Dear Diary

Chapter 30

"Who assigned you two to work together?" My mom's firm voice made me look at her. Her eyes were trained on the road ahead and her jaw was locked.

"Mr Tuttle and the principal," I replied.

Mom shook her head. "The nerve of them. What possessed them to put you two together? Do they have any idea how irresponsible that is? To leave the two of you alone!"

"Cole had the best maths mark, I had the worst. You can't blame Mr Tuttle for trying to improve my mark quickly," I said, trying to defend my favourite teacher's actions.

"If he wanted to improve your mark, he should've tutored you himself. I can't believe he would even allow two teenagers alone in a classroom! I would think he had a little more sense than that. That boy is no good. I don't like him and he'll only be a bad influence to you."

"Just because he looks a little rough?" I asked, feeling myself get a little angry. She doesn't even know Cole.

"Yes. What does the bible say?" At the sound of those words I discretely rolled my eyes. Here we go again. "That you must choose your friends wisely or else you'll become like them. Who knows what that boy does after hours?"

"Well, the bible also says not to judge people," I countered. 

Normally I would never back-chat, but I couldn't help but feel how unfair she was being to a person who's helped me.

Mom shot me a look. "One of the commandments is honour your father and mother. So, don't you dare get smart with me, Elizabeth."

I huffed and crossed my arms. "You don't even know him," I muttered and I felt the car quickly slow before my mom made a U-turn. "Mom?" I asked, slightly worried as she stepped on the gas.

"I'm going to demand that a new tutor get reassigned to you," she said and my eyes bulged.

"What? Why?"

"I would prefer the school getting someone more suited to you. Like Richard. I don't want you alone with that boy a second longer. He's already influencing you."

"No, he's not!" 

He's never once forced me to do something I didn't want to do. How could she think that?

"Oh yes? You've just defied me more times in the last five minutes than the whole year. Not to mention the fact that you lied about who your tutor was."

"You never asked," I mumbled.

"Elizabeth..." my mom warned and I kept my lips shut after that. 

I wasn't helping anyone by snapping back at her. Even though I was only trying to defend someone, my mom would only see it as rebellion and pin it all on Cole. But one thing I knew was that I didn't want to change tutors. Not when Cole was finally opening up to me.

Soon we pulled back into the school parking lot and my mom cut the engine before climbing out the car, slamming the door behind her. I looked around and sighed in relief when I didn't see Cole. I would've been so embarrassed if he'd seen how cross my mom looked.

Although something didn't make sense to me. Why did he want to make a good impression on my mom? Why did he care? Was it possible that ... maybe he liked me? My heart lifted with hope, but it quickly deflated when my brain reminded me of the conversation we had a week ago. 

He would never fall in love with someone. He was dead serious about that.

So, the only conclusion that I came up with was that maybe he didn't like people to view him as a 'scumbag'. But he always appeared to me as someone who didn't care about what others thought. Urgh! This whole situation was so confusing. 

I planted my elbow on the door of the car and soon felt my fingers starting to weave their way into my hair. I immediately wrenched them out. Cole was right, I needed to sort out this habit. A small smile came to my lips as I thought of him and how he played with my hair. Who would've thought he had an affectionate side? I just prayed that I could still be tutored by him. I didn't want anyone else to tutor me. It wouldn't feel right.

I timed ten minutes and thirty-seven seconds before Mom exited the school building. Her shoulders were square and her face was hard. She was obviously displeased, making me wonder what had happened. She got in the car and slammed the door shut.

"They refuse to swop tutors," she said stiffly and I had to try my hardest to keep from smiling.

"How come?" I asked and my mom scowled at me when she saw how happy my eyes were.

"Apparently, since he started tutoring you, there have been remarkable changes in his behaviour towards others," she said and switched on the engine, after one or two unsuccessful tries.

My face pulled into a frown as my curiosity rose. "Changes? What kind?" I asked, but my mom shrugged her shoulders.

"They didn't elaborate." 

The tone in her voice made me realise that the conversation was finished. I nodded my head and turned to look out the window at the trees that rushed past me.

I would have to talk to Mr Tuttle tomorrow, apologize for my mother's behaviour. I knew it was him that she spoke to. Mr Robertson never stayed at school after the last bell. But maybe I should thank him as well. He managed to keep me being tutored by Cole. And it made my heart feel giddy.