Playing for Keeps

Ima gonna tutor you

I had been sweating to say this all day. Most likely my parents would be infuriated. Nonetheless I'd be yelled at. And my neighbor would hear!

I gulped at the misery. Please don't be too tough!

I scurried up to the sheek white counters humming best song ever. Maybe the good music would cheer me up. I drop the heavy burden of a backpack and snatch a pencil and my homework, scribbling away on the white surface.

My mother walks in casually and I bite my tongue, determined to look busy. "hey sweet pea, how'd your day go?" I freeze mid number in my math page, looking up with a sheer frozen terror in my eyes. I suck in some air then quickly chirp, "Friday at six I'm tutoring some kid in my class at the library for an hour, please don't be mad!" I squeal out shivering. My mom laughs lightly then places a hand on my shoulder. "sweet pea, I'm glad your helping someone, and I'm not mad, why would I be!" I smile halfheartedly. "thanks mom!" I chirp in a fake manner.

I stalk off to my room and slam the door humming the lyrics to summertime sadness out loud. Maybe it won't be too bad......what am I thinking?

(keep scrolling)

I walked up the dark unlit hall, slapping down my books and laptop. Thank god Ms.Tian the librarian trusts me so lets me come early. It's a plus to be smart, okay!

I pulled my laptop open, entering my password. The screensaver popped on and I winced at the sight of me and my dog, in the pool. Quickly I skimmed that photos I have choosing a hot cool one that prep might have. I set it as my screensaver and then open up word. Why did I agree to this? 'cuz you didn't' says that annoying voice in my head.

One by one the lights flick on. I can hear the footsteps of people in search of the latest teen fiction novel, or that vegetarian cookbook some dead lady wrote. I smirk at all the wierd things you could check out.

Suddenly the light step of Bryce is heard, and I know it's him because of the lingering of the sound, aka he strolling. Ergh!

He plops down and stares at me. I stare at him. We stare at each other. All we do is stare. Why am I staring? Why is he staring? Aaagh!! The questions stream through my head but oddly I don't speak, and I don't dare look away.

Finally, he clears his throat and flips open the book to the correct page. I scoot to his side and start reading from the passage. But. But my voice falters. I never stutter. I never quiver mid word. What's happening?! I clear my throat and start again, but I mispronounce a word. I can sense the thin layer of sweat growing on my palms. Wiping them on my jeans, I push the book to him and nod, telling him to read it. I swallowed as he began to read, mesmerized in his voice. He pulled his hair back behind his ear, reading on, stopping every once in a while to pronounce something correctly.

I daze off, day dreaming of a stimulus screaming about homeostasis and how he needs it. Suddenly a voice whacks me out of this daze. I snap my attention to Bryce and swallow. Ok, what chemicals are in living organisms. He grins, "water, lipids, carbohydrates, oxygen, and uh" I watch his lips as he talks and stutters so gently. I moisten my lips, when a jab is sent to my stomach. "Yow!" I shriek out of shock, sending a smirk to Bryce's face. Darn it, I'm not paying attention. Slowly, somehow, I make it throught the time and get the job, mostly, done. At four o'clock, I'm packing up when Bryce walks to my side, grinning like he just taped a "call me swarley" sigh to his back. I giggle at my reference to "how I met your mother" and he lifts an eyebrow at reaction. "yes?" I ask sweetly. "hey, april, I know, uh, your new, but, uh, there's a party tomorrow. It'll be wicked. See you there?" I gawk at his attempt to invite me to a party. My first ever party. I grin sheepishly and nod quickly, taking a quick wave, then rushing out the door.