Beware The Water

The Freshman

Lux tried not to judge a book by its cover. That little pun she told herself drew out a tiny giggle which earned her a confused raised eyebrow from the boy. "Yes." Lux nonchalantly pushed his feet off the table and made room for her book bag. "I didn't think you'd show up. I have to say, I'm really happy you did though." She gave him a warm, welcoming smile.

He shrugged uncaringly. "Eh, Oz said my new tutor would be super hot." The boy cupped his chin, giving  his new tutor a once over. "I'd say marginally hot is more like it to be honest."

Her jaw dropped. Oz wasn't kidding. This kid was in fact a jerk. "Let's just start the lesson, okay?"

"Not even gonna introduce yourself?" He smacked his gum. Each chomp made her anxiety levels rise. Why was this freshman so intimidating?

"Right... uhhh, I'm Lux. Lux Bautista." She held out  her hand for him to shake.

"I'm Sing." He popped another bubble with his gum and fist bumped Lux's opened palm just to make her feel more awkward. "Sing Soo-Ling."

"Well Sing, things are going to change." She wrote down her phone number and slid it over the table. "Unlike Oz, I have a different way of tutoring. You're going to text or call me, your choice, everyday after school to discuss your assignments. Then once we-"

"Not gonna happen." He waved her off, "Unlike you, I got a life outside of school."

"Your grades are important."

Sing snorted at how uptight she was sounding. "Yeah and my entertainment is important too." He stood up without even pushing his chair back in and flung on the strap of his backpack. "Which reminds me, I'm using my vacation hours so I'm not gonna be here for 2 days."

"You're a student. You don't have vacation hours."

Sing laughed, "That's right. I guess you can say I'll be ditching for 2 days." His phone started vibrating and he looked down at what Lux assumed to be a text by how he smiled at it. Must have been good news. "Would you look at that. My vacations starting early." He proceeded to the exit doors. There was no way some bratty kid was going to stop her from getting those letters. Without even thinking she followed him out the door and caught his arm. "What the? Let go!"

"You are not leaving." Lux scolded.

"Who's gonna stop me?" She looked passed Sing and noticed a boy who she assumed to be older, since he didn't have anything indicating that he was a student. This guy was leaned up against a loud, red motorcycle and had a wild purple Mohawk. Lux didn't think people sported that hairstyle in real life. The only time she'd ever seen something similar was on some Punk Rock documentary that Oz put on while the two of them were studying at her house. Obviously she wasn't even paying attention to the tv but that bizarre style just stuck in her memory.

"Listen, I have a lot on the line so all I ask is that you please cooperate with me."

Sing looked up and hummed, "Mmm, nah I'm good." He patted her arm and walked towards the guy who was handing him a helmet.

Lux had no idea what had come over her but her feet charged over to the tall boy and snatched the helmet out of his hands. "You do know you can't pull him out of school unless you're his parent or guardian, right?"

"Lux!" Sing shouted, trying to retrieve the helmet that she held behind her back. "Knock it off!"

"You both can get into serious trouble."

"Who's this?" The tall boy asked.

"Nobody." Sing spoke through gritted teeth.

Lux gasped, "I'm not nobody. I'm the girl who's going to make you pass your classes this year."

"You have a tutor?" The guy laughed, "You stupid or somethin, Sing?" He teased, grabbing Sing in a headlock. "Don't answer that."

"I'll have you know, needing a tutor doesn't make you stupid." Lux's tone became more upset and annoyed which caused the two boys to take her more serious. Well, slightly. "What makes you stupid is ditching school to-"

"I'm Shorter. Shorter Wong." Her rant was cut off only for Sing's friend to introduce himself. "And you are?"

"Hi Shorter, I am very upset with you being a bad influence." She slapped his handshake away and stood her ground. She was very determined to keep Sing on campus and this guy wasn't going to take him away.

"Ouch." He held his chest and proceeded to look down at the girl with a cocky smirk. "That wasn't nice."

"I'm trying to be nice but you're putting me in an awkward position." She looked up at him with a serious frown that resembled the expression of an upset kitten when it doesn't get its way.

Shorter sighed and looked at Lux then over at Sing who was eager to leave. "Alright. You win."

"Huh?!" She and Sing both looked at Shorter in confusion. Did that really work?

"Sing, stay with the School Girl. We'll go out another time."

"But-" he whined.

Shorter then straightened his slouching position to where he towered over Sing, "But what?" He asked in a low tone that sounded threatening.

Sing's shoulders slumped and his head hung low. "Nothing, boss."

Boss?

"That's what I thought." Shorter's menacing face quickly changed back into a smug expression. "Now run on inside. Can't have you falling behind." He waved with a cheeky smile that showed off his pearly white teeth.

Sing turned around and scowled, "Thanks a lot." He said under his breath and nearly bumped Lux as he went back into the school.

She couldn't believe the hold Shorter had on Sing. How in the hell did he get him to obey his orders without even having to ask twice? "Sorry bout the misunderstanding, School Girl." He apologized, "There a reason why you were so persistent in getting little Sing back?"

Lux didn't have time to explain her situation and talking to Shorter wasn't something she wanted to do any longer. "Here." She handed him back his helmet. "I have to get back too."

Shorter smiled and took the helmet back. He probably thought she was playing hard to get but in reality she just wanted him to leave. "Oh hey, before you go-" he called her back and she regretfully turned around only for him to put the bulky equipment on her head.

"What are you doing?" She almost yelled. He quickly took it off her head as she fixed her dark hair back into place. "What was that for?"

Shorter turned the helmet around in his hands as if he were inspecting it, "Oh nothing. Just seeing if it fit." Lux tilted her head, not understanding what he was getting at. "It does." He pulled down his sunglasses and winked. "See you around." Without any other words Shorter revved his motorcycle and took off.

"I certainly hope not."

This was Lux's first interaction with Shorter Wong and little did she know that there were plenty more to come.
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Hey guys! So unlike my other Shorter Wong stories, this one will be multiple chapters and not a simple one shot. I'm planning on posting a chapter every Wednesday from here on out. Chapter 2 has also been posted because I can't wait for you guys to read more!