NOT HUMAN

Chapter 4 - Tension

Jax had commented on Zane and he didn't take it too well.

"Shut up you dumb-ass!" Zane threw a punch that didn't hit. Blade had intervened, catching his fist before it could land on Jax.

"Fighting this early in the day? Save it for training. Don't forget we are on the same team." Blade says, in a deadly calm voice.

"Sorry, sir, won't happen again." Jax lowered his head and eyes.

"Better not." He adds. "We will be going out soon. So, do whatever you need before we go. Finish eating breakfast if you haven't and use the restroom. There won't be anywhere I'm taking you." He smiles evilly, then turns and stops at the doorway. "Oh, and Jax bring your guns."

"What happened?" Cherry looks at Andy, and she shrugs.

"I think Zane tried punching Jax," Lily said.

"Oh, yeah, they don't seem too fond of each other," Cherry stares at Jax who is packing guns, and ammo. "I mean, though, have you seen Jax? How could you not like him?" She blushed.

"Well, he's friendly enough. I don't know him though." Angelica's eyes linger on Zane. He's gazing out the window, lost in thought. He's thinking how could Jax ruin such a beautiful morning with his big mouth? He hates him. The past tries to protrude his mind but he shuts it out. No time for these thoughts.

"Lily, will you come to see me in my office?" Blade smiles. Everyone turns an eye at Lily curiously. What could they all be thinking of? Lily's nerves show on her awkward smile and sweaty palms tucked away in her jean shorts.

"No problem, sir." She moves a string of hair out of her eyes and finishes her coffee, setting the mug down on the coffee table in the large living room. Everyone was seated down in it, just hanging around. But Jax left to retrieve the other guns stashed away someplace else.

"I wonder why Blade wants to see Lily in his 'office alone.'" Andy makes sure to put a quotation on the part about being alone in his office. Nixon walks into the living room. He looks groggy, and his hair is in disarray. He is holding a cup of coffee in one hand the other holds a heavy boring-looking textbook. He plops down on a cushion by Andy who is munching on chips she found in the kitchen.

"I wonder too," Cherry says looking at a hand mirror she pulled out of the pink purse she carries around everywhere with her.

"Where have you been, smartypants?"Andy looks over her shoulder at Nixon.

"I had a long night. Don't tend to sleep well in other people's homes. I prefer mine." He says, glumly, gulping down more coffee.

"That sucks. I slept like a log."

"Good for you."

"So, what is that boring ole book, college work?"

"No, just studying for fun." He smiled for the first time.

"For fun. What the" Andy was at a loss for words. She hated studying. She wasn't a straight-A student, however, she still got Bs to pass her grades and get through high school, and now she is studying for college. But studying for fun wasn't something she'd do. "You're a weird one, alright." She finally said.

"I'm not weird." He looked up from his textbook. "You are the weird one."

"Yeah, and why is that?''

"Er, you just are. Aren't we all?" He smiled nervously.

"That's pretty true. But why are you getting all red again?" She laughed hard, bumping his shoulder, and setting her chips down.

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