The Secret of Xavier

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

       "Dad," Xavier said close to my ear, causing me to wake up. "Dad. Daddy. Dad. Wake up. Up. Wake! Up!"

       I sighed and opened my eyes before looking at Xavier, who was kneeling on my bed beside me. "I'm up." I then yawned and rubbed my eyes with one hand while I reached for my phone in the other.

       Six-thirty.

       It was six-thirty in the morning.

       I groaned before laying back down. "Why did you have to wake me up?" I asked. I didn't even have to wake up for another hour before getting ready to go to school.

       "I hungry," Xavier said. "Cereal?"

       I sighed and closed my eyes only for a few seconds before Xavier started jumping on the bed. "Wake up, Daddy!"

       "Xavier, stop, I am awake," I said before sitting up and opening my eyes once again. "Alright, come on, I'll get you some cereal."

       I got off of my bed and he insisted on having a piggy-back ride, so I carried him that way downstairs. I sat him at the table in the kitchen and poured him a small bowl of cereal, adding the milk and grabbing a spoon from the drawer before sitting it in front of him.

       I then got myself a bowl of cereal, but I ended up resting my head on my table and falling asleep because the next thing I knew, Mom was shaking me awake and Xavier was no longer sitting beside me.

       "I found Xavier coloring on the walls in the office," Mom said.

       I sighed. "Sorry."

      "Uh, you don't have to apologize to me, Hudson," Mom said. "I just thought I'd let you know. Don't worry, though, it was with pencil so it will easily come off. What time were you down here?"

       "Six-thirty," I said. "What time is it now?"

       "About seven-twenty," Mom said as she began making herself a cup of coffee. "Will some coffee help?"

       "Yes, please," I said. "Being a parent is hard."

       "Yeah, I know," Mom said. "I am a parent."

       "Okay, let me correct that," I said. "Being a teen parent is hard. Especially a single teen parent."

       "I know," Mom said again. "Well, I don't exactly know how hard it is, but I can only imagine. I am really proud of you, though. While it does suck that Xavier doesn't see his mom, you're doing all you can do to love him for the both of you, and you immediately took your responsibility."

      "Well, I did help make him," I said. "And I love him a lot, despite how annoying he is when he wakes me up early."

       Since Mom was awake now, she told me she would keep an eye on Xavier while I got ready for school. When I was ready to leave, Xavier ran over to me and gave me a hug. "Goodbye, Daddy!" 

       I bent down and hugged him back. "Bye, Xavier. I'll see you after school." I kissed his cheek before standing up straight and leaving the house. 

       I got into my car and drove to the school, getting there just in time for the first bell to ring. Thankfully, I already had the stuff I would need for my first class, English.

       I got out of my car and locked it before heading to the English classroom and sitting at the seat in the very back of the class --right in the corner. It was my favorite seat and whenever I was on time, I went straight for it.