The Tutors

Chapter 14: Confession

**Michael's P.O.V.**
"You're failing." Mr. Marcosa said bluntly. I grimaced at him, but knew he wasn't going to sugar coat it. Even if I had improved a bit, it probably wasn't enough to raise my grade to save myself from military school.
"I understand." I nodded once, trying not to scowl. It wasn't his fault that I couldn't understand numbers, or that my Father was a drunk who would get his kicks sending me a thousand miles away. He raised an eyebrow, and combed his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. I waited for him to dismiss me, but he looked like he wanted to say more. Instead he sighed, "Dismissed." As if he knew that after Summer vacation he would see me on Cops or something. I nodded again, and walked out of the room.

I was about to round a corner when a familiar voice reached my ears. I stopped and peeked from behind the corner once. It was Sam, talking to Braiden. I clenched my hands. I hated him. With every fiber of my being.

Usually I hated all Jocks. Meatheads. They had nothing going on in their brains. Of course being the 'bad boy', I was sure most people felt the same way about me. But the only reason I had ever earned that rep was because I went to a few parties and got trashed. I made some bad choices. But, the fool I was, I expected the rumors to go away once I stopped drinking and partying. Of course, they stuck, no matter where I went.

I snapped out of my own thoughts to focus on eavesdropping. I didn't feel bad about it, but somehow the queasy feeling in my stomach wouldn't go away. I couldn't shake the idea that somehow there was something wrong with this guy. But Sam was swooning at the very sight of him. And it bothered me. Even when I knew it shouldn't.

"So there's a football game this Saturday....." Braiden trailed off, and flipped his hair. I rolled my eyes. Sam nodded once, "Yeah, I think I heard about that. Are you going to be playing?" I snorted, knowing she was playing dumb. I hadn't even taught her that, she was learning things on her own now.
"Mmhm, I am. You should come see me. And then maybe we can go to grab a bite to eat. Sound like a plan?" He flashed some white teeth. I knew that it would impress her, but it made me want to laugh. He was a clown!

She touched his shoulder gently. My body tensed and a small pain racked my chest. I breathed in quickly. It was like seeing Terry kiss her only amplified by ten thousand. I could already feel my fist colliding into his face when I heard Sam say, "See you Saturday." She gave him a sly smile, and began to walk in my direction.

I had a few moments to try to act casual. I straighten my back and pretended to be leaning against the wall. She bumped right into me, and a small shock ran through my body, like it always was when we touched. I was getting used to it. But I always wondered if she felt it too. "Michael!" She cried and then let out a nervous laugh, "I have some news. Braiden asked me out. Isn't it wonderful? I mean, our plans are going perfectly! The party is going to be great, I can already tell." She sighed dreamily and looked into space. If I believed in all that aura stuff, I would have said that hers was bright and shining. She snapped her neck back to me, her fathomless blue eyes burrowing into my head. "Are you okay? You seem a bit..." She trailed off.

I coughed once, trying to hide my breathlessness. I didn't want to tell her that I hated her touching another guy, because then I would seem like a creep. In fact, I don't care if she wanted to date my worst enemy, as long as she is happy. It should be all that mattered, but my brain was telling me that the only way that I could be happy was if she was with me. And that's when the realization hit me. Like a bulldozer.

She was beautiful, inside and out. She wasn't graceful, but that never stopped me from smiling whenever she was around. Even when she hadn't had the makeover, something struck me when she laughed, like someone had lit a light bulb under her skin. It hurt me to be mean to her. It drove me crazy when other guys looked at her. She cared when other people didn't have the time to. We talked for hours and I told her things that nobody else had ever heard. She was the first thing I thought of when I woke up and the last thing I thought of when I went to bed. I couldn't deny it anymore, it meant-

"Michael? Please, are you okay?" Sam asked shrilly, her voice raising an octave. I coughed again, and nodded, "Sorry, I think I may have a headache or something. It's nothing major. I'm-I'm fine." I stuttered breathlessly. She nodded, and I realized that she had her nails dug into my arm. I was hyper aware of everything now, as though the sudden discovery had heightened my senses.

She pried her fingernails away, stiffly, as if she could sense the sudden shift in my atmosphere. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "Well," I mumbled, "I think I should go. See you after school." I practically ran away. I couldn't take it anymore, it was torture.

And I knew then what I needed to do. Even if it hurt me. I needed to disappear a few days after that party, to the military school. She would be living happily ever after with him, and she wouldn't have to worry about me anymore. But I couldn't tell her, because I knew she thought of me like a brother or something. And if she convinced me to stay I would find a way to weasel myself out of it. I couldn't allow that. I needed to let her live her life without me, so she could be happy.

And, even though I couldn't decode everything my brain was trying to tell me, I knew one thing.
I am completely, and passionately in love with Samantha Aurora Rivera.