The next morning, Azrael Herrington woke up to a splitting headache. He couldn't understand why his head always hurt so much in the morning, and it was very uncomfortable.
He was rubbing it when he heard the voice of Alex Bayly, his teacher, from the outside of the room.
"Azrael, have you had your bath yet? You need to hurry, it's 7:30 already"
When Azrael heard the voice, although it was still the same dull tone he was used to, it sounded different this time, like a melodious sound that calmed his heart.
He felt completely at peace. His headache disappeared instantly and he wondered, 'Is she special or does she have something that could cure my headaches'
Azrael had been battling these forms of incessant headaches for at least 2hours every morning since the previous month, but for the first time on this day, it disappeared just after he heard a voice, it made him both happy and curious.
"Good morning to you Ma'am, and thank you for taking me in, I'm eternally indebted to you, I will have my bath now and be ready in a minute," Azrael replied.
Alex Bayly was stunned when she heard the word "Ma'am", it made her wonder, 'Am I that old? I'm just 31 years old and I've been told I look 25. I'm not even married, and he's calling me Ma'am' Unable to handle her perplexing mood, she blurted out words aggressively,
"Don't you dare call me Ma'am again, I'm not your mom, call me Miss Alex or just Alex, ...." Alex Bayly had barked at Azrael before she realized that she was overreacting and had to calm herself down.
"Sorry" She muttered before walking away.
Azrael was confused as to why his attempt at being polite had resulted in making his host angry. He didn't even get to apologize before she stormed off.
"Have I offended her before now? Or did I do something..... ahhhhhh" Just as he was muttering to himself, the headache returned. It was even more painful than the previous one.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" He screamed as he held his head. His heart was beating fast.
~gbim, gbim, gbim, ~
He couldn't help himself as he collapsed on the floor while clutching his head in pain.
Just in time, Alex Bayly rushed into the room to find Azrael Herrington screaming in pain on the ground.
She hurriedly crouched immediately and without a care in the world, she lifted his head and shoulders, placing them gently on her bent legs while trying to calm him and relieve his pain.
Her initial anger at being called "old" had dissipated and she became worried for him.
"What's wrong? What happened?..." She caressed his head with care and was also checking to see how she could relieve his pain
Azrael who was enduring a brain-shattering kind of headache suddenly discovered that it had totally receded. Not even the slightest of pains could be felt.
He noticed that his teacher was rubbing his temple tenderly as he regained his composure.
His head was placed on her lap while she was trying to comfort him. Now that he had become relieved of his headache, their position became awkward.
Alex Bayly couldn't just decide to push his head away in fear that his pain might return. She noticed that he had truly become better. In fact, if she didn't notice the sincere discomfort on his face earlier compared to his calm state now, she would have concluded that he was faking it.
"Do you feel better now?" Alex asked in a soft tone that surprised Azrael. He had never heard her sound this comforting. In fact, he was almost tempted to ask if she was suddenly possessed by someone else. A kinder and more gentle spirit perhaps.
"hmmm" Azrael responded as he slowly got up from her lap. He won't have minded being in that position for longer, but he also knew he couldn't push his luck or he will end up completely unlucky.
After watching him get up without discomfort, Alex also got up and her look changed. "None of this happened... Get ready for school, breakfast is on the table" The mirthless voice of Alex Bayly returned as she walked out of the room and returned to prepare for school.
Azrael was even more confused. This teacher of his was a complex one. 'Why is she so afraid of showing emotions or care?' He wondered as he watched her leave.
His heart was beating rapidly again. He didn't know what that meant. Her scent lingered on in his mind. 'What is going on with me?' He thought.
He dashed into the bathroom and took his bath shortly, and dressed up a while later before coming out to meet breakfast served. 'When did she have the time to prepare all these? Does she even sleep?' He wondered as the sight of white rice grains and chicken stew appeared before him on the table.
He sat down with it and ate with joy and delight.
Alex Bayly on the other hand rushed into her room. This is the first time she felt a tinge in her heart. It was like something made her capable of feeling something for the first time in a long time.
She has never been able to see anyone in that light. The only problem is that this person was her student, which was levels upon levels of inappropriate, to say the least.
Her heart had started to truly feel something ever since she met this boy, since then, she had been battling to hide a new wave of feelings that was rising in her heart.
It was like being thirsty and seeing water yet unable to drink that water because of some laws governing the water, apart from those from the community, there were also personal laws.
Alex sighed as she meditated over her love life. 'I hate every single man that comes around, they all irritate me, and the one I finally found that makes my heart skip a beat is a teenager, what a cruel world. I guess I'm destined to be single after all'
She was busy looking morose when her alarm beeped. "Shit, it's 7:45"
She rushed out dressed in a black overall, a plain long blouse that exposed all her curves in the right way, making her appear like a seductive symbol while her brunette hair enhances her extremely beautiful face.
Her eyes and that of Azrael met for a minute and both couldn't speak. Azrael was lost in her beauty while she was battling her feelings for him.
"Hmmm....let's get going" Alex Bayly broke the awkward silence as she walked straight to the table. She grabs a flask and places her food in the food flask, and then she places the food flask, tissues, and bottled water in a basket and heads towards the door.
Azrael Herrington also gets up with his backpack fully packed and follows her outside.
Azrael got out of the door and waits behind Alex while she locks the door and the pair head towards the garage where they both get into the red Honda from either side of the car.
As they sat, Alex looked at Azrael and speaks, "You can keep your backpack at home and stay with me till your aunt returns..."
Azrael was stunned, his teacher just asked him to stay as long as he liked. He wanted to retort but she put on a serious expression as she kickstarts the ignition, reverses out of the garage, and zooms off to school.