“Jeff Phillips: Kramer High, popular, extremely attractive, six-foot one, gorgeous blond hair, athletic, just an average student—but then we can’t have everything,” Tess informed Courtney.
“Yeah, well at least I like boys,” Jordan challenged.
Tess sighed and turned her attention to Courtney. “She always does this to me. It’s not that I don’t like boys—I simply choose not to have a boyfriend. There is a difference. High school boys are immature and stupid. When I find one that has some intelligence and good manners, I might change my mind.”
“Whatever,” Jordan replied, focusing on her salad.
Having heard the whole conversation, Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe this school year would have some entertaining moments after all.
The rest of the day dragged on as Sebastian made his way through his class schedule. There were sideways glances, stares, and muttered comments since his arrival at school, but he ignored them the best he could and went about his business. When the last bell chimed at 2:45, signaling the end of the school day, Sebastian navigated his way to the study hall. He was there to meet the genius tutor his mother had arranged for him. He wasn’t in the mood to study and all he really wanted was a cigarette, but he was mindful of Nanny’s instruction to blend in and buckle down, so he dutifully awaited the arrival of his savior.
Tess Hamilton promptly entered the study hall at 2:50 and walked up to him, laying her textbooks on his table.
“You?” Sebastian blurted out, slightly startled, but with a broad grin on his face.
“They didn’t tell you I was your tutor?”
“No.”
“Well, at least you look pleased—that’s half the battle. Why didn’t you ask who your tutor was in the dean’s office? Weren’t you curious?”
“I don’t care who is doing the tutoring. My job is to listen and learn. I’m not interested in your body, just your mind.”
Tess did have a nice body, he observed, finally able to get a full view of her standing next to him. She was petite, about five-feet two inches, with an hourglass figure.
“Gee, way to make a girl feel wanted,” she teased.
“If you’re looking for sex, I’d be happy to oblige. This table looks sturdy, and I like a girl who doesn’t have an aversion to public displays of attraction.”
“Public displays of affection,” Tess corrected, not missing a beat.
“I hardly think carnal desire has anything to do with affection,” Sebastian countered.
“Then it’s a good thing you’re not interested in my body.” She placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. “What did I get myself into?”
Sebastian didn’t reply, but stood up and pulled out a chair for Tess to sit.
“You’re charming,” she commented.
“Yes,” he merely agreed, with no sense of false modesty.
“And arrogant.”
“I prefer aloof,” he corrected her.
“Well, with a vocabulary like that, you should have no problem with the English portion of your SATs.”
He smiled to himself. He liked her straightforward attitude. Tess was not one of those polite socialite types he was so used to, who smiled demurely then quickly gossiped behind your back. She was a breath of fresh air.
“I printed out a schedule for you. We’ll meet on Tuesdays and Fridays. I have yearbook and the school paper on Mondays and Wednesdays. I can probably squeeze you in if you need a few SAT prep sessions before you take the exam in October. What was your last score?”
“What score are you referring to?”
“Your SAT score.”
“I haven’t taken it yet.”
She didn’t hide the surprise from her face. “What universities are you planning to apply to?”
At least he could answer this question. “NYU and Princeton.”
“Hmm.”
“Why did you just ‘hmm?’ It is absurd to think that I could attend either one of these schools?” Sebastian spat back, slightly annoyed.
“I didn’t say that. I just find it curious that I’m tutoring you this late in the game and you have such lofty aspirations. You’ll have to work hard to get into these schools. What type of extracurricular activities have you been involved in?”
Again, she was speaking a different language he didn’t quite understand. He was sure she was not talking about parties, drugs, and sex. These were the only extracurricular activities he knew. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I don’t quite understand.”
She gave him a mystified glance. “You need activities to put on your application. You know—student council, honor society, school paper.”
“Yes, well, I can’t really say I’ve done any of those things.”
“Okay, it’s your lucky day,” she replied. “Since I’m editor of both the school paper and yearbook, I can get you on the staff.”
“I would appreciate that.”
“Let’s get started. We have a lot of work to do,” she instructed him, opening her calculus book to chapter one.
Sebastian buckled down, as he’d promised Nanny, and survived the first week of school. He honestly liked Tess, so studying alongside her wasn’t so bad. Even when he tried to give her a hard time, she gave it right back, unfazed and resilient.
He walked Tess to her car after they finished his Friday afternoon tutoring session. “Do you think you could spend some time with me tomorrow to help with the SAT prep?” he asked her as they stopped in front of Tess’ brown Chevy Chevette. It was well used, with a few scratches here and there, but clean and tidy inside and out. She kept it in good condition, which did not surprise him in the least.
“I’m working with Habitat for Humanity tomorrow afternoon, but I could squeeze you in during the morning.”
“What’s Habitat for Humanity?”
She looked at him as if he were from another planet. “They build and rehab houses for those who can’t afford to do it themselves.”
“I could do that,” Sebastian offered.
“Sorry, you don’t look like you’ve ever touched a hammer or paint brush in your entire life,” Tess said, looking at his perfectly manicured hands.
“Well, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Tess," he responded, putting his hands in his pockets. “What time should I come over?”
“Ten o’clock.” She neatly printed her address on a piece of notebook paper and pulled it out of the tablet, tearing it smoothly along the perforation. “Here’s my number and address.”
He took the piece of paper and slipped it inside his blazer pocket. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
She unlocked her car, got inside, fastened her seat belt, backed out of her space, and drove away. Sebastian was left behind, watching her car disappear around the bend.
Sebastian woke early the next morning and lay in bed reflecting on the past week, his new tutor and the prospect of the work required to be accepted into the two universities that he had picked. He couldn’t charm his way out of this one. Tess was single-minded in her goal to make him an excellent student. It was unlike him to work so hard for something. There was a new focus to life that he didn’t particularly mind. The thought of this made him laugh aloud. He had managed to make a complete hundred and eighty degree turn from the life he led five months ago.
Tess lived in Spring City. Sebastian enjoyed the drive through the quaint little town. The main street was lined with mom and pop stores and family restaurants. He checked the notebook paper and glanced at addresses on the mailboxes as he slowly rolled down the far end of the street. He found Tess’ house with little problem and arrived promptly at ten o’clock. It was a small, cute Cape Cod situated on a tree-lined street. It looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. He parked on the street in front of her house. Sebastian bounded up the front lawn and knocked on the door. Her mother, Kate, answered almost immediately.
“Hello, you must be Sebastian. Please come in.” She had the sweetest smile. Tess loo
ked just like her, he observed. She was dressed in white nurse scrubs with little teddy bears on them. She seemed too young to be a mother to someone Tess’ age. He extended his hand and shook hers. She had a soft grip.
Sebastian looked up as Tess came down the stairs clutching SAT prep books, pens, and notepads. She was wearing a navy St. Alexander’s hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, not as a fashion statement but as a matter of practicality. “Right on time,” she said, walking past him and waving for him to follow. “Ready to get started? We’ll sit at the kitchen table.”
“Lead the way,” Sebastian replied, already following behind.
They sat at the table and opened their books. Tess started explaining the type of exam questions Sebastian would be asked during the test. Tess’ mother found a pause in the lesson and interrupted briefly. “There’s some homemade soup in the crock pot and sandwiches in the fridge for lunch.” She turned to Sebastian. “Make yourself at home and don’t let Tess make you work too hard. It is Saturday, after all.”
Sebastian stood up. “Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Hamilton.”
Mrs. Hamilton patted him gently on the back. “Tess was right, you are a charmer.”
“Please don’t hold that against me.”
She simply smiled at him and then turned to Tess. “I’ll be home around eight o’clock.” She grabbed her coat and keys and headed out of the house to go to work.
“Your mother is a nurse?” Sebastian inquired.
“Yeah, she works in the pediatric division. All sorts of crazy hours. She does it so I can go to Alexander’s and get into a good college.”
“What does your father do for a living?”
Her voice dropped a notch. “He died when I was fourteen.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” Sebastian apologized.
“It’s okay. I’ve had three years to get used to it. But you never really do get used to it, do you? I still don’t understand it to this day. He was thirty-nine years old. He went to work in the morning just like any other day. In the afternoon, a police officer showed up at our door to inform us he had died of a heart attack.”
“I never knew my father,” Sebastian suddenly found himself confessing softly. He would never have done this with any other new acquaintance. Somehow, Tess was different. He felt an easy connection with her that he couldn’t explain.
Now Tess was apologizing. “I’m sorry. That’s terrible. I can’t ever imagine not knowing my dad. Did your father die, too?”
“No, he was banished from the kingdom,” he replied without emotion. “He had fidelity issues. I don’t even think he ever knew I existed.” He tried to explain, but it just sounded awful.
“Did you ever think of looking for him?”
“Yes, but from the little I know about him, he wasn’t a very nice man. I’d rather live with the image I’ve created in my imagination. There’s less disappointment that way.” He tried to laugh it off. “I sound very morose and pathetic. We should study.”
On that suggestion, they put all thoughts of their fathers away and dug into the books. She quizzed him. He scribbled notes and paged through books, finding the correct references and explanations for his errors.
“Okay, time for lunch,” Tess said, closing her workbook after they had studied for an hour and a half. Sebastian piled the books and papers together and made room for their plates and bowls. Tess served up the sandwiches and hot beef barley soup.
Sebastian breathed in deeply. It smelled fabulous. He picked up his spoon and tasted the soup. Tess watched in silence. He could feel her eyes on him. Sebastian could not take it any longer; he put down his spoon and said, “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me?”
“You’re not like the other boys at St. Alexander’s,” she replied. “You hold yourself differently. Your vocabulary and diction is different. You have intelligence and manners. It’s like you stepped out of an episode of Masterpiece Theatre.”
“What if I did? Would that change our friendship?”
“Are we friends?” Tess asked with raised eyebrows.
“I consider you my friend.”
Sebastian stood up and pulled the billfold out of his perfectly fitting khaki pants, and opened it to locate his dog-eared passport. He handed it to Tess. She looked at the gold embossed lion and unicorn crest on the red cover. European Community of United Kingdom and Northern Ireland was stamped across the top. Tess opened the passport to find a photo of a much younger Sebastian, perfectly groomed and looking straight ahead, without expression. She read the information next to the photo.
Irons, Sebastian Andrew. D.O.B. 31 May 1967
Place of Birth - London, England
He could see the mix of shock, disbelief, and maybe a little bit of anger in her expression. He hoped he had not blown any chance of friendship he might have with her by revealing his identity. “But you don’t have an accent. Were you raised in America?”
“No, I just had the foresight to hire a very good dialect coach. Are you angry with me?”
“How could I be angry? I really don’t know you. Why keep it a secret?” she asked, handing back the passport.
“Come on, Tess. You saw how I was treated on my first day at Alexander’s. It’s bad enough that I had to start my senior year at a brand new school where everyone already knows everyone else. I’m ridiculed for my social status. I didn’t need an accent to bring even more attention to myself,” he explained.
“I do understand, Sebastian. But you shouldn’t have to pretend to be someone else. When we’re alone, just be yourself. I want to hear your real voice.”
Sebastian closed his eyes and took a minute to compose himself. He was so happy she had accepted him so readily. Finally he said, “It’s not an easy thing to switch on and off. I really have to concentrate when I speak to get the accent right. It’s just easier to stay with the American voice,” he explained in his own British accent.
“You never have to worry about that again, not around me,” she reassured. “I have so many questions.”
Sebastian looked at his watch. “Well, you will have to save them for later. We have a house to build.”
They headed for the foyer, grabbed their coats, and locked the door of the house behind them as they stepped outside. Sebastian pulled out his car keys from his coat pocket. Tess spoke up and said, “I think you had better let me drive. We’re going to a pretty poor neighborhood.”
“I’m not worried,” he said reassuringly, thinking she was concerned that his car would be stolen.
Tess stopped in her tracks. He had misunderstood her. “Sebastian, your car is a little too ostentatious. Think of what we’re going to do today. I don’t think we should pull up in a brand new Jaguar.”
“Okay, you drive.”
They got into the Chevette and Tess started the engine. Level 42’s Something About You blared from the stereo speakers. “Oops, sorry. When I drive alone I like to turn up the stereo and sing,” she admitted with a hint of embarrassment.
“Well, go on then,” he quipped in an outright challenge.
“No, I only sing alone.” She quickly changed the subject. “Why did you decide to come to Alexander’s?”
“It wasn’t my choice. It was my mother’s. My turn,” he countered. “Why do you work so hard?”
She stared straight ahead as she drove, her eyes checking the mirrors at regular intervals. “I don’t have a choice, either. Since my dad died, my mom has been working extra shifts to pay my tuition to Alexander’s and save for my college education. I can’t let her down. I figure the best way I could help is work my ass off, graduate as valedictorian, and get a scholarship to NYU so she can take it easy for a change.”
“Hmm.”
“What’s the ‘hmm’ for?”
“Wouldn’t that be a coincidence if we both ended up at the same university?” Sebastian queried. “And what would you be studying?”
“Journalism,” she replied matter-o
f-factly, as if this had been her goal for her entire existence. “Now since you just asked me two questions, I get to do the same,” Tess informed him. “You said you got the feeling your father wasn’t a nice man. Why?”
“I swear, you are the most confident and aggressive girl I’ve ever met,” he stated in amazement as a smile crossed his lips. These were qualities in a girl he was not used to encountering. It intrigued him and he wanted to learn more about her, not tell her his life story.
“You didn’t answer my question.” She stole a glance at him as the car came to a complete stop at a four-way intersection. “Stop stalling.”
He sighed and tried to formulate his thoughts into a coherent explanation. “My father had several mistresses. One day my mother came home and found him in her bed with one of them. She divorced him and paid him to disappear. I can’t really blame him—I’d do the same if I had to be married to her. Evidently, after he was gone, she found out she was pregnant with me.”
“You don’t like her very much, do you?”
“No, I don’t like her at all,” he replied without emotion.
“How can you possibly say that?”
“She’s an evil woman.”
“But she raised you!”
“No, she didn’t.” He began to fidget in the passenger seat. “I’ve had enough of this game for today. Can we please stop?” He reached for the car stereo without waiting for an answer and turned up the volume.
Sebastian and Tess spent the afternoon rehabbing a house in North Philadelphia. The neighborhood may have been very depressed, but there was a feeling of happy togetherness from everyone around. He had never experienced a sense of community like this before. Sebastian and Tess’ job was installing wallboard. He was happy to help, and being selfless felt good. It wasn’t a quality he was known for, but he was determined to try it more often. Of course, spending the afternoon with Tess was a bonus.
They were dirty and a little sweaty, with flecks of drywall clinging to their hair and clothing. A few neighbors waved goodbye and the future homeowners patted Sebastian on the back and gave Tess heartfelt hugs as they were leaving the home.
Life's What You Make It: Love's Great Adventure Book 1 Page 8