Lessons From Throne

Chapter Thirteen

LUNCH

I walked in with Sev to the lunch room after math, stress painting my features. We sat at the table with Ronnie and Shay, but by the way Sev couldn't stop moving, I could tell she didn't want to stay.

"Lux, why are we here," she finally asked me. I sighed as my eyes ran over my math homework. This semester was making no sense to me. And it aggravated me, I've never had trouble with math. "I'm debating whether or not to go ask for help on the homework or just go home and Photomath it all," I say quickly. Shay snatched my paper and put it in between her and Ronnie. My bottom lip came between my teeth as I tried not to snatch my paper back and tell her about touching my shit. I wasn't in a good mood.

"Yeah I don't get it either, but you know that he doesn't stay for lunch right," she said as Ronnie agreed with her. I took it back as politely as I could, as Sev turned to me. "You know, Mr. Stewart said he's really good at math," she said while biting at a straw. I watched as her teeth bent the straw into different shapes as her tongue moved the straw different directions. "He even helped a boy in Ms. Henderson's class, and they always get the same page the day before us," she winked. Why would she direct me to an English teacher for math homework, I'd rather go to my old chemistry teacher.

"But of course, you wouldn't know that, it was way after you barged out of his class, leaving me alone," she snickered.

"You left! In the middle of class," Shay exclaimed. "He hates no shows, I bet you aren't his favorite anymore," she said happy with herself. Favorite? "Huh," I said, my voice cracking. Ronnie finally chimed in; something was wrong with him. "Shay told me that when a student asked him if he had favorites, he said his only favorite was in his first hour, who could that possibly be," he laughed.

"BUT you ditched so you probably aren't his favorite anymore," Shay butted in again. "That doesn't make you anymore his favorite, and I'm sure he was just messing with you all," I finalized.

"Ronnie, I think my dad is home, you're coming over for dinner," I said. His eyes widened and he smiled. "I haven't had your mother's food in forever. Fuck, I love you Lux," his smile only got wider. He hasn't been over since the end of last school year, and something was definitely wrong with him.

I stood up and rolled my eyes, going to my last option. I hated not understanding math, I wanted to overstand it. "I'm going to Mr. Stewart's, Sev you can go home," I shrugged. "I drove you here though," she seemed confused. "I want to walk, or maybe I can get done in time to catch a bus, I like that. But I know you don't want to be here any longer than you have to and I want to be alone," I explained, slinging my backpack over my shoulders and hightailing it out of the cafeteria.

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I took in a deep breath and opened the surprisingly unlocked door. There he stood over a desk, looking over papers. He quickly turned around in his black slacks, ironed to perfection, his red shirt, unbuttoned down two and the shiniest shoes I've seen. His hair always fresh as the curls sat on top of his head, his fade still looking very new. He took in my appearance too at my sudden arrival. "First period ended a while ago, I don't know how long of a bathroom break you expect to t-," I cut him off and took steps forward.

"You perked up since this morning, jelly belly," I said trying to lighten the mood. It was his fault he was jealous and I could easily be mad but the anger of my math homework overtook everything, and that wasn't his fault.

"You needed something," he said. I nodded as we walked over to his desk. He sat in the chair and I parked myself on the edge of his desk. I could see him grow uncomfortable, in the good kind of way as he relaxed in his chair more. His hands grew tense as ever as he looked up at me. "I heard you're good at math," I mentioned. He nodded and held out a hand quickly. I shifted to my left hip to grab the folded paper in my back right pocket. He took it as soon as it barely got out of the pocket and I got off the desk to sit at my chair.