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Squinting my eyes, I jerk my head back. “Since like five months ago, where have you been?” Everyone knew they started delivering. Niko's has the best burger around campus. They almost give In N Out a run for their money.
“Well, I haven't been around much.” He stalks off to the kitchen that’s tucked behind the wall that the T.V. hangs on. “Want something to drink?”
He’s touchy on being back. “Sure, whatever you got.”
I hear the fridge open and the sounds of him moving things around.
“Sweat pants, hair tied, chillin' with no make-up on, that's when you're the prettiest, I hope that you don't take it wrong.” I hear him rap.
Tilting my head, I try to hear what else he’s saying. “What was that?” A small smile pulls at my lips.
“What was what?” He comes back with two Gatorades. “Blue or White?”
“White, that’s the best one.” I catch it when he tosses it to me. “You said something in the kitchen, something that sounded oddly similar to a Drake line.”
Cuba just shrugs and sits on the other end of the couch, sliding out his laptop from underneath the couch and setting it on the coffee table. “So where do you want to start?” He just totally ignored me.
I try not to look at him, because every time I do, it's hard to look away, and I don’t need him to get any cockier. So instead, I go to Niko's webpage to start an online order. “What do you want to eat?”
“Whatever you get, just no onions.” I feel him shift and a credit card drops next to my hand. “Get some cheese fries too, with extra ranch.”
Picking up the card I look over to him and my breath hitches, he's looking at me, no smile on his face, but there's a kind of sadness to his eyes, the same way there was a touch of sadness to his order. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but before I could open my mouth, he looks away and pulls out his book from his book bag that I didn't see sitting next to him.
After ordering our food, I hand his card back to him and he slides it into his wallet. “It will be here in like twenty minutes.”
He just nods, and I take out my book and laptop setting it next to his. As much as his couch is comfy, I slide to the floor and cross my legs, I need to be eye level with my screen and bending over is killing my sore body.
Cuba doesn’t comment but his eyes flick to me and back to his screen. It feels like the air shifts so quickly with him. One moment he seems normal, like he’s trying but another breath later he shuts down and is back to being indifferent. I remind myself that inviting me into his home is a big deal, he’s trying, and I can’t expect more.
“So, his dad was an asshole and his mom was some snake talking bitch, I feel bad for the guy,” Cuba says out of nowhere.
It takes me moment to process what he was even talking about when I look up and his hazel eyes lock on mine, his lips pulling into a crooked grin. See, the air shifts again and he’s someone different, hot and cold, but I’ll take it.
I blink, breaking the stare. “Um, yeah. It was said Olympias, his mom, was impregnated by Zeus and said that Alexander was half god.” I shrug, “Everyone thought she was crazy, but then again, Zeus slept with his sisters Hera and Hestia, so who knows, it could have happened.”
Cuba jerks his head back and looks at me like I’m crazy. “How do you know this? That’s some sick incest shit right there.”
I purse my lips, to keep from laughing. “Well, you can’t help who you fall in love with,” I say biting my lip. “It’s crazy because Hera didn’t want to marry Zeus. He tricked her since he was in love with her, and she refused his proposal. So, he played on her love for animals and turned himself into a bird, a hurt bird, so that she would take him in and care for him. When that happened, he turned back to himself and took advantage of her.” Cuba leans forward interested. “Well, Hera was so ashamed she was tricked, that she agreed to marry him. Zeus loved her, but he would often sneak off to earth and have affairs with humans, so I wouldn’t doubt that he is the father of Alexander.”
He stares at me, and I can’t help being trapped in his gaze. There’s something about him that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it makes me feel like I need to know him, more than what he’s willing to give. What is wrong with me?
“You’re going to be a great teacher, Arrow,” he says sincerely.
Heat spreads up my cheeks, and I smile, looking away from him. “Stop, it’s nothing.” The doorbell sounds before I can say anything else. Cuba shoots to his feet.
“That’s probably the food.”
The air has changed again.
