Amy Flemming | After the Flames

16

After breakfast which was granola with yogurt, I make the geography homework and economy homework in the library where it is quiet. Brooke sits at the table across from me. After two chapters, I let out a big sigh which makes a Brooke look up from the computer across from me. "What's the matter?" She asks me with a worried expression. "It is a lot of work." I say while my hands go through my hair before tying it into a bun. "Whoever told you that you have to make homework all in one time?" Brooke asks me. "I did. I told myself that." I admit looking a little embarrassed. "Why would you put that much weight on your shoulders to make it all in one go?" Brooke gets up and sits down in the chair beside me. "So I don't have to be stress about not finishing it in time." She looks at me with as she laughs at me. "You are one of the first ones to finish your work of our class. You pass all of the tests with one of the highest scores. You have your projects finished the day we get them." She says pointing to the screen on the computer which shows the results of the tests that were due. "Maybe I can help with your stress." She tells me as she gives me smile. "Good thing you are wearing leggings." I didn't feel like putting on denim jeans so I am wearing black leggings, a black top and a brown over-sized flannel blouse. I will be right back." She disappears without saying something which makes me anxious. Brooke comes back with two yoga mats in her arms, some scented candles and her Bluetooth speaker. She turns on the music, lights the candles and lays down the yoga mats.

She signals me to sit down on the mat. After a few minutes sitting crossed legged in silence, she makes me do some yoga poses like the seemingly named cow pose, a few minutes of planking, the extended triangle and the pigeon pose. My muscles already hurt in places I didn't even know I had muscles. We do the downward facing dog when the doors of the library opens revealing Elijah. He looks at us with a very confused expression as he sees us facing the tiles of the floor.

"What are you two doing?" He asks us. "Yoga!" We coincidentally say at the same time. "Oh that woolly stuff." Elijah replies as he looks for a book on one of the shelves. "Well, maybe it can help." Brooke says. "You can use it too you know. Maybe it will help finding inner peace." Brooke tells him which makes him rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I don't know if my body is flexible enough." Elijah reacts followed by a fake smile. I can see that he doesn't want to say anything to hurt her feelings. "Oh and suddenly I feel my arm ache." He takes a hold of his arm that was in a cast a couple weeks ago.
"Come here now." Brooke says humour and strictness audible in her voice. "My arm." He fakes a groan as he acts like he is in pain. "Yeah fine. I will not break it in the process. Now come here." Brooke takes his hand and pulls him over to the pink yoga mat on the floor.

My laugh is echoing through the big room as Elijah struggles to copy the movement that Brooke is doing on the mat beside him. After all the poses are done, he takes a deep breath and looks over at Brooke. "Well, I am surprised my trousers aren't ripped but I do think I ripped a muscle during that weird cobra pose." He says as I hand him a bottle of water. "This is more exhausting than I thought it would be." He says. "So. no insulting anymore." Brooke asks him. "I will try not to insult yoga anymore." He says earning a big smile from Brooke. "But it still is a little woolly." He mumbles. "Hey!" Brooke gives him a nudge on his arm which earns another fake groan.

"It really isn't that though. Just let yourself breath." Brooke tells me as we tidy up the yoga things and the homework from the desk. "Thank you for all of this." I say with a smile. "It was fun to think about something else instead of difficult formulas." I admit to her as I put the books in my schoolbag. "No problem!" She says with a big smile as she gives me a hug. I take all of the things over to my bedroom and clear it away deciding that I am done with homework for now. As I tidy away all the office supplies of our desk, Valerie walks into our bedroom holding two paper bags with I recognize as the signature bags which always hold the Dream Bean take away items. "I brought us something." She says followed by a squeal. She opens the bag and gets out a brown bag which holds the Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagle which I love. She got herself the Caprese Bagle. "That is so sweet. Thank you!" I say and told her about the yoga this morning. "It is a pity that I didn't get to experience Elijah doing yoga." She says before taking a huge bite after I told her about the yoga lesson Brooke gave me this morning.