After school, James met Sarah outside and walked with her to her favorite cafe, coffee and comfy.
They sat in the corner and Alvira walked up to them with a menu and notepad.
"Hey Sarah. I see you've brought a friend with you today," Alvira said and handed the menu to them.
"Not friend, tutor," Sarah corrected.
"Oh, a tutor who's your friend?"
"No a tutor, who's my tutor."
"Okay, okay, I get it. What would you like to have tutor friend?" She asked James and Sarah rolled her eyes.
"Just a burger with a side of fries."
"And you, tutor tutor?"
"Water."
Alvira leaned next to her and whispered, "just order anything, it's my treat."
"Nah, I'm good."
"Oh, and I'd also like a burrito, if you don't mind."
"Okay, enjoy."
"I see you eat allot, Christian boy."
"You know, I think to begin this lesson, we should get to know each others names first. I'm James, James Davison."
"For a moment there, I thought you were gonna say Bond. I'm Sarah."
"Okay, so today will just be a get to know topic. So I need to know the topics you're weak in in class."
After a while, another waitress brought the food and put them in front of them.
Sarah just drank the bottle of water, but James pushed the burger and fries towards her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, raising her left eyebrow.
"I can't eat all this alone, can I?"
"Then why did you order it?"
"Because I know you can have it."
"No thanks, I don't take food from any random person despite the fact that they're in my class."
"Well," he thought for a while, "you like music?"
"Yeah, but I don't like you."
"Exactly. See maybe you're not like me, maybe we don't agree, maybe that doesn't mean we've gotta be enemies. Maybe we just get brave, take a big leap of faith, call a truce so me and you can find a better way. Let's take some time, open our eyes, look and listen. Yeah."
"You might just find, you're more alike than you are different!" Alvira joined in the song.
"Why does kindness seem, revolutionary? When did we let hate get so ordinary. Let's take some time, flip the script, judge slow, love quick. God help us get revolutionary. Oh oh, oh oh. Revolutionary."
Soon the entire cafe was in tune with him and clapping the beat.
"I'm turning the TV down, drowning their voices out, cause I believe that you and me can find some common ground. See maybe I'm not like you, but I'll walk a mile in your shoes. If it means I might see, the world the way you do."
"Okay, it's enough! You're embarrassing me in front of everyone."
The other customers booed at her while he sat down and smiled. "Friends?"
"Only if you don't sing again."
"No promises to be made."
They continued with the session and when it ended, they started walking through the streets.
"You know, I have a question."
"What could a tutor possibly ask a tutee?"
"What happened to you?"
She stopped in her steps and looked at him.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, for you to act this way then there must be-" he tried explaining but she cut him off.
"Hold up, are you trying to tell me that there's something wrong with me?"
"No, I just-"
"Just what? This is who I am and who I choose to be. You ain't got nothing to do with it. You're my tutor, you stick to being just that."
"Look Sarah, I didn't mean to say anything to piss you off."
"Well you did! Do you think that I'm like you? Just wake up in the morning and have a whole day waiting for me? No? I wake up every morning and I don't have anything waiting for me. I don't even got anything to live for."
"Sarah, I'm sorry."
"You better be."
With that she turned around and continued walking, leaving him behind.
She continued dwelling on the thought and increased her pace as she tried to get home as soon as possible.
She got home and closed the door behind her, heading for the stairs to her room.
"Where have you been?" Her father came in from the kitchen.
"That's none of your business," she replied sternly and walked a few steps.
"What do you mean it's none of my business? My daughter's been out on the streets for two hours and you say it's none of my business?"
"Well, it would have been your business if you hadn't made alcohol your entire world."
"And what? You think you can just disrespect me like that?"
"I'm not disrespecting you! You disrespect yourself, you disrespect me! What happened? Why is it that you're sober today? Maybe it's best you focus on being drunk and keep your nose out of my business."
She ran towards her room and shut the door, burying herself in her pillow and cried.
Her dad sat down on the sofa, he looked at the five year old family photo hanging on the wall and then down at the bottles of beer on the ground.
He couldn't help but shed a tear before going back to the kitchen.
There was soon a knock on the door and he went to answer it.
He opened the door and saw a woman, probably in her fifties standing in front of him with a smile.
"Good evening, I'm your new neighbor, Mrs Fischer."
"I'm Mr Damon how can I help you?"
"I heard a few noises from your house, I just came to check if everything is okay?"
"Yeah, it's just me and my daughter, we're sorry, just having a rough day."
She looked passed him and saw the bottles before nodding and going back to her house.
He closed the door and went back to the kitchen. He opened the fridge for the umpteenth time and noticed there was still no food.
He went out and bought some food stuffs before taking out those he needed and putting the rest into the fridge.
"Try to be a good dad, Eze."
Isaiah 60:1
As rise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
YOU ARE READING
UNTIL GRACE
Short Story"What are you reading?" Harry asked taking a seat by her. "My Bible." "What story is that?" "It's not just a story, silly. It's the Word of God and all his works." "Why do you read it if He doesn't even exist?" "Is Superman's planet real?" "Yes." "...
