Liam yawned secretly in the middle of the class. He didn't know if he could still survive to stay awake until the math class was over. He hoped that it would be over soon, so he wouldn't get into trouble if their math teacher, Miller, caught him.
He didn't believe in childish tales like if you lost a tooth and then put it under your pillow you'll have a coin in the next morning, but for some reason, he believed that a sandman was beside him, sprinkling him the famous magical sand that would make someone drowsy.
He went awake when Miller told his farewell and then stepped out of the classroom, ending the math class. He was relieved that the class ended without him getting into trouble. He didn't want to experience getting all drowsy in class again, so he should fill his stomach and gain some fuel.
Natasha placed her notes and books under her desk. She would place it inside her backpack later. She was excited to eat her lunch.
Natasha looked beside her to ask Liam. "Do you have a packed lunch?"
Liam nodded. "Yeah, I brought it this time around."
"Should we eat at the school roof?" Natasha suggested. "Is that all right?"
Liam thought of the same thing. "We should."
Liam and Natasha stood up from their seat and then proceeded to go to the school roof.
Natasha unfolded her handkerchief to use it as her seat, so she wouldn't get her school skirt all dusty. Liam realized that he forgot to bring his handkerchief, so he had no choice, but to sit down and get his school pants all dusty. Natasha got that Liam didn't have a handkerchief, so she moved to make space for Liam.
"Sit here," Natasha tapped the space she made, prompting Liam to sit beside her.
Liam didn't want Natasha to bother. "Oh no, it's all right, Natasha. It's my fault for not bringing my hand—"
He shrieked when she pulled him to make him sit down. He was caught off-guard and it all of a sudden happened, so he found himself sitting beside her.
"No need to be modest, Liam," Natasha was amused that he made Liam shriek.
Liam chuckled. "I'm too late to refuse. So I need to thank you for that kindness."
Liam and Natasha opened their lunchbox afterward.
Liam looked at the packed lunch of Natasha. He noticed something. "That looks different from the packed lunch you had."
Natasha understood that Liam meant her packed lunch when both of them went to the cafeteria. "It's obvious, right?" she wasn't surprised that he would notice it. "That's because Pops prepared this packed lunch."
"As for me, Mom wakes up the earliest because of her work, so she had no time to eat or cook at home, and Dad isn't a good cook, so I prepared mine," Liam told his story behind his packed lunch.
"May I have a taste?" Natasha wanted to try what Liam had prepared.
"Sure," Liam didn't mind. "But don't expect a lot because I'm not that good."
Natasha shook her head. "Don't sweat it."
She went to take a taste of what Liam cooked. He wondered what she had to tell. He hoped that it was at least bearable to eat.
"It's decent," she critiqued. "I think you should add a bit salt to it, then it's perfect, but this is fine."
He was relieved to hear that. "Thanks. I'll take note of that."
Natasha almost forgot to offer Liam to taste her lunch. "You can taste mine, so don't be shy."
"Thank you," Liam went to take a taste of the lunch of Natasha. "As expected from your father, this is perfect."
Natasha expected Liam would tell something like that. "Yeah, you're right," she smiled. She was curious about something, so she would ask him. "Did you cook before or is it your first time?"
"I did cook before, so it's not my first time," Liam answered. "I learned it from Mom."
"You did well, Liam," Natasha praised.
Liam was glad to hear that from her. "Yeah, I did."
**
It didn't take long until the class was dismissed. Natasha and others realized how fast the time was while Liam and the others thought it took forever. But Liam was glad that he didn't manage to feel drowsy after lunch, so he applauded himself for that.
He arranged his things under the desk and inside his backpack when the last class came. So he was good to go. He stood up from his seat and wore his zipped backpack.
Natasha wondered where would Liam go, so she hurried to arrange her stuff inside her backpack, zipped her backpack, and then wore her backpack. She chased Liam or if she didn't, she would lose her sight of him.
"Where do you intend to go, Liam?" Natasha caught up with Liam.
"You'll know where, so don't worry, Natasha," Liam answered.
Natasha didn't ask and decided to follow Liam until she got an answer. She saw that he was going to the school gym. She assumed that he was part of either basketball or volleyball club.
Liam entered. Natasha peeked inside to see what was happening. She saw that there were others who were dribbling a Spalding and who were spiking and receiving a Mikasa.
Liam stole the Spalding from someone who was about to shoot in the hoop. He dribbled and then threw it precisely, so it would shoot, and it did.
He went back to Natasha with a beam. "You saw that right now."
Natasha believed that Liam was part of the basketball club, but it was better to ask him. "So you're part of the basketball club?"
"Hell yeah," Liam answered.
Natasha got her answer, so she should answer hers to be fair.
"I want you to know that I don't find you uncomfortable," Natasha assured. "If you did, you know I can kick someone's ass."
She wouldn't hesitate to call Liam out once he made something that would make her uncomfortable.
Liam got what Natasha told. "Please do if you find me uncomfortable anytime, Natasha," he wouldn't mind that.
"Liam!" he heard that their captain was calling for him.
"Oh, that's the queue for me to go practice," Liam informed.
"I think you will do a great job, Liam," Natasha smiled.
"I just demonstrated what I'm capable of a while ago, so yeah, I will," Liam looked confident of what he was capable of.
"I like that confidence," Natasha praised.
"It's a shame we can't walk together home, but you can go ahead while the sun's still up," Liam didn't mind if Natasha went to go home first.
"No. I'll stay and wait for you to finish," Natasha refused.
"You know how dangerous it could be when the day turned to night," Liam warned.
"I'm aware, but I have myself," Natasha reasoned.
Liam knew well that Natasha could defend herself, but who knew what could happen. It was better to be safe. "I mean that's not the point—"
"And I have you," Natasha didn't let Liam finish.
Liam was lost for words. "You can be a handful, Natasha."
He recalled how she saved him from Lawrence, pulled him to sit down beside her, and now wanting to chaperone him until he finished his club activities. He couldn't push her, but he would plan to pay her back.
"I don't mind," Natasha took what Liam told as a compliment. "I told you I'll stay and wait, so I'll do that."
"I can't win, so do whatever you like," Liam conceded. "But you better watch me slay, Natasha."