Hospitality

Sam was walking to school heavily annoyed, he had been having a lot of fun with Erika but she started ignoring him. He sent her various threats and videos of their encounters but she hadn't even opened the messages. He was grumbling to himself as he reached honors English class, when he got there he saw his friend Francis. He had a grin as he approached him, he had been with his childhood friend while he was stuck working all summer. Francis was his only friend in class, he was the only one who could really stand his arrogant attitude. Outside of the honors class he rarely spoke to other people out of fear of getting picked on by the thugs and the cut throats. His father came from nothing, as a self made man and successful surgeon. He wanted his son to experience what a rough school was like, and to grow in character. Sam was among the richest in class, and had decent grades. Most honors students had white collar families. Francis was the outcast and the only poor student in class. The other students heard rumors of him being violent but they didn't know that he was usually only violent in defense of himself or others. There was one other person that kept their eyes on him, but Francis wasn't aware of them.

"Yo Francis! How was the summer job?" Sam sat down next to him but was somewhat surprised he didn't answer back. He reached out to move his shoulder when his cold voice was heard loud and clear for the whole class. "Do NOT fucking touch me you fat bastard. I suggest you go across the class if you don't want me to beat your face in." Sam was stunned, he wondered if Erika told him what he had done and started regretting sending the pictures and videos he had to her. In them you could hear him abusing her and out right insulting her. "Hey, come on now… wha" before he could finish his sentence he found himself floating and then feeling a strong sensation on his back and face. Francis had thrown an elbow and knocked him out of his chair. Sam was in pain and scared, he felt the blood dripping from his nose and upon seeing the blood, started to tremble.

At that point his teacher walked in "what the hell is going on?!" Sam looked over dumbfounded when Francis answered. "I didn't see Sam, when I turned to take out my notebook I elbowed him on accident." He then gave a cold stare to Sam with a forced smile "isn't that right … Sam" his demeanor was foreign. Sam nodded in shame and embarrassment.

"Well then Sam go to the nurse's office, pretty sure it's broken." Sam had a a noticeable dent in his nose. He scurried away and the class began to murmur about Francis.

…

Sam was humiliated and furious when he left for the nurse's office, when he reached his destination he found the middle aged gym teacher Mr. Carson hitting on the nurse. Carson was annoyed at his presence while she was relieved. When he told them he had a broken nose, Mr. Carson smirked, he looked at the chubby boy's misaligned nose. "No need to dirty your hands Jenny, I got this."

"Thanks but I really should handle the medical…" Carson interrupted "nonsense! It will be over in two seconds" Sam looked in disbelief as his rough hands grabbed his head and pinched his aching nose. He cracked it back into place and gave him some gauze and an ice pack. "No need to thank me boy now be careful you hear?" After Sam was ejected into the hallway he decided he had enough and started walking to the school gate. He was holding the gauze as a stream of blood worked it's way down the arm holding the gauze. As he walked he noticed a certain girl waiting at the bus stop. His anger reached new heights, not only had she ignored him she sent Francis after him. He walked up to her and started yelling "what the fuck is your problem! First you ghost me and now you are ruining my life?! Do you know how embarrassed I was! Hey are y…" before he could continue barking at her Erika looked up at him with puffy blood shot eyes.

She had been crying her heart out on the bus stop and the last man on earth she wanted to see appeared before her. "I… I ruined YOUR LIFE?" Sam couldn't help but gulp as a gut wrenching yell came from her now giant slumped figure. "Francis doesn't want to see me because of you… that's right this is all your fault… you TAINTED ME!" As she shrieked Sam took a step back. "I swear I will make your life a living hell if it's the last thing I do… " she clenched her fist and turned to walk away.

Sam shouted at her in a panic "what are you going to do! Wait we can work something out!?" Sam has always placed himself in situations he can control but now with everything spiraling a deranged victim of his is the last thing he needed. She turned back with new tears in her eyes as her voices cracked in despair and fury. "I don't know, but I'll know it when I see it. And I will pounce on it." She walked away and Sam sat on the bus bench, clenching his head unsure what his next move should be.

…

"Hey Mr. Morales", Francis' bland cold voice lingered in the air as he walked in his favorite chemistry teacher's room. The small, lean built man looked up and smiled when he saw Francis. "Hi there, great news! The patent from the latest shot receptacle you helped create has been approved. I have a contract from H&J, I am sure you would rather give them preference seeing that you work there part time. This is your second patent and only 17 years old… how dooo you feel?!" Mr. Morales took on the voice of a game show host near the end to match his excitement for his future. Before Francis could respond a warm melodic voice sounded out from the opposite corner of the room "honestly tio, this is why your goofy ass can't keep a serious girlfriend." Francis looked back and saw the same woman he saw that fateful night . "Oh.." she sat up straight and put her phone away in her purse, "it's you… " at this point Mr. Morales was confused but decided to be polite. "Hey Fran, this is Natalie Sanchez, my oldest brother's daughter, Natalia(he said in a Spanish accent) comportate."

She gave her uncle a glare as she walked up to Francis, "so I finally know your name huh, Fran is it?" Francis looked at her, she was still exuding sex appeal, she had a black crop top with no bra, her nipples hardened as she got closer to Francis and became apparent. She had on ripped navy blue jeans that showed her bronze supple skin. Her outfit left little to the imagination as Francis could basically make out every nook of her body. Francis looked at her in disinterest as he did everyone else.

"It doesn't matter, some call me Francis, some Fran, some Frank and one guy I know calls me Iron." Natalie looked at him and tilted her head at the last name but then smiled mischievously, "I think I'll call you Frank, since you are so direct." Francis shrugged and Mr. Morales chimed in with a thoughtful expression "hmm, not bad, I think that fits you a lot more Frank." Francis shrugged, "so what is she doing here?" He pointed behind his back with his thumb"

"Hey is that how you treat a lady?!"

"She is staying with me for the semester, I may have retired from big pharma but my brother wants me to teach his daughter since she has a talent in the sciences, she's a second year in college but taking the year off to learn from me as an internship of sorts." Dr. Morales was able to help Francis so much because he retired at 29 and became a high school teacher. He created 3 patents and made enough money to retire, so he decided to mentor the next generation. It was two years later he met Francis in his first year of High School.

"Hey Frank do me a favor and take her out to eat some early dinner, I need to swing by the old lab tonight. Natalia, don't cause Frank any trouble, he is a very talented young man and doesn't need your propensity for trouble to get him in hot water" Natalie felt crossed at his uncle's favoritism but she knew her risky behavior caused her family a few headaches in the past.

"If she's fine with it I can take her somewhere, I have some good recommendations." His voice was always so devoid of emotion, it wasn't sad or happy just simply monotone. "Great! I knew it would pay off recommending you get out early."

Francis walked out of the room and stopped by the doorway, he looked at Natalie who was fixed in place and gestured with his head for her to follow him. They walked out of the school and toward the city when Francis reached his hand out. She was taken aback and stared at his hand. "What? Has a man never escorted you? I don't have a car. The least I can do is hold your hand." Natalie had dealt with her fair share of players but his sincerity came across as new, she nervously took his hand as he matched her pace. 15 minutes later they were at a pizzeria "Little Nick's pizzeria" to be exact. A chubby black man looked up and saw his semi regular customer come in "Hey Francis, the usua… oh man looks like you brought me another customer, I appreciate the referral." Natalie looked at the man and saw his name tag says Nick.

"Are you Little Nick?" Nick looked at her and started laughing "No I am Jr. my dad was the original." After some small talk they ordered two personal pizzas and took a seat. The pizza was Neapolitan, since Francis was in need of calories for his high metabolism this was a quick way to get good calories and fresh vegetables in his system. "So is this we're you bring your girlfriend?" Francis froze when she said that and looked at her, it was the first time she got a reaction out of him and tried to push the subject. "Huh?, was I right? Would she be ok knowing you took a babe like me here? I never took you for a cheater Frank" She giggled but then saw Francis stand up. "I am NOT a cheater! I brought you to food I recommend, I wanted to be hospitable because I owe Mr. Morales a lot but I can no longer stand to stomach your presence." He looked at her with disgust as he clenched his fist. She was shocked by his sudden turn in behavior. She just sat silently as he walked out.

A few seconds later Nick put down the pizzas, "at least he already paid for them…. Geez what did you tell that man? I have known him to come by occasionally for 4 years and that is the first time I saw so much emotion out of him. Not good one's mind you." He mumbled the last sentence as he turned away and shook his head. Stunned by it all Natalie sat there for another minute before she realized he really left her there alone. She grabbed her head "agh FUCK, you had to open your big mouth huh Nat, you didn't even have time to thank him! And what will Tio think!" She beat herself up for a few minutes before she ate her pizza and used her phone to find her uncles house. She sighed as she walked there dejected.