That night I was sitting at my desk working on my assignments. All of it felt like a review of what I had learned in high school, but I was guessing that was kind of the point of the class. Lucky for me that it was easy because my thoughts were all over the events of the day. May was looking out for me after all and now I felt bad. I felt like I owed her an apology. I felt so crappy that I almost let myself even consider dating Jude. I was warned by another girl that he's wasn't a good guy and I convinced myself that it was just her being jealous. And I didn't realize until today how grateful I was for Silas and how attending the same college wasn't much of a pain anymore. Even though he could be the biggest jerk on the planet sometimes.
I rested my head on top of my text book and I sat like that for a few minutes, until Angelina walked into our room. "Hey, Nova!" She greeted happily. "How's homework going?" I just shrugged and picked up my pencil. She sat down on her bed which was next to my desk and gave me a concerned look. "Everything okay?"
I looked over at her and shook my head. "It turns out that Jude is a bad guy after all. Silas just about beat him up when he saw him talking to me in the cafeteria. I just can't believe how stupid I was."
Angelina looked at me confused. "Jude isn't a bad guy, Nova." She said in a factual voice. I returned her confused look. "I asked some people about him when you told me you were interested in him and they say that he has a bad rep but it's all bull crap."
I shook my head in confusion. "But Silas told me that he rapes and beats girls; and apparently, he's not the only who knows that."
She shook her head. "No, those are all lies." She assured me. "I mean, he's had a couple of one night stands, but he's never raped anyone."
"No, Silas was so sure." I told her.
He nodded. "He believes the lies. Those are all rumors." She stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Jude is a really nice guy, Nova. Don't let what they say get to you." I gave her a weary smile as she walked to the other side of the room.
I didn't know what to believe now. I decided that I was going to stay away from Jude until I knew the truth. Not like I wasn't going to be involved with him or any guy anyway. School; that's why I'm here. I picked up my pencil and finished the rest of the homework I had.
I walked into first period the next morning to see Max sitting there with a haughty grin on his face. "Late guy's early." I commented as I took my seat beside him. I saw that he had his text book, a notebook, and the pencil I gave him. I looked up at him. "And you're prepared; impressive."
He grinned widely back at me. "I wanted you to be proud of me."
I chuckled. "Did you do your homework?" I asked, and gestured toward his books with my pencil. A guilty look crossed his face. "Late guy, you've got to do your homework!" I leaned toward him and smiled. "I mean, if you really want to impress me." I teased.
He looked down with a shy smile. "Well, then I'm going to do my homework right now and then I'm going to go back in time and do all the homework I didn't do since kindergarten."
I eyed him curiously. "Are you flirting with me, late guy?" I asked with a grin.
He shrugged. "Probably." He said in a nonchalant voice. "Not like it matters anyway. A smart, beautiful girl like you would never go for some dumb, lazy, loser like me."
I sat up straight and faced him completely. "Don't say that about yourself."
"It's true." He looked down for a moment before looking back up at me. "This is my second time taking this class. I'm literally the only sophomore in here."
I sighed and shot him a sympathetic smile. "How about this," I began and leaned closer to him. "I tutor you."
Max shot me an amused grin. "Usually I'd feel bad about a freshman tutoring me, but I think I'm okay with this one." The bell rang for class to start. I smiled one last time at Max before turning completely in my chair. I watched Max throughout the class and smiled as he listened to the lecture and took notes.
Class ended and Max immediately flew up from his chair with his books in hand. "Okay, so what's the plan?" He asked before I could even stand up.
I smiled at him, grabbed my stuff, and rose from my seat. "A couple nights a week, you can come to my dorm and I'll help you out." I told him as we started to walk out of the class.
He grinned slyly and elbowed me. "Your dorm, huh?" He said suggestively. I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to take advantage of me?"
I rolled my eyes. "No, my roommate is going to be there." I told him flatly.
His face lit up with excitement. "Oh, so you're saying if your roommate wasn't there that you would."
I groaned and shoved him away. "If you must know, I have sworn against guys to focus on school."
Max slung his arm around me and grinned. "Well, that just sounds like a challenge."
I groaned and removed his arm from around me. "Stop." I said with a smile. "Just tutoring you." He smiled slyly at me. "Come to my dorm at six tonight; Rendolls Hall, room 233. Don't be late, late guy." I shot him a grin, before walking away.
That night, Angelina and I were hanging out in our dorm talking and having some snacks. "So, Ms. You-Won't-Be-Able-To-Resist-Boys," I began in a mocking tone. She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Have you met someone?"
She laughed. "Hmm...I might've." I shot her a small smile and waved for her to go on. "Would you be weirded out if I went out with your brother?"
I looked at her in shock. "You want to date Silas?" I asked in a surprised tone. I never had a girl ask me that question in my life. Silas has had a few girlfriends in his day, but I never really got to know any of them. "Why?" I asked in a disgusted tone.
"Well, he's gorgeous, funny, nice, smart," Angelina answered with a smile and a sigh. "Kind of the perfect boy."
I shook my head back and forth in disgust. "No, he is by no means perfect." I assured her.
She smirked. "Well you're his sister, of course you're going to think that."
I stood up from the small couch we sat on and I looked down at her. "One time he dug a hole and buried all of my shoes in it." I told her bitterly. Angelina laughed loudly while clapping her hands. "It's not funny! He didn't tell me where they were until the next day! I had to wear my mom's ugly shoes to school."
"Middle schoolers are prankers sometimes." She defended while still laughing.
I paused and stared at her blankly. "He was a senior in high school." I told her in a flat voice. This just made her laugh harder. "Yeah, it's so hilarious." My flat voice still present. "Now can you please pull yourself together? The guy I'm tutoring will be here soon...well probably. He's been known to be late." I told her with a grin.
"You're already tutoring someone in the first week of school?" She asked with an amused smile. "And here I am waiting till the last minute to do my own homework." I smiled back at her. "What time is this guy coming?"
"I told him six so we have enough time to go over a few things before the guys get booted out." I told her. "But again, he's always la--." Before I could finish my sentence, there was a knock at the door. Angelina and I looked at each other with wonder in our eyes "That can't be him already..." I said with my voice trailing off. I looked over at the clock. 5:15. I shook my head and walked over to the door. I opened it and sure enough; it was Max. He smiled brightly at me. "Wow, late guy is early again."
He rolled his eyes, but his smile never left his lips. "Can I come in, mean girl?" He teased. I smiled and moved out of the way and he made his way into our room. Angelina looked over at me with wide eyes. Max turned to face me, and Angelina mouthed "He's hot!"
I ignored her and brought my attention back to Max. "You can go sit at the desk." I told him.
He turned in the direction of the desk, but stopped in front of Angelina. "Hey, roommate of mean girl's." He greeted. "I'm Max." He stuck out his hand and she grabbed it with a smile.
"Angelina." She told him and let go of his hand.
"Ah, it makes sense that angel is in your name." He said in a sweet voice. Angelina looked down at the floor with a smile. Max then sat down on the desk chair. Angelina took a few steps toward me with an awestruck look on her face. I smiled back at her and then walked over to Max. I went over to my backpack on my bed and pulled out my psych book and my notebook. Then I walked over to Max and kneeled in front of the desk. I opened the book in front of him to the lesson we were learning; and opened by notebook to the first page of my notes. I glanced over at the book wondering if we could skip over lesson one because it was so basic. "Getting right to it, huh?" He asked with a grin.
"Yep." I responded without looking up from the book. I circled with my finger around a certain section of my notes. "These are very important to the quiz next week so I suggest you copy them down."
Max looked over at me. "Geesh, you really are mean girl tonight." He commented. I looked over at him. "Not even one sassy comment."
"This is serious. I'm trying to help you learn the material better." My voice came out harsher than I intended. "There's time for sassy comments later." I added with a small smile.
I began going over the essentials of what we were expected to know for about a half hour. "Nova, I'm tired," Max whined. "Can we take a break?" He asked in an exasperated voice and slumped back in the chair.
I sighed. "I guess." I replied, while standing up. "But only five minutes because we got to get this done before guys have to leave."
He turned in his seat and propped his elbow up on it. "What's your deal?" He asked with a low chuckle.
I put my hands on my hips. "I don't have a deal. I'm trying to tutor you." I snapped. "If you don't take it seriously that's your problem." Max looked like he was about to respond to that, but Angelina's phone rang.
"Hello?" She picked up. She laughed. "Right now?" She laughed again and then sighed. "Fine, I'll be there in a bit." She hung up and shoved her phone into her back pocket. "Apparently, there's a 'get together' happening in Nelson Hall and I've been asked to go; so I'll you later." She said as she walked toward the door.
I chuckled. "Bye."
"It was nice to meet you, Angel." Max called with a smile. She smiled brightly back before leaving and closing the door behind her. I walked over to my backpack and started rummaging through it. Max stood up and made his over to me. He stopped before sitting next to me on the bed. "I heard what happened... with Jude Simon." I turned my head so fast I cracked my neck. "It sounded bad. I'm glad you have such a great brother looking out for you." I nodded, but didn't say anything. "Is that what this is about? Your crabbiness." He asked with a smile grin.
"I guess." I mumbled with a shrug. "What do you know about him?" I asked. "Are the rumors about him true or is he a decent guy?"
Max eyed me suspiciously. "You're not like into him, are you?" He asked slowly.
"If I can know for sure if the rumors are true or not I might be." I told him.
He shook his head. "Even after your brother almost killed him because he was talking to you? You'd think you would stay away from him." He said blankly. "And yes, I believe what people say. I've talked to some of the girls. He's an evil son-of-a-bitch."
I didn't say anything but look down at my lap. Then I looked up at met his eyes. "What if... he's different with me?"
Max put his hand on my shoulder with a serious look on his face. "Don't buy that." He told me sternly. "That's exactly what he wants you to think."
I frowned. "Why does it matter to you?" I asked with an irritated note in my voice. "We barely know each other."
He smiled. "We're friends, Nova." He told me. "You care about me enough to tutor me, so that says something." He removed his hand from my shoulder and placed it on my leg. "And I'm kind of into you." He admitted in a shy voice.
I shook my head in confusion. "You are?" He nodded. "Well I really don't feel the same and even if I did I've sworn of boys, remember?"
He grinned slyly at me. "Are you sure you don't have even a morsel of feelings for me?" His voice was light and teasing. "We get along, for the most part, we tease each other, we're both obviously attracted to each other." He grinned. I was about to tell me otherwise, but he held up a hand for me to stop. "A guy just knows."
I shook my head. "I know your type." I started in an angry voice, which immediately wiped the smile off Max's face. "You're the kind of guy that flirts with every girl he sees and you can get away with it because you're good looking and know all the right things to say." I sprung up from the bed in anger.
He got up too. "What makes you think I'm like that?" He asked in confusion.
I scoffed. "Because the first thing you did when you came in here was hit on my roommate."
A giant, ecstatic smile spread across his face. "Nova Parker; you're jealous!" He announced triumphantly.
I put my hands on my hips; offended. "I most certainly am not!" I defended. "It just makes me upset to see that, that's what kind of guy you are. I thought you were one of the few sweet guys."
Max gave me a soft smile. "I am." He said in an assuring voice; and took a step toward me. "I'll admit I'm a little too friendly sometimes, but I'd never say anything like that to another girl if I were in a relationship." He added, as he took another step forward and then another; until he was inches away. He reached out and gently stroked his fingers on my chin. His eyes darted down to my lips as he bit his own, and then met my eyes again. "And it's you I want to be with." He said in a low, husky voice. Then he leaned in closer and I felt my heartrate pick up. Our noses brushed together ever so softly, and then his lips met mine. It was sweet and soft and passionate; and then it broke. He pressed his nose against mine with a huge smile that matched mine.
Not realizing I was inches from Angelina's bed, I took a step back and fell on it. Max let out a half chuckle with a small smile. The two of us sat there in silence for a few moments; the same thoughts most likely running through our minds. Without thinking about it, I grabbed Max by the shirt and pulled him on top of me. Our kisses then became hot and fast. He pinned me down and kissed me deeper and deeper. He sat up a moment, whipped his shirt off, and then tossed it on the floor. His body was something sent by the gods. I rubbed my hands over his chest, before he pinned my arms back and continued to kiss me. He started to reached up my shirt; tracing his fingers delicately up and down my torso.
He broke the kiss and brought his lips to my ear. "I don't have a condom." He whispered softly.
I locked my eyes with his in surprise. "Wait; you thought we were going to have sex?" I asked, confused.
He sat up also looking confused. "Well, yeah, kind of."
I brought myself to a sitting position. "Max... I told you that I'm not going to get involved with anyone." I reminded him.
He looked extremely taken aback by this. "Then why did you make out with me?" I could see disappointment in his eyes. "Are you just leading me on?"
I shook my head. "No, no...it's not like that--."
He angrily got off the bed and picked up his shirt. "Save it." He snapped; after he had put his shirt back on. "I told you how I felt about you and you make it seem like you feel the same way? Now I thought you were different." He began to walk toward the door.
"Max, wait!" I called and rushed over to him. He turned around with anger in his eyes. "If you would just let me explain."
He opened the door and didn't turn around. "Don't bother." He snapped. He began to walk out, but then turned around. "And you find someone else to tutor." And then he left; slamming the door behind him.