Pancakes. So much as think the word and-

"PANCAKES!? Did someone say pancakes?!" his words were accompanied by the sound of feet pounding away from a slammed door and towards the living room where I perched myself on the plush purple couch reading about how to make double chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with a side of chocolate covered bacon and topped with sweetened strawberries and homemade whipped cream. "Angel, did you say panca-ooo! That looks good!" He licked his lips as he grabbed my laptop from me and carried it to the other side of the couch.

"No, Austin," I snatched the sticker covered Mac bak and added, "I merely whispered a thought in my mind."

"You merely whispered a thought in you mind? What are you? 84?" Ally's grouchy scoff dropped into our conversation. Big surprise (she thought sarcastically).I try to be nice to every one, but Ally makes it nearly impossible.

"Try 17," I smiled at the beginning of our morning routine. "If I want to be president, I'm going to have to expand my vocabulary to indescribable volumes."

"Like you said, you're only 17. Why don't you act like it? You can be pres in a few years. You don't have to land the job today. Now... about breakfast..."

"The future starts now, Austin. The decisions we make today can make or break us later on down the road. So what if I walk, talk, or act different than the kids my age? That just means I'm one step closer to my dreams than they are." I smirked, knowing I'd won. As usual.

"Whatevs. I'm more worried about breakfast than my future. So, I was thinking..." He tapped the top of my computer. "pancakes sound good."

As I stood up to head into the kitchen, I continued our conversation, "You know, sometimes I wonder how you're as successful as you are." I paused to rest my laptop on the counter and open the fridge. "It can't be your assertiveness, your determination, or your focus." I grabbed the milk, butter, bacon,chocolate. "It can't be your your good looks or charm." I turned to put the ingredients on the counter, smiled, and winked at him. "I mean, you would have to have those in the first place." two pans, four large bowls, and a pot joined the party on the counter as we heard Ally Disney Channel on in living room. "I guess we could blame it on you skills. Maybe it's Ally," my last sentence was delivered with a heavy helping of disdain as I recovered the rest of the ingredients and a whisk from their various hiding places.

Knowing Ally has treated me like a pest since the day Rose and I arrived, Austin quickly retorted with, "Maybe it's you," and took a seductive step toward me, made even sexier with a small half-smile that almost caused me to melt.

I just smiled, " Austin Monica Moon, you don't get out of my kitchen and there won't be pancakes for a week."

His eyes bugged out of his head and he swiftly retreated to the living room, where he could watch from a safe distance.

The comment he made still Rhodes in my mind. "Maybe it's you." Combined with his actions, te gesture was confusing.

Was it possible...?

Could Austin...?

Does he...?

No. Don't even think about it, Angel. It's never going to happen.

But could it?