Monday they met with Mr. Edgerton to report their progress. Everything was to his satisfaction. Why wouldn’t it, Hazel did at least 80% of what was required. Though Marlon could’ve done it by himself but he was too lazy, or too entitled to do so, Hazel hadn’t figure out which one.
“I’m very pleased to see you’ve done all your assignments with excellent results, Mr. Reynolds,” Mr. Edgerton lowered his gaze to the papers in front of him.
Marlon shrugged lazily on his seat, “I did my best.”
Hazel rolled her eyes in her mind.
“With the help of Hazel of course … she’s been a very good tutor,” Marlon added.
“Yes, I can see that … so, you two get along fine I assume?” Mr. Edgerton looked at Hazel.
She inhaled sharply, “Yeah … all good.” She took a glanced at Marlon who was watching her as she responded to that question.
“Good …” he put down the papers on the desk in front of him. “This is just the preliminary assessment as I said before, I’d like you to continue this coordination at least until the end of the school year because as a new student, Mr. Reynolds still need to meet other requirements that other students had already done last year.”
Hazel looked at Mr. Edgerton helplessly. She tried to wiggle her way out of it before to no avail. End of school year was not far ahead, but it seems like a lifetime because that’s when Lee was leaving.
“I’d like to communicate this progress with your parents Mr. Reynolds, but I can’t seem to reach them,” he chuckled, “I know how busy they must be, but do let them know that their acknowledgment is also required.”
Marlon looked down, he cleared his throat, “Yeah … I’ll tell them.”
“By the end of this week, I hope?” Mr. Edgerton waited for Marlon’s response.
“Yeah … okay … I’ll tell them to come here.”
“Either one of them would be fine, both if possible is even better,” Mr. Edgerton smiled. “Now, if there’s nothing else, I will let you continue with your study session, Miss Williams … I’m sure you have all the list for this week’s assignments?”
“Yes,” she held out the list on her hand, “Right here.”
“I will add 50 points on your merit for well accomplished tasks, Miss Williams, and be sure to keep up the good work, this will look very good on your portfolio,” he added.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“That went well?” Marlon commented once they were out of Mr. Edgerton’s office.
“Yeah, good for you,” she said.
Marlon sensed her annoyance but he couldn’t figure out why. “For you too … you got your merit points.” He started to worry when she didn’t respond. “Is there something wrong?”
“Nothing,” she didn’t really want to talk about it with him. But then she changed her mind, “Actually … there’s something I need to straightened out with you.” She stopped walking and looked at him in the eyes, “I know you think it’s funny or silly or whatever … but I would appreciate it if you stop referring me as ‘baby’ … especially in front of Lee.”
He was taken aback with how firm she was, but then he smiled widely in amusement, “Wow … okay … I didn’t know it was such a big deal.”
They continued walking.
“Well it is … he gave me an earful on Saturday night, I mean, how would you feel if some guy call your girlfriend ‘baby’ in front of you?”
He shrugged, “I wouldn’t know … I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Bullshit … we both know that’s not true,” she sounded angry.
He laughed, “It’s true … I don’t know why you don’t believe me … I dated, yeah, but no girlfriends … plural … as you elegantly put it.”
“Dated as in casually having sex with? But not as your girlfriend?” she emphasized.
He laughed again, “What? Is this an interrogation? What does my sex life has anything to do with it … so, you had a big fight with your boyfriend because of me?”
She turned to look at him and the glee on his face disturbed her, “I can’t believe you’re smiling about it, some people actually work hard to keep a relationship, you know? We don’t do casual sex like you people do.”
“My people? What is that suppose to mean? But you have sex afterwards, right? Make-up sex? That’s something I should try, I should have a girlfriend to do that though.”
“Marlon!” she slapped him on the shoulder, “I’m being serious … I can’t afford to fight with him because of your silly comments.”
“Ouch,” he rubbed his shoulder, “That hurts.”
“I’m sorry,” she was startled by how hard she had slapped him, she rubbed his shoulder and felt really guilty.
“I didn’t realize he’s the jealous type, I’m sorry you had troubles because of me,” he apologized tried to mask how flattered he was.
“It’s not you … I don’t think … it’s just that …” she sighed, she didn’t want to start talking about her relationship with Marlon. “Just help me out, okay? I need him to feel good about us doing this thing everyday.”
“Okay,” he nodded, “I tell you what … since you’ve helped me with all my studies, I’ll help you out with your boyfriend … I’ll tell him anything you want me to say to him … I’ll lie to him for you.”
She furrowed her brows, “Why would you have to lie to him? I don’t lie to my boyfriend, I’m very truthful about everything, I have nothing to hide.”
He smiled, “Sure.”
She sensed the sarcasm in his tone but she didn’t want to prolong the conversation. “Alright, we have a book report to do … it’ll take awhile, and then I have to go back to Lee’s house.”
“Okay, can we go to my place today?” Marlon proposed. “I can’t stand another minute in that lab … please … I’ll take you to Lee’s house afterwards.”
She thought about it for a moment, she had pushed this for so long and it looks like she cannot stall it anymore. “Where do you live?” she realized she didn’t even know.
“About 15 minutes from your area … Lexington Hills … I won’t tell Lee if you don’t want him to know we’re studying at my place,” he smirked.
She looked at him wrinkling her nose, “It’s fine … he’ll be fine about it.”
“Are you sure?”
No, she’s not sure, but they didn’t have much choice. The lab was getting too claustrophobic for her too and Lexington Hills is not such a bad area to spend the afternoon studying. It’s actually the best area in town, if anyone she knows lives there, it would be Marlon and his family.