SMITH was spending the summer in Alabama with her grandmother grandmother and Zeke had come in a few days before T'Challa was scheduled to arrive They had planned it out for weeks through video calls Finally after much back-and-forth and his father's insistence on T'Challa being careful the King of Wakanda had allowed T'Challa three weeks vacation T'Challa was ecstatic He couldn't wait to see his friends again And now he was here He wondered not for the first time what surprises the trip would hold Outside the International Arrivals gate T'Challa was met by a wave of sweltering heat not the dry and pleasant heat of Wakanda but a stifling humid heat that made the collar of his shirt stick to the back of his neck Footsteps sounded behind him He spun around quickly his defense training kicking in A girl with tiny freckles and curly hair stood in front of him She smiled revealing straight white teeth Welcome to Beaumont Alabama she said T'Challa exhaled a sigh of relief Sheila he said giving giving her an awkward hug Her hair smelled like strawberry shampoo I can't believe you're here his friend Zeke added pushing pushing his glasses up on his nose I mean all the way Wakanda from
SPELLBOUND Zeke raised his hand for a high five and T'Challa returned it Zeke was skinny with close-cropped hair chunky glasses and a quick wit T'Challa had seen on several occasions Is that the only bag you brought Sheila asked looking at the glossy black leather shoulder bag he carried Uh yeah T'Challa replied I didn't bring a lot and I didn't want to check it Sheila fanned herself with a hand and put on an exaggerated exaggerated Southern accent Well it's so hot here all you'll need is shorts and a T-shirt anyway Zeke waved her off She's been talking like that since got here I T'Challa chuckled The only Southern accents he'd ever heard were from old American TV shows he had watched in Wakanda So when did you get here he asked Sheila About a week ago Sheila replied I haven't been here in years The last time was with my parents and I was like five or six What about you Zeke T'Challa asked Three days ago I've been researching various food groups He licked his lips Sheila poked a sideways thumb in Zeke's direction All he's been doing is eating I'm a growing boy Zeke said patting his flat stomach Plus there's a whole lot of food I have to try out
SMITH T'Challa chuckled again He'd heard how good Southern cooking was and he couldn't wait to try some Zeke eyed T'Challa's bag with curiosity So what'd you bring Some secret high gadgets The suit Please tell me you brought the suit T'Challa suppressed a groan Last year on his first trip to America Zeke and Sheila had found out exactly who T'Challa really was His father had sent him to Chicago due to a looming threat in Wakanda Once in the Windy City with his friend M'Baku they were enrolled at South Side Middle School with fake names His father didn't want any of his enemies getting word that his son was in America He soon became fast friends with Zeke and Sheila and together they stopped an evil force that had put the whole school and the world itself in danger It didn't take long for his friends to discover that he was more than an ordinary exchange student from Kenya which was his cover When the threat became so serious that T'Challa had to wear the panther suit his father had given him for protection Zeke flipped out and wouldn't stop talking about it It seemed that he was still obsessed Yes Zeke I brought the suit T'Challa confessed My father insisted But he did say to use caution He doesn't want me getting involved in some kind of dangerous adventure adventure like last time
SPELLBOUND Zeke raised a mischievous eyebrow You never know though right T'Challa shot Zeke a cautious smile Speaking of which Sheila put in how exactly did you convince your father to let you come to America again It took some pestering T'Challa replied But I finally wore him down T'Challa thought back to the moment At first his father was totally against the idea but when T'Challa reminded him of how he had handled an unexpected threat on his last trip and the fact that he was now a year older and wiser the King of Wakanda nodded thoughtfully and folded his hands together in front of him It also helped that Queen Ramonda was on T'Challa's side T'Challa needs to see more of the outside world she had said The best time to do it is now when he's young After that his father finally relented Remember who you are he demanded of T'Challa You are a representative of your nation Use the wisdom and judgment you have been taught Do not let me down T'Challa's father had spoken quietly but the strength behind the words was clear There was no other way to interpret it Do not get into trouble C'mon Sheila said pulling T'Challa away Mr. Perkins is waiting Mr. Perkins T'Challa asked
