Chapter 8
Harper
My eyes open and Liam’sface isn’t even two inches from mine. What the hell? When did we fall asleep? The last time I checked my watch, it was one. I guess we can blame it on all the wine.
His eyes ease open, looking into mine. “Good morning, beautiful. How’d you sleep?”
My shoulders shrug, even though I slept like a baby. Normally, my night consists of lots of tossing and turning, but it’s different having someone with you. It just seems more comfortable, and safe. It helps scare the nightmares away, and inputs blissful unicorn dreams into the mind.
“We should probably get up. It’s already almost six-thirty.” My feet hit the hardwood floor immediately, feeling like I stepped onto an iceberg.
I walk to my room to grab a pair of socks and then make a pot of coffee. My usual is two cups before heading into work, and believe me, it’s needed to deal with moody teenagers today. Hell, I might even chug down a third one for the hell of it.
Three scoops are poured into the pot and I add water. I’ve had an obsession with coffee since High School. My junior year was the bane of my existence with the SAT’s and even though my parents weren’t our, I wouldn’t consider them rich either. I needed to get a good score to be able to receive scholarships to attend college without putting them in a bind. In the months leading up to it, I studied like a maniac late into the night, and sometimes staying up for two days trying to cram. The local coffee shop became my go to place and coffee is the only thing that kept me going.
I go to the living room to turn the news on, and Liam sits up joining me with his hair all messed up, but somehow looks even hotter this way.
“I didn’t mean to stay over. Guess we both fell asleep.”
Things happen, but I didn’t anticipate him staying over so early in our relationship, but kind of glad he did. The sleep I did get last night is going to help me through my hectic day at work. I’m still not positive I’m ready for it, but it’s not like there’s an option to stay home. This is something I’ve been looking forward to since moving here, and I’ve got to just embrace it.
The brewing has stopped so we make our way to the kitchen, each grabbing a mug and filling up with the yummy hot beverage and then sit at the kitchen table, watching the sun creep in. Sometimes, I like to just sit here and enjoy the sunrise, and it’s even better with Liam sitting across from me. He looks like he’s doing some heavy thinking. “What’s going on in your head? Talk to me.”
“I know it’s totally high school behavior, but just wondering if I should be calling you my girlfriend?”
I laugh and nod. Things aren’t so black and white when you are an adult, and most just assume they are in an exclusive relationship. I’m glad he is taking the initiative to ask. I don’t want him seeing anyone else.
His chest rises and falls, and his nervousness goes away as we hold hands. I could get used to my morning being like this, with him here.
“Just think about how beautiful the sunrise will be in Italy when we go one day. I’ll get up early just to see it,” Liam says, staring out the window pane.
Normally, you don’t hear a guy talking about your future so early in the game, but it doesn’t bother me. Things seem to be progressing nicely between us, and hopefully it continues that way.
I sit my mug down, and leave him to bask in the morning glory while I decide what to wear today. My closet is a disaster which I’ll need to fix later, but for now I grab a pair of black pants, a red blouse, and pair it with some black wedges. Simple, yet professional. My hair is down to the middle of my back with a mixture between curls and waves, but it’s actually chic, so I leave it but run the comb through it a couple times to take out any tangles from sleeping on the couch. I decide not to put any makeup on today, because wearing it too often really screws up my skin.
When I get back to the kitchen, Liam looks at me with one eyebrow farther up. “You can be my teacher anytime.”
I laugh, make another cup, and sit across from him again, and we sit in silence just enjoying the beauty of mother nature. Sunrises are interesting because it almost makes me feel like it’s a complete reset from the previous day and it helps you enjoy the little things.
“You getting ready to leave?” Liam asks, standing up from the table and heading to the living room to grab his boots.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta head out of here. Long day ahead and don’t want to be late.”
He grabs my keys, and heads outside, and I watch him from the window, start my car, and then come back in.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I should do that. It’s called being a gentleman,” he says, smiling.
“Okay. I’ll see you later?”
We both finish the last of our coffee, and then head to leave.
“Just call me later. Not sure what time I’ll be heading home,” I say, both of us walking out the door, and me closing it behind us.
I get inside my toasty car, and head to the school. Last night was amazing and Liam really has thrown me for a loop. His pictures might have made me second guess my decision to go to that initial date, but every evening with him has proven he is not the typical pretty-boy type. Thank god.
After hitting plenty of morning traffic, my car stops in a parking spot, and I proceed inside to my classroom to get everything ready before the bell rings. This is it. I’m officially a teacher at Grapevine High School and my parents would have been so proud if they were still alive. Being a teacher, it’s not for everyone, but some have a true passion for it. Going into college, there are plenty of required courses you have to take, and one of them was Chemistry. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. By the end of the semester, I made a decision to major in Education with a minor in Chemistry. Many of the other students struggled with it, so I organized a study group twice a week, and worked with them to understand the material as well as I did. That’s when my passion for teaching began.