East Chapel Academy

Chapter 17- Nia

    "Nia, do you have to go?"

    E.J pouted. He had his arms wrapped around my legs. He had let me pull his hair back, so now he had a cute little ponytail. It took some convincing, but he finally let me put his hair up. He wasn't sure about it at first but now he's obsessed with it. And so is Ellen.

    "Oh my God! You look so handsome, E.J.," she squealed when we came in the kitchen after we were done bouncing on the trampoline.

    Ellen placed a kiss on E.J.'s forehead. "I can finally see your forehead. And your beautiful eyes. Did you do this yourself?"

    "No, Mama, Nia put it up for me."

    "How did you convince him to let you put his hair up?" she asked, genuinely curious. "He threw a fit when I tried to put a headband on him."

    "Well, he didn't want to do it at first, but after a few minutes of it falling into his eyes he finally let me," I explained.

    "Are you staying for dinner, Nia," Rosa asked from next to the stove.

    "No, I'm not," I said regretfully. I wish I could, but I already promised Lavender I would come.

    "She's going to Lavender's house," Marcus said from behind me. His hair was mused from our time on the trampoline. With his slight facial hair and his messy hair; he looked incredibly sexy.

    "No," E.J. cried. "I want you to stay. Please, stay."

Now Marcus and I stood by the door, and E.J. had a vice grip on my legs. "Yes, I do have to go, I have to go visit my other friend. But I'll come back soon."

    "Tomorrow?" he asked perking up.

    "Not tomorrow, E.J," Marcus told him. He asked me, "Another time, right?"

    I nodded. "I'll come back another day, I promise."

    Marcus pried E.J. from my legs, pulling him into his arms. "You hear that E.J. she's going to come back and visit." He poked E.J's stomach playfully.

    "Okay," he pouted. But suddenly he got a mischievous smile on his face. "Nia, can I tell you a secret?"

    Marcus looked just as confused as I did. "Uh, okay."

    I got a little bit closer expecting him to whisper something in my ear, but instead E.J. gave me a peck on the cheek.

    "Oh," I laughed, shocked. "You tricked me." I tickled him.

He giggled sweetly. "I did! Were you surprised?"

"Yes. Now can I tell you a secret?" He nodded vigorously. Leaning forward, gave him a kiss on the cheek. His face turned a bright pink.

"There now I've shared a secret with you and you've shared a secret with me," I said as I stepped back.

"I'll see you at school on Monday, Nia," he said holding a blushing E.J. I wouldn't mind telling him a secret or two.

    "Bye, Nia," E.J. smiled.

    I waved at them before sliding into my car. E.J. laid his head on Marcus's shoulder as they waved at me from the doorway.

    The drive to Lavender's took all of two minutes. The long hanging willow trees branches brushed the sides of my grandmother's car. It was like driving into a jungle. There were plants everywhere, even on the house. Most of Lavender's house was made of a frosted green glass. Wow, she wasn't joking when she said she lived in an oversized greenhouse.