"You're on edge..." Ogi tells me when we get to the car.
"McKenzie... is just... Urgh!"
"You're afraid that people notice your pull towards me. They all already have. Just stop fighting it."
"I have no idea of what you are talking about... I mean. We're friends." I say stoically.
"Well, we don't need to be more than friends... just you keep lying to yourself and that's when your pain grows. Meaning. I got used to it and manage to function without much-needed closeness, but you... you'll find it an impossible task if you deny it even exists." He tells me calmly.
"When did you become a philosophy master?" I ask.
"I had to deal with a lot in the past six years. That's it." He shared.
"I see. So, how weird it would be if I place my hand in your neck?" I ask afraid of sounding desperate.
"That's an interesting choice, but okay. I wouldn't be offended. Neither would I look too much into it." He says.
I immediately place my left hand on the back of his head.
Bliss.
A calm evades me and my enegy is renewed.
He was right. Stupid me, trying to fight something that is not that big of a deal. I just need to be a little intimate with my friend that happens to be a guy... oh ...
Trying hard to nor overthink this.
"Wow. You're really worried, aren't you?"
"What? You hear my thoughts too?" I ask.
He laughed. "No. If course not. But I felt that kind of energy."
"Oh. So you're calm, but energetic... Got it." I state.
"Yeah. That's me." He grins.
After five minutes I decided to reclaim my hand.
"Okay. I'm ready to study hard and ace that homework."
"Yeah. I bet. Succubus." He hisses.
"Only one more day and it'll be weekend. Remember you traded a visit at Heritage Center to a hiking trail in Grand Portage State Park?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Saturday morning. I remember. Aren't you having a Volleyball game that afternoon?"
"Yes. I am. Silver bay. Got to be at school at 4:15 pm. My mom drives me or my dad, when he's here."
"How is he? I mean. I still remember him. He was so cool to me. Played basketball with me in your backyard. You just cried because you were not good at it. Sweet memories."
"He's usually home, just not this week. I still suck at basketball. That hop thing makes no sense to me." I confess.
"Yeah. But jumping in front of an huge net, makes?" He asks laughing at volleyball.
"Yeah. I often hit McKenzies face with that ball. Awesome feeling..." I laugh too loud.
"She's just jealous, you know? I don't get the way girls act around each other... but okay..." he shake his head in disapproval.
"Jealous of what?" I chuckle "She's a rich white girl. What's her problem?"
"She's just like every other girl in that town. That's her problem." He says facing me.
"Come on. I'm normal too."I state.
"You're anything but normal. Before you had Cole as boyfriend and now you already have the attention of the new, exotic and smoking hot King." He chuckled "To be clear, those were her words. Literally."
"Wow. That's why you're always an arrogant ass. You get to listen to them checking you out and talking about it with their friends." I roll my eyes.
"I try not to... I swear."
I place my hand on his arm.
"I believe you." I say.
"And I see fear." He shares "Care to explain that?"
"Nope."
Thank goodness we're home. That conversation was going off rails.
I quickly got out of the car and enter my house. Leaving the door open for him to come in.
Install myself in the kitchen table.
"Come on, let's ace this homework, Myeengun."
"I'll race you." He challenges me.
Thirty minutes was all it took. Meanwhile my mom was no-show.
Me: Mom, where are you? It's 6 pm.
Mom: Market. Don't worry. I'll be there soon. Just set the table. Love you.
Me: okay lu2
"Well. We've got time to kill." I say. Clearing the table.
"I'll help you."
After setting the table we went to the living room and watched tv.
"Do you want to watch Teen Wolf. You know, because you state that you are one..." I mock him.
"No. Their incoherent... So, it just annoys me." He snaps.
" I'm starving. I need food now." I get up and walk to the kitchen.
I take an yoghurt from the fridge and go back to the living room.
He's asleep.
I eat sitting next to him. When I finish eating the yoghurt. I decide that I don't care and cuddle with him. Dozing off as well.
"Ziigwan, Ziigwan? Guys?" I hear.
Open my eyes and see my mom trying to wake me up. I feel trapped.
Oh... He's asleep with his arms over me.
"I mom. We just feel asleep." I smile to her.
"Ogi, Ogi. I can't move..." I shake him.
I try to whisper in his ears "Wake up, Ogimaa. Come back to me."
He opens his eyes and gaze me. "Wow. I feel asleep again. I must feel good here, it's the second time in three days." He smiles "Hi Mrs Woods. I'm sorry. I just tired from practice."
"That's okay. I bare goods." She says " Pizza..."
"Well, that certainly meet my expectations." I say getting up.
"Yeah. Definitely." He chuckled.
After dinner, my mom asked me to go do the laundry and fold some clothes.
"Why?" I ask.
"Me and King can wash the dishes." She smiles.
"Okay..." I agreed.
I knew something was fishy about that, so I went to do what she told, but kept an ear at them.
"Ogimaa, sweetie, you were my favourite student. You know that, right?" She tells him.
"Yes, Mrs. Woods. You told me many times. I appreciate that."
"You are a good boy. Always were and I noticed that on that last year, the 6th grade, you were different with my Ziigwan." She continued.
He said nothing. Maybe he didn't know what to say.
"I know who you are. I know what you are. I know what that means to your father, mother and to the Elders." She says.
"Mrs. Woods..." he tries to say.
"Just let me finish, sweetie." She cuts him " I'm not judging. I just want to make sure that you know. Also, I want to ask you if my suspicious about ypu and my daughter are right. Is she your mate?"
Silence.
"Ahh. Yes, Mrs. Woods. She is my mate." He says, his voice shaking.
"Ogimaa." Her voice shaky too "Does she knows?"
"She knows that I need her and she needs me." He reply.
"What about the rest?" My mom asks.
"I don't think she wants me, Mrs. Woods." He finally get the words out.
"She wants you. That's not the issue." She quickly replied.
Jeez, thanks mom!
"I need you to promise me that you will think of her well-being before your own. And before you do so. Think if you are able to do it. To promise to the Great Spirits that you will always protect your mate, even if it goes against your family or even the Elders." She concluded.
What is she talking about? Are they crazy? Is it a virus that is running around, spreading fast?
He thinks for ten seconds "I rather die than betray her or her trust in me. That I promise to the Greats. And to you. My Ogimaawe, will never suffer by my side and as long as I'm alive to prevent it."
I hear my mom crying. Muffled sobs. I guess he's trying to console her.
That was a super weird conversation to listen to...