Lessons Fees

Having had enough to feed his curiosity, AJ pushed his cart away without being noticed. The image of the couple arguing, though, was ingrained in his brain. It was like watching two very different people.

They were dressed in their particular fashion styles. The crooked smile guy was sporting his regular loose slacks with a button up to break schemes with an oddly big print on it; and his characteristic strap crossed over his chest, holding his leather bag. His partner was also dressed similarly to the one he was wearing the previous day; sport pants and a hoodie that was clearly several sizes bigger, a black face mask and a cap helping him hide almost all of his face.

Lost in thoughts, AJ didn't even notice the cart that stood behind him on the queue to the cashier until it hit him softly on the back. His eyes almost fell out of his socket when he turned around and saw the crooked smile and shiny round eyes.

"It was you!" the store owner paled, moving his eyes from one guy to the other. "I didn't know you shopped here."

Did they see me before?

"Hi, yes. I had to replenish my supplies." It didn't escape to him the way the shorter guy scoffed and rolled his eyes when looking at the pile of boxes in his cart before hiding behind his friend the minute he sensed AJ's gaze on him. "I'm not much of a cooker, so…"

"We are also shopping for dinner!" the other added enthusiastically.

There was no need to compare the carts to know the huge difference between them, but still AJ threw a glance towards their cart and found it filled with vegetables, meat, fruit and other things he didn't even know the name of; and among everything, the bag of meat stood out as the only animal protein in the cart.

AJ risked a glance towards the shorter guy as if wanting to congratulate him for winning, but the guy didn't even notice; his eyes were glued to the floor.

"So, you live around?"

That made wonders to dissipate the awkward silence that had made his way between them. It was weird to suffer the tension of that silence when AJ had never been one to run out of things to say. Luckily, the other guy was back to his outgoing personality and took the opportunity to summarize their life in his own version of a life trailer.

Apparently, they had moved recently into the apartment complex a few blocks the other way. It was a cheap place, an idea for young college students like them. In the blink of an eye, AJ was sucked into a conversation about places to live and the adventures the both of them had gone through before finally finding the one they were living in now.

"So, after the fifth apartment filled with rats as big as a cat, I think we were blessed with this new place."

"It's not the ideal area to look for something new. There is not much going around."

"That's true, but it had to be around here. We are closer to the Institute here."

During the entire conversation, AJ kept sneaking glances at the shorter guy in search of any suggestion that the past had been forgotten so they could have an actual interaction, but he came up empty every time. In fact, he looked even more scared and nervous as time passed by. He kept holding onto the cart with all his might, keeping his eyes down.

The empathy AJ was trying to muster for the guy was quickly being overthrown by the feeling that he was getting the blame for something he didn't do. It was starting to feel offensive the way the short guy was guarding himself from AJ, as if he had assaulted him or something.

"Hey, by the way, how much will the lessons be?" a fee for his services had never crossed his mind, and he made it clear by frowning, totally lost at the question. "Come on! It can't be free."

AJ started feeding the conveyor with his pile of boxes while considering the question, but there was really no price for what he offered. He saw it as helping a friend in need, not really something you charge for.

"I have an idea!" The eager student practically jumped while AJ paid his bill and placed his things in a couple of bags. "I'll buy you dinner on the days we have lessons. What do you think?"

He must have really sold a pathetic image with his frozen food for his new student to offer to pay for his dinner, yet the idea was not entirely out of reach. It was actually pretty good and it would be a good way to end the day.

The guy practically squealed with excitement when AJ finally accepted, shaking his hand before offering them to help with their bags, but he was strongly rejected by the shorted one that stepped between him and the groceries and started bagging everything by himself.

OK, not a team work kind of guy. Noted.

"Do you drive?" asked AJ when they were finally outside the supermarket and walking through the parking lot. "Do you want me to take you?" he offered after getting a shake of the head as an answer. The crooked smile guy was visibly excited with the idea, but as fast as his eyes filled with joy, they tone it down and his big shiny smile got replaced by a polite one.

"We're fine. Thank you," he mumbled.

Odd…

The couple turned around and started walking away, heading for the pedestrian's exit. Their interaction again shocked AJ. He could have sworn he saw the hand of the shorter one grabbed his friend's arm before the latter rejected the ride. He must have imagined things, he tried to convince himself.

Watching them walk away gave him the perfect chance to watch them dance around the thin line of ambiguity in their relationship, triggering all sorts of questions in AJ's mind. The tall guy had his arm around the other's shoulder and pressed his body against his own while placing his head over the other and placing an occasional kiss.

He had learned something new about them while watching them interact on their own, but then immediately got thrown around when the shy demeanor of the other resurfaced next to him.

Is it just with me or is he like this with everyone else?

His train of thought got interrupted by his phone. An immediate smile drew itself on his lips when he saw the name flash on his screen. "Hi, gorgeous. I was wondering when you would call."