Angel on Earth

Chapter Eight: We're Not Getting It On

Monroe's POV

For every day the past week, I've ridden the bus home from school to Axel's house where I watched his siblings until he got home. We've settled into a routine―we come home, they do their homework while I make them a snack, and they do whatever they want after that. Well, they have the option to do whatever they want. Usually, one of them turns on a show before we sit on the couches and talk about everything under the sun. 

For some reason, they seem...different. Not a bad different, just...clingy. Not in a bad way, but they seem more cuddly, like they're trying to prove to themselves I'm real. I don't know what happened since that first day, but I'm not complaining. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the message under the desk so the teacher doesn't see me. 

Axel:
Hey, I'm really sorry to ask, but do you think you could stay at my house tonight? There's a big corporate thing going on and since I'm taking over, I have to attend. I'll be back really late at night or early in the morning.

I did a quick check to make sure no one was looking before sending him a reply.

You:
Yeah, it's no problem at all! I'll probably have to make a pit-stop at my house first, though.

Axel:
Cool. I'll be home anyway when the quartet gets out of school. I'll see you then.

I typed a quick 'goodbye' and shoved my phone in my pocket when the teacher looked in my direction. I released a breath of relief and looked to my left when I felt a jab to my shoulder. 

William looked at me with a raised brow before tearing a piece of paper out of his notebook and writing something on it. He looked up to make sure our teacher was still distracted before he slid it onto my desk.

??? What was that about? You only check your phone during lunch.

I made sure our teacher was still rambling on at the board before quickly writing a reply.

It was my boss. I'm going to have to stay at his house tonight. 

The bell rang right after I slid the paper to William. I left the room and didn't see his reaction. I brought my own lunch, so I skipped the line and greeted James at our table. 

"Monroe?! What the fuck, man?! We were joking about you getting a sugar daddy!! Are you pimping yourself out?!" William screeched as he slammed his bookbag down and stood next to me.

"What?! Monroe!!" James turned to me with an equal look of panic in his eyes.

"What?! I'm not pimping myself out!! Why would you think that?!" I asked with outrage and disbelief dripping from my voice.

"Because you literally wrote, 'It was my boss. I'm going to have to stay at his house tonight.' What the fuck am I supposed to think of that?!" William said as he pulled the paper out of his pocket.

I blinked before bursting out laughing. I hunched over the table and clutched my stomach when it began to cramp. I breathed in deeply through my mouth a few times to control my laughter. "Have I not told you what my job is?"

William and James both slowly shook their heads, mildly concerned about my laughing fit. 

"I babysit," I said as I wiped a stray tear from my eye, "that was my boss, who said he won't be home until early in the morning and said I needed to stay the night so I could be there if his kids need me."