Just Chilling

Zayd got out of the shower feeling refreshed. Muscles that were aching had stopped doing so from the cold water that poured down his body.

Hastily drying himself and putting on some fresh and comfy clothes, Zayd headed downstairs. Aunt Naomi smiled seeing him.

"Come help set the table, good sire!" She commanded.

"Yes, m'lady." He replied.

Shortly after placing down the plates, glasses, and cutlery, Aunt Naomi spoke.

"Okay, the food is ready to be served!" As she strutted over with the food, Zayd could smell an aroma emanating that made his salivary glands go into overdrive.

"What did you make?" Zayd inquired.

"It's the one! The only! Drum roll, please!" Aunt Naomi exclaimed as she made a gesture with her hands that told Zayd all he needed to know.

"Your favourite food! Spaghetti! Bolognese!" She said in English with a heavy accent as she attempted to make herself sound Italian in an attempt at humour. However, to Zayd, she seemed cute instead of funny.

Again, Zayd was smiling happily as that warm feeling came back. He walked to Aunt Naomi's side, and after she placed the food down, Zayd hugged her as tightly as he could. Although surprised, she nonetheless returned the hug just as tight.

"Aunt Naomi, you don't know how much I appreciate being able to have you in my life. I love you so much. You always make me so happy."

"Aww, I love you too."

Zayd moved his head from next to Aunt Naomi's head and instead made eye contact smiling widely.

They stood holding one another until Zayd's stomach grumbled loudly.

They parted from one another. Aunt Naomi giggled from Zayd's stomach wanting its gluttonous roars heard.

"Alright, we need to eat quickly, or the food is going to get cold!" Aunt Naomi said in realisation.

---

As it was Friday night, Zayd and Aunt Naomi sat on their spots on the couch.

Over the years, Zayd and Aunt Naomi had developed a routine for Friday nights. A terrible movie and hot chocolate.

Aunt Naomi stretched her legs as they lay on Zayd's lap.

"How has work been?" Zayd said.

"Ugh, stressful. A coworker wasn't in this week, and I've had to cover for them every day. My work doubled with no warning, which was so annoying. Then, adding onto that, when you came home looking terrible the other day. Along with everything else, it just..."

"Sorry for causing you trouble. Do you feel any stiffness? You know better than I do that you don't deal with stress too well."

"Yeah, I know. Now that you mention it, my neck feels quite stiff." Saying so, Aunt Naomi's head and legs swapped positions and then she lifted her torso, so her back was facing now Zayd.

The reason they played a movie was to have it in the background, white noise. In reality, it was so that Zayd and Aunt Naomi could spend time together without it forced.

Zayd put his fingers on Aunt Naomi's bare shoulders after lifting the sleeves on her T-shirt. Gently yet thoroughly, his fingers sank into her fair, supple skin.

"So Zayd, how's school? Any homework?" Hearing his Aunt's words but not focusing on them, Zayd replied.

"It's alright, but I have to catch up on almost a whole week of lessons." Not focusing on her questions as he focused on finding and getting rid of any knots in his Aunt, he gave himself away.

"A week's worth?! Oh yeah, you didn't go to school. Ah! Ow! I forgot. Well, so long as you work hard, you'll- ah, right there!" His Aunt was interrupted by Zayd finding a knot. His fingers deftly applied pressure by pressing hard over the area. She sighed with relief as she felt her stress dissipate bit by bit. With Zayd's touch, the invisible unpleasantness dissolved.

'I'm going stop you right there, Aunt Naomi, because I'm pretty sure I'm the laziest person you know.'

"Oh, Aunt Naomi, what would you ever do without me? I'm going to massage your back now. Lay down, please." Zayd said, trying to bring her away from the topic that was at hand a moment ago.

Obeying his request obediently, Aunt Naomi reclined after Zayd moved out of the way by standing up.

"Wait, Zayd, move out of the way. I can't see the movie. Just go behind me and do it." Aunt Naomi said as Zayd attempted to begin on her back.

"No way have you been watching the movie. I don't believe it. Besides, how am I going to massage you?"

"Yeah? You better believe it! Right now, the two characters on the screen have been living next door to one another. Yet, they never met before now. If you like I could give you time references to prove myself. Booyah! Zayd, just put your knees on either side of my legs and hold yourself up."

"If you say so."

---

Looking at his desk, which had all of his work set out, Zayd felt demotivated. When it came to school, he had been lucky enough that he could always get by without studying until before the exams.

Currently, every subject had a few topics they revised over. Thankfully most of it was simple to Zayd. However, he had so much homework as the teachers liked that they knew the students had done some work.

Mentally, he kept ignoring the topic of the homework, and his thoughts went back to boxing.

In boredom, he scoured the internet for anything related to boxing. Of course, he knew about the one who was called the greatest boxer of all time. The one who said to 'float like a butterfly and sting like a bee'.

From his searches, videos popped up, and Zayd felt time slip by.

At one point, he watched a compilation of a fighter's undefeated streak. As he watched the videos, he saw short clips of techniques.

'I see now. The fighter uses a Left Hook, which damages the opponent. However, it's not an ignorable amount of damage. He makes the opponent worry about a left hook to the body and switches to the face. Both hurt badly. When he throws it again, the opponent gets confused and has to guess where it's going to go. They get hit and set up a knockout punch over many rounds!'

As Zayd thought about it, a ding sound from his phone woke him from his reverie.