9. FREINDSHIP

Xavier’s patience was wearing thin as he trudged through the day with Angelina, who, despite his evident discomfort, chattered incessantly about her likes and dislikes, peppering him with questions about his own preferences. He attempted to express his desire for solitude, especially after being left alone by his friend Leo, but Angelina was relentlessly stubborn. “You don’t have your crazy friend with you, so I’m giving you company. What’s wrong with that?” she insisted with a dismissive wave.

Their day meandered through mundane routines until Angelina suggested, “Let’s play 20 Questions,” her voice bubbling with false enthusiasm as she munched on fries. Xavier felt a pang of frustration rising in his chest. His head was pounding from the incessant prattle. “But I don’t want to play,” he replied, trying to sound polite but failing as his irritation seeped through.

“Trust me, it will be fun,” she persisted, unperturbed. He relented with a sigh, resigned to the idea of a game he didn’t want to play. As he munched on his fries, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was caught in a never-ending cycle of Angelina’s stubbornness.

Xavier’s first question was a probing one. “Why do you cry so much?” he asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. Amgelina’s reaction was almost instinctive, her gaze drifting down to the table as a shadow crossed her face. “I don’t cry much; it’s just that my heart is a little soft. Nobody ever talked to me in a rude way or hurt me,” she answered, her voice trailing off as she looked away.

Questions after questions made him bore but he relentlessly answered. Her next question made him freeze.

"Tell me something about your family."

Angelina’s heart ached as he glimpsed the vulnerability beneath her tough exterior. She delved into his mind, her own thoughts a whirlwind of empathy as she uncovered the pain of his childhood, abandoned by his mother and neglected by his father. “I only have my granny and Leo. They’re my family,” Xavier said quietly, revealing his pared-down support system. Angelina placed a gentle hand on his, rubbing it softly with her thumb.

“Don’t worry, you’ve got me now. Include me in your family; I’m sticking with you till the end,” she promised, though her words were tinged with a bittersweet knowledge that their paths might soon diverge. The sincerity in Xavier’s smile, rare and unguarded, took her breath away.

Xavier continued with the game, trying to lighten the mood. “What’s your favorite color?” he asked. “Yellow,” Angelina replied. “Why? Doesn’t the saying go like ‘yellow, dirty fellow’?” Xavier teased.

“One question at a time,” she snapped, a hint of frustration slipping through.

“Okay, okay,” he said, a mischievous grin on his face.

As the game continued, Xavier revealed his disdain for friendships. “Friends suck. They lie, backbite, betray. I haven’t found anyone loyal,” he said, his voice heavy with disillusionment. Angelina’s eyes softened. “What do you like more, dancing or singing?” she asked, a hopeful note in her voice.

“I love singing. Let me sing for you,” she began, but was quickly cut off by Xavier.

"CAUSE YOU WERE ROMOE AND I WAS THROWING PEBBLES. MY DADDY SAID, STAY AWAY FROM JULIET."

“Stop, stop! If you keep singing, all the birds will be flocking around, but not in a pleasant way. They’ll probably peck you for sounding like a dying rat,” he mocked, a smirk on his face.

Angelina pouted. “But I thought I sounded good.”

“You know, to sound good, you need to improve your vocals and sing with rhythm,” Xavier said, his tone softer now. “Do you know a lot about music?” she asked, intrigued.

“It’s just a habit,” he replied nonchalantly.

The bell rang, and their interaction was abruptly cut short as their teacher summoned them. “Angelina, your grades in literature have been poor, while Xavier excels in it. I want you both to help each other, be each other’s tutors. You’re both capable of doing well, and this arrangement will benefit you both,” the teacher instructed.

“Is that okay with you both?” she asked kindly. They both muttered a reluctant agreement. “Yes,” they said in unison.

As they left the classroom, Xavier grumbled under his breath. “Geez! How am I supposed to tolerate her for more than two minutes?” His frustration was palpable, and he rubbed his temples, a nervous habit.

Angelina, catching his frustration, thought to herself, He managed to tolerate me for a whole day. She was about to tease him when he snapped, “Shut up,” causing her to retreat into her own thoughts.

“I didn’t say anything,” she protested, confused by his sudden anger. Xavier stormed away, leaving Angelina fuming. “I just want to pull his hair out,” she muttered through gritted teeth.

As Xavier sat in his car, ready to drive home, Angelina slid into the passenger seat. “What are you doing here?” he asked, trying to keep his frustration in check.

“It’s okay, I know you’re probably angry. My car broke down, and I don’t trust anyone here,” she explained calmly, her soft smile doing little to ease his irritation.

“Hmm. That’s a valid reason,” he conceded.

“Let me put my address in GPS,” she said, buckling her seatbelt. “Okay, Xavier, I know you’re tired, but this will help. Relax your body, keep your spine straight. Take deep breaths, inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Do it until you feel a bit better.” She guided him through the breathing exercise. He closed his eyes, following her instructions.

“Now stretch your neck,” she directed. He obeyed, feeling the tension in his muscles ease. “Wow, I feel better,” he admitted.

“Cool, let’s go,” she said, her cheerful tone returning.

As they drove, Angelina suddenly shouted, “Wait!” causing Xavier to slam on the brakes. “What now?” he snapped, irritation evident in his voice.

“I’m hungry. There’s my favorite food stall,” she said, giving him puppy eyes.

Xavier raised an eyebrow. “Won’t your family be wondering where you are?”

“How do you do that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. “Never mind,” she said, ignoring his question and practicing raising her eyebrows.

Xavier chuckled at her attempts. “Come on, let’s go.” He started walking towards the stall, with Angelina chasing after him.

“What do you want?” he asked, tapping his fingers on the table.

“Being a gentleman now, huh?” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows. “Pepperoni pizza,” she requested.

He returned with her pizza, and they ate in companionable silence. The soft breeze seemed to appreciate their efforts as they enjoyed their meal.

“Will you... be my friend?” Angelina asked hesitantly.

“Why?” Xavier raised an eyebrow.

“You’re going to tutor me, and vice versa. We need to have a good understanding so we don’t end up fighting all the time. And honestly, I don’t want you to be constantly scolding me,” she said, her voice trailing off as she blushed slightly.

Xavier’s eyes widened in surprise. “Fine, I’ll be your friend,” he said, though a hint of irritation lingered in his tone.

“Thank you,” she said, her face lighting up.

They crossed the road, Xavier taking her wrist to help her navigate through traffic. A strange warmth spread through him as he held her wrist, her warmth seeping into his cold hand. He shuddered at the unfamiliar sensation, a tingle that left him both unsettled and intrigued.

As they walked together, the line between frustration and friendship began to blur, leaving them both to ponder the uncertain but promising future that lay ahead.