Cool With A "K" PART 29 - CHAPTER 2

TWO WEEKS LATER

Jessica came into the living room to see her son sitting on the floor in front of the door, waiting patiently.

She put her hands on her hips and said, "Leo, what are you doing?"

"Waiting." Leo said, staring at the door.

Jessica rolled her eyes, "For that new French exchange student? Don't be silly, Leo. We have to pick him up at the airport this afternoon."

Leo whirled around and said, "Really? Like, now?"

Jessica sighed and nodded, "Sure, we can leave now."

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" Leo cried, jumping to his feet.

"Um... Alright." Jessica said.

"I get a brooootthhhheerrr!" Leo yelled, running down the hall.

Jessica sighed to herself, "I'll get my coat."

Leo held up a sign at the airport that read, "Julien", shifting nervously from foot to foot.

Suddenly, Jessica said cheerily, "Hello, Julien. It's nice to meet you!"

Leo turned around and came face-to-face with his new roommate. The very first thing to come to Leo's mind was, Crap! He's handsome! Maybe even more than me!

"Hey, Julien. I'm Leo." Leo said, smiling.

Julien smiled back politely and held out his hand, "It is very nice to meet you, Leo."

"Yeah, you too." Leo said, shaking his hand. Gahh, he has an accent, too.

"My name is Jessica." Jessica said, also shaking Julien's hand, "I'm Leo's mother."

Leo looked at his mother, then at Julien, and said excitedly, "So, what do you wanna do today, Julien? We can play basketball or Call of Duty or something! What do you think?"

Julien said, "Um, I guess we can play Call of Duty."

"WOO! AWESOME! Did you hear that, Mom? Julien likes Call of Duty!" Leo cheered.

Jessica shushed him and said, embarrassed, "Leo, please, keep your voice down. You sound like a child!"

Leo looked at his mother and said seriously, "And what am I to you, Mom? A fraud? A fake?"

"Leo, what are you talking about?" Jessica said.

"Yeah, I thought so." Leo said, nodded and slitting his eyes, "Denial."

Embarrassed yet again, Jessica looked at Leo, then at Julien, then back at Leo. She grabbed her son's arm and said nervously, "Um, alright then, let's go home, boys."

Julien smiled politely and Jessica whispered in his ear, "Leo isn't usually like this. He's just excited to have a new friend."

"Does he have friends at school?" Julien asked.

Jessica laughed, thinking he was joking, and said, "Oh, yes, he does."

Then, she turned away and watched Leo skip through the airport merrily.

Jessica sighed and said under her breath, 

"Sometimes I still can't believe he has so many friends..."