The Paladin: Lazarus

Chapter 8

Friday

February 11th

"So the Romans had all three of those, a senate, a consulship and an assembly. Then Julius Caesar comes in, totally ruins it. Senate gets pissed off, gets all stabby stabby, and after that they had an emperor," Samantha summarized, using a few clues from the textbook.

"I mean, yeah, nailed it. Not that hard right? I'm telling you, you're going to do fine on this test, and worse comes to worse I help you do corrections. Also try this, they're selling like hot cakes at the restaurant," Diego insisted, feeding her a bite of flaky pastry.

"Oh my God. What is that?" she praised.

"Empanada. Pretty good right?"

"Amazing. What's in it?"

"Maternal love and about twenty ingredients. However, I'm sworn by family oath to protect that information until the day I die," he assured. She went for another bite and he pulled it back. "Ah! For another bite. Who was Julius successor and the first emperor of Rome?" he quizzed, pulling back the delicious dinner pastry.

"Augustus," she answered obviously.

"Double or nothing. Name the two other members of his Triumvirat?" he quickly added.

"No fair, this is a basic level history class, that's not going to be on the test," she insisted, pulling his hand closer to take a bite. He leaned and gave her a kiss. She smiled and returned it playfully.

"You guys are insufferably cute, honestly a little disgusting," Mari insisted from two seats away.

"Thanks, Mari?" Diego replied, not sure how to take it.

"Wasn't a compliment champ. Also that recipe he's sworn to protect, my mom found it on the food network. I'll show you how to make one if you're ever down at the restaurant," Mari offered.

"Don't let mom hear you. You know how she feels about sharing recipes," Diego joked.

"Please, she's going to love her. I'd be more concerned about being replaced as mom's favorite," she shrugged off, getting Samantha to blush. "So when are you gonna come down to the restaurant? I think our dad is getting suspicious about whether or not you actually exist."

"Yeah well, jokes on him, because you are very much real," Diego chuckled proudly.

"That sounds like fun," Samantha replied.

"Why don't you come by on Valentine's Day? The place is usually pretty hopping. We open up the dance floor and everything," Mari invited, getting Diego to blush right alongside Samantha.

"I don't know... We just started seeing each other..." Diego started to excuse.

"That's okay with me, I'm totally fine with holding off on meeting parents," Samantha agreed, thinking about Diego meeting Gerry. ♪Non! Rien de rien♪ Samantha glanced at her phone to see a text message from me. I got a lead on Zealot, meet me after school. She sighed, tucking into her back pocket.

"Who was that?" Diego asked.

"Nobody. Just um..." she started, weighing her options for a moment. She didn't want to leave Diego high and dry after school, after all it was the only time they got to spend alone together. But on the other hand she knew I probably needed her help. "I'm not gonna be able to make our study session today," she informed, feeling disappointed in herself.

"That's alright, we could do it Monday," he suggested.

"Valentines Day?" she replied.

"Oh shit, that's Monday," he realized, doing the mental math in his head. The lunch bell blared and all the students grabbed their bags and headed off to class. "We'll figure it out... I'll text you," he assured, shouldering his bag. Samantha nodded, heading off into the crowd of kids.