Superhero

Chapter 82

Days pass and everyone almost forgets Jordan's grumpy episode. Everything goes normal, everyone's focussing on their schoolwork.
Galante conducted extra classes every day, even on weekends since an exam was nearing.
And Jordan joined them too.
"I want you two to do your best," Galante said, pointing first at Addison, then at Jordan. "You two are my best students, and I don't want you to let me down."
"Wow, so you're just bestowing your weight upon us," Jordan snorted. "We'll just try our best."
Addison nodded in agreement.
"Good," Galante nodded. "Do good in this test. And then we train for the finals."
"Mr. Galante, there's still months for this term's finals," Jordan sighed. "Don't torture us too quickly on those..."
Addison turned to him in surprise before turning back to Galante. "We'll work hard, don't worry."
"Quit buttering him, Addie..." Jordan told her in a low voice.
"What, he's still our teacher," Addison whispered back.
Galante cleared his throat. "What are you guys whispering about?"
They both just shrugged.
"I need to get back to my room," Addison got up. "Haven't called my parents yet."
"Yeah, I think I haven't called her parents too," Jordan followed suit.
"You need to call her parents?" Giuseppe asked, tilting his head in confusion. "Why?"
Addison decided to leave the scene and let him handle it himself.
"I need to call my dad," she heard Jordan say. "For something..."
Addison snorted to herself and went up to her room to call her mom.

***

Addison went downstairs and made her way to the kitchen. Jordan was there, as usual, but without the usual smile. He still greeted her though, raising his mug as an acknowledgment.
"You okay, buddy?" Addison asked. "Slept well?"
Jordan simply shrugged in reply. Addison said nothing and went on to the water dispenser to get some hot water for her tea. She finally realised that she liked mocking Jeff for drinking coffee for compromised sleep when she was downing way more than him daily.
That made Addison feel a little sheepish.
"So you've given up coffee now..." Jordan suddenly remarked, gaining her attention.
Addison nodded. "Yep. Too much coffee is bad for you."
"Says the one who downed an entire flask of it every day," Jordan smirked slightly. He finished his cocoa and washed the mug before motioning for Addison. "Let's go."
Addison nodded and screwed the lid onto her flask before following him out. Giuseppe descended the stairs and the two just nodded at him before rushing over to the porch.
"That was close," Addison heaved a sigh of relief as she slipped beside Jordan. She looked over at the redhead and frowned slightly when noticing him being more silent than usual. "Hey, you okay?"
Jordan nodded. "Yeah... it's just... I called my dad last night."
"Oh..." Addison nodded thoughtfully. "Everything's okay, right?"
"Yeah..." Jordan nodded and started the car, pulling out of the driveway and heading straight for Alford.

"Great, Galante is in..." Jordan groaned when he spotted Giuseppe waltzing into the shop. He immediately pulled his hood up, surprised when Addison did the same thing. "Hopefully he doesn't recognise us."
Addison seriously doubted it. She had tried to hide under the shade of her hood one too many times.
With failure...
But she decided to just hope for the best and try once again.
Addison turned to Jordan and realised that it might work for him since his striking red hair was completely hidden under the hood.
Huh...
Addison couldn't help but remember the Superhero at the same time, how his hair was fully obscured under such a hood too.
What if it was the same hood?
To their dismay, the moustached man suddenly made a beeline for their table, placing his tray among theirs with a clang.
"Mind if I join you?" Giuseppe grinned.
Addison moved slightly to the side and motioned for him to sit down. Jordan so clearly suppressed a groan, gripping the edge of his hood with both hands.
"You guys ready for the test next week?" Galante asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Well, nothing but a piece of cake for you guys."
"You make it sound as if it's some exciting treasure hunt," Jordan couldn't help but remark, letting go of his hood. "Then again, the paper would be a piece of cake for you since you're the one setting it."
Giuseppe shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe I set it easy for you two too?"
Addison smiled. "Hopefully, Sir."
"Again with the Sir stuff," Giuseppe groaned. "You guys... you're my housemates. Why on earth do we still have to be on formal terms?"
The students exchanged glances.
"Because... you're our lecturer?" Addison pointed out.
"And you're older than us?" Jordan added.
"Yeah, age is not the issue here," Giuseppe rolled his eyes. "Felicia is like the same age as your moms but you're on a first-name basis with her. Yeah, who are ya kidding? I am Giuseppe Galante! The-"
"The what?" Addison asked, confused.
Giuseppe cleared his throat. "What I meant to say is... age is not the issue here. How old do you think I even am?"
"Mid-twenties."
"Forty-eight..." Jordan hid a smirk.
"Addie's right, I'm only twenty-six," Giuseppe glared at the redhead. "I'm only a few years older than you guys."
The two exchanged glances again.
"Okay..." Addison finally said.
She quickly ate and got up, gave a big and exaggerated bow, and ran off.
"Hey!" Jordan frantically called. "Don't leave me here."
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Giuseppe grinning at him. Jordan felt a drop of sweat trickle off his forehead and slid down his eyebrow, falling off his chin.

Addison quickly ran to the bathroom before heading for class. She bagged a spot in the middle row and placed her bag on the seat beside her so that Jordan could sit.
The redhead stomped over and Addison quickly took her bag off the seat so that Jordan could sit down.
"How could you?!" Jordan exclaimed, betrayal clear in his voice.
Addison burst into laughter when she understood what he meant. "Well, yeah! You want me to sit with him like that?"
Jordan sighed. "Actually, he wasn't all that bad. He was telling me of his great adventures as a child in Sicily."
Addison looked at him in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah!" Jordan nodded, looking surprised himself. "It was actually kinda fun to talk to him."
It suddenly seemed to Addison that she was the only one who disliked spending time with him as a friend.
Galante suddenly walked in, now with the air of the great Dean of the Business and Communications Department of Alford University.
And the Academic Writing lecturer of hundreds.
The class soon began.