Tutor T

Chapter two

The other houses had closed doors and no trees were nearby for me to hid behind so that I could buy myself some time before I went into the house. She had already noticed me from the kitchen window. Avoiding eye contact, I set the umbrella down behind the door and took up my position on the floor again, but without the blanket. Sure, I stalked her, but I wasn't so weird as to reuse something she had used. I will leave it in water for a few days before scrubbing them by hand.

Persian had betrayed me. She curled up close to my mom's flipflops. For the second time she abandoned me to face my mom's wrath.

"I mean at least this time you let them in."

"Don't start mom."

"Start what?" Her voice went up a pitch near the end. "Is that Aileen? Her mom won't even give me a discount. You dare invite her in. What about the boy last week? You had made him wait in the rain." She stopped chopping the carrots. "I just want to know why you are like this."

I asked myself that every day. I couldn't give her an answer yet. Maybe I could fix myself by becoming more like Aileen?

The dim lighting masked my frown from her. The last thing I wanted to do was bother her. She had all these other things to worry about. The electricity bill, the water bill, rent, groceries, fees, varsity application fees, work, sleep, my health, my leaking room, her boss, her competency, and new clothes for both of us.

Once she sat down, hunching, I shuffled behind her and massaged her as she ate. "How was work?"

She answered me amidst chewing her carrots. "It was as usual. How was your last day home?" She gazed up at me.

I shrugged and traced her eyes. "You have such beautiful eyes."

She scoffed and looked down at her food. "Come up with another compliment, and no you aren't staying home."

I sat beside her and cradled her hands. "Oh, please. What if he is there?"

"Then you thank him for catching you and saving you. Clearly this Tyrone guy can't hate you as much if he saved you from a near death experience, honey." She brushed her hand down the tails of my braids. This was what I didn't want to see on her face: pure concern. The same one she had when father was hospitalised. "Please eat and..."

"I'll take better care of myself, but as for you, you should get to bed. Sleep a little. I'll prepare your lunch, and I'll wake you up on time."

She sighed. "What will I do without you?"

I rolled my eyes. Lots of things. For one, she wouldn't have to worry about the extra mouth to feed and the fees. I was her extra baggage.

She went off to her room. Once her door shut, I took out my phone and checked my mail. The tutoring job I had applied for still hadn't gotten back to me. I had applied to tutor physics, although given my 95% average, I could tutor in any subject, but physics paid more.

I would be alone tomorrow morning. I might not catch her in the afternoon. It was part of the reason I would rather skip a day or two of school.

I packed two lunchboxes with rice and chicken stew on the side along with a banana. Then as the kettle boiled, I woke her up. As she got ready, I finished making tea and poured it in her own flask. I packed them in her bag.

For thirty minutes, we hugged. I gave her a squeeze. Whenever I did, she sighed such that my knees trembled and threatened to collapse. She wouldn't have let go if she didn't have work. Truthfully, I also wanted to be held for a while longer.

She heaved her bag, fixed her cap and then stalked out. I locked the door. Instead of crying like last time, I checked that I had finished my homework and that all my textbook and hardcovers were in my bag. Ivy wouldn't wait for me this time.

This whole holiday I haven't messaged her. When she called, I avoided her calls. With shallow breathing, I typed and sent her a message. I let my phone rest on my bedside table. After I switched off the lights and slipped into bed, it buzzed.

I don't answer her until the next morning as I wait for them outside. I had made sure to leave mom dinner packed and prepare breakfast for when she returned.

I wore a jersey that was way too light for the weather at hand, but I couldn't go back now, not when she pulled up right then. They

"Blanche." Ivy waved.

After pushing my keys into the front pocket of my bag, I rushed into the car. Once I was settled, I forgot that my jersey wasn't warm enough. The inside of their car was so warm.

Ivy and her mom argued like every morning about whether dresses complemented sneakers.

I plugged in my earphones and played 'all I want to be' by Tate McRae. I drowsed off along the way. No other car road on the same lane as us or on the lane beside us.

There was also a time when Mom drove me to school. Those were days when dad still breathed. Sometimes I hated him for putting us in this situation. We used to do sing-alongs. Even if I was having a bad day, once my mom drove me around, I forgot all about it. She was my rock, but even rocks eroded.

They didn't invite me into their conversation. I only caught their sly glances at me in their rear-view mirror and their smiles, but they mostly focused on the road.

We got to Hudson Park high the same time as Aileen. Her gang crowded her car as they waited for her to step out. I knew how it felt for one person to unconditionally love you, but for many more, I hadn't a clue. Their friendship had to be conditional. I unplugged my earphones amidst a conversation I shouldn't be present for.

"...you could just walk over there and talk to her. She seems nice. Connections are important. She might prove useful to us."

"It's not as easy. I can't just walk up to them. There are rules-"

"Thank you, Mrs Wintringham. Ivy..."

"Oh, it's a pleasure, darling." She dabbed her lips. "Just chat with Ivy to know where I'll be. Have a good day."

"Likewise." I hurried out before I saw them kiss each other farewell.

I walked slower than necessaire just to keep from Tyrone's sights. He would thank me later. Although it wasn't necessary. Learners in yellow pants and white shirts who babbled within their bubbles masked me. I might as well be invincible how the two girls beside me screamed over me just to talk with each other.

When I reached my class, I almost whimpered at the line squashed in right in front of room 351 which closer to the end mashed up with the class lining up at room 352.

It was then as I was scowling at the length of the line that Shannon made eye contact with me for the fewest of seconds. I expected her to look away. They always did, but she didn't. Instead, she waved at me.

I didn't know where to look. Shannon strutted towards me. I forced a smile. She hugged me before holding me at arm's length to inspect me well.

The freckled boy on the opposite side eyed us. Shannon, in turn, stuck out her tongue at him. He snorted and then turned his pointy nose to the boy behind him.

"So, did you at least take some time for yourself this holiday?"

I avoided everyone's eye contact. "Yes."

'"t's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everybody knows about it now." Shannon was the best class captain. Did she really have to take her role so seriously?

"I couldn't come check up on you myself. I sent Aileen."

"Oh?" That made sense. Her mother wouldn't just release my location. That was private information to me.

"Did she check on you?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Be sure to vote for me again this term for class captain. Alright?"

I nodded again.

"Alright, let me go see what's keeping this teacher up. Alright?"

I nodded again.