The Deal (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9: Change Locations

The bell for lunch rings, breaking me out of my thoughts. I grab my stuff and head out of the classroom and into the halls. I wait by the door for Nzuri, as usual.

"Hey suga," Nzuri walks up to me.

"Hey," I smile halfheartedly.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just, lost in my thoughts."

"Okkkk, if you say so. I'm not going to push."

"Thanks," I push the door to the cafeteria open.

Nzuri and I walk inside and head to our regular table. As we sit, my stomach growls, signaling that I need food. I contemplate getting the school food but decide against it when I see the slop on another students tray.

"I bet you wish you would have got some Wendy's now, don't you?" Nzuri laughs at me.

"Fuck you," I stick my finger up at her.

Just as my stomach growls again, I feel a presence on the side of me. I look over and see Axel, but what catches my attention is the bag that is in his hand.

"For you," Axel sets the bag in front of me.

"Chick-fil-a?" I look at him sideways, "now I know you had a class before lunch and I know that it takes forever to get Chick-fil-a, how in the hell did you get there to get food and bring it here before lunch was over?"

"I may, or may not have skipped the last thirty minutes of class," he says as he takes food out of the bag.

Axel slides some food over to me. Soon, Javier and Darnell join us at the table. In one of Darnell's hands is a drink holder, in the other is another Chick-fil-a bag. He sits at the table and hands me what appears to be a shake.

"Axel said that you like strawberry," Darnell says, "and here," he slides a drink over to Nzuri.

"What's this?" she looks at the drink.

"A frosted lemonade," Javier answers her.

"Thanks," Nzuri shyly looks away from him.

I give her a look, silently telling her that I know something is definitely going on with her. I stare at her a little longer just to let her really know. I finally turn my attention away from her and look at Axel.

"Now why did you skip the rest of class?" I ask him.

"We were just watching a movie," he shrugs as he bites into his sandwich.

"Mmhmm," I squint my eyes at him, "I'm going to let you be for now, because you bought me food, but this conversation is not over."

"You can scold me today during our tutoring session."

I nod my head in agreement and start to eat my food. The rest of lunch is filled with conversation and laughter, however, the change in Nzuri is still very noticeable. Soon the bell signaling the end of lunch is heard. We all part ways and head to our classes to finish our school day. The rest of the day passes by quickly and soon I am standing next to Axel's bike.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Nzuri says as she walks by to get to her car.

"Bye honey," I say.

"Bye love," she responds and heads to her car.

"You ready?" Axel's voice comes near my ear, frightening me.

"Ahh!" I scream and swing.

Knowing my actions, he expertly dodges my punch. Axel laughs at my panic and this causes his guard to go down, which allows me to punch him in the shoulder.

"Oww," he rubs his shoulder.

"That's what you get," I say, "now let's go."

We get onto his bike and head to his house. When we get inside, we head straight for the library and start our tutoring session.

"So in this equation, magnesium is being oxidized because it is losing electrons and is therefore the reducing agent?" Axel looks up from his Chemistry homework.

"Correct," I say.

"So then that would make oxygen the oxidizing agent and therefore it is being reduced because it is gaining electrons."

"See, you're getting the hang of it," I say proudly.

"That's because I have an awesome tutor," he nudges my shoulder, "I know that we have more to study, but can we please that a break. We have been at this for two hours."

"Yeah we can."

"Good, let's go upstairs to my room," Axel stands up and stretches, "I really don't want to spend my break staring at books."

"Fine, but only for twenty minuets."

"You're the boss."

I follow behind Axel as we make our way to his room. We walk up the beautiful staircase and pass a few doors before finally Axel opens the door to one. I walk into his room and the first thing I notice is how clean it is. There doesn't seem to be a thing out of place. The second thing I notice is how bare his falls are. While most people would have some posters, pictures, or awards hanging up, Axel has none.

"Well," I say.

"What?"

"It's definitely cleaner than I thought it would be."

"Ahh, yes," he walks over to his bed, "my mom is a little bit of a neat freak and she has kind of passed some of that down to me."

"I'm sure your future wife will be very appreciative of that," I joke.

"If she's anything like you, I'm sure she will," he says.

This cause me to pause and look at him in shock. For a few minuets no words are spoken between us and a silence comes over the room. We stare at each other as the seconds turn into minuets. Finally, the sound of a phone notification brings us out of our trance like state.

I awkwardly clear my throat, "we should go back downstairs and continue the tutoring session."

"Just a few more minuets," Axel lays down in his bed, "come join me."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I'll set an alarm for ten minuets, just," he pats the space beside him.

"Fine, but only for ten minuets," I take my shoes off and climb into bed next to him.

His king sized bed is a cloud and I feel as if I have just reached the sky as my head touches his pillows.  As we lay in his bed, a comfortable silence takes over and before long, my eyes begin to feel heavy. I fight against the sudden wave of exhaustion, but when I feel warmth engulf me, I lose the battle and succumb to sleep.