"I have to go."
"But I'm not asleep yet," he mumbled out, squinting his eyes to see me in the dark.
"I can't stay here the entire night Ash," I said, flinging my leg on the other side of the open window, shivering from the cold air. I was halfway...
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I had almost forgotten about going for the tutoring sessions until James approached me, binder with overflowing documents in hand.
"Lexie, hey," he started, "When are you going to start tutoring Mr. Moretti?"
Did we even decide... it was today. Shit.
"Um, today. I'm going to his place and everything."
"Why are you not using the tutor center?" he seemed oddly suspicious.
Because he can't stand your accent.
"No reason."
"Oh well, see you around."
"Yep," I waved at him before walking to my car and driving to the address I had scribbled on the back of a crumbled paper which had been lost in the depths of my book bag.
****
I had been standing outside in the blistering cold, afraid to knock on the wooden. Every time I raised my hand up, I'd bring it down almost instantly.
Such a coward.
"You can go in, you know," I soft voice said behind me.
I turned around to find a little boy, around the age of 7 standing behind me. He was looking up at me curiously while waiting for me to move.
"Do you live here?"
Of course he does, idiot.
"Yes," he answered curtly before walking around me, opening the door and walking inside.
I hesitantly followed him inside where I saw him hugging a man at least double his height.
Ashton.
"How was school?"
"I don't know. Normal, I guess," the little kid grumbled and Ashton ruffled his hair, earning a faint slap on his arm.
"Go do your homework while I get you something to eat."
"Aye aye, captain," he mock saluted before walking up the stairs to what I assumed was his room.
"Um, hey," I said, notifying him of my presence.
He turned, surprised at my presence.
"Lexie, hey. When did you get here?"
"Your brother let me in."
"Okay well, wait in the kitchen while I give him something to eat and we can start, okay?" He walked to the counter and started rummaging through the pantry for a couple of granola bars and handing me one before running up the stairs to his brother.
I was already deep into my attempting to do my calculus homework when he came down again.
"So you want to start?"
****
"... so basically just integrate both the sides and you'll get your answer," I attempted to explain the same sum to him for the hundredth time which only resulting in him groaning at me.
"Why is this so difficult?"
"We literally did the same problem in class Ashton, if only you had paid attention then."
He grumbled something while I checked my phone that I had switched off because it was apparently 'distracting' him. For a moment there, I was convinced he was going to murder me or something.
No calls, no texts and it was 7:30 p.m.
Gotta love my family.
"Listen I've gotta go. It's getting pretty late," I stuffed all my books in before doing the same to my phone, switching it off again.
"Yep okay, bye. Same time tomorrow?" he awkwardly waved at me from the counter.
"Yeah."
****
I was laying in my bed watching reruns of some old TV show when my phone buzzed.
Unknown: This is me thanking you in advance for making me pass calculus.
I don't even know how he got my number but all I knew was that the smile that refused to leave my face was not because to the actors on screen.
