. 

"So," Adam said, pushing his plate away, "what's the plan for today? More gardening?" 

"Yeah," I said. "But I also want to get some new plants. Maybe some herbs and flowers." 

Adam nodded. "Sounds like a solid plan. You wanna go get them today?" 

I thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Let's do it." 

Sarah groaned. "Great. More dirt talk." 

Adam grinned. "You're welcome to join, you know." 

She gave him a deadpan stare. "I'd rather stay inside where it's clean." 

I chuckled, grabbing our plates and taking them to the sink. "Suit yourself." 

As I washed up, I felt a little spark of excitement. The garden was just getting started, and now, it was time to make it even better.

To be continued...