by Carly White
“Well I’ll be.”
“Yeah, there the whole time if you would have looked. Math is pretty simple. It is the only subject that has one answer. I mean, it isn’t like say Lit class where you can answer fifty different ways and they are all right, with math there is only one. That’s what I like about it so much, simplicity. With Business Math, all you need to worry about is plugging in the numbers for the formula. That’s it.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is, here I printed out some practice papers for you. Why don’t you do them and I am going to jump in the shower? We will go over them when I get out.”
“Wait, you are giving me homework?”
“Yes, you can do it. Formulas are in the back and I really need a shower, so yeah.”
I walked out of the living room and honestly I just needed to get away from him. Turning the shower on, I sat on the sink playing a game on my phone. I know, kind of crazy, but he was impossible to be around and not think about in a sexual way. I had to keep reminding myself of Jimmy and how well that turned out.
There was a knock on the door. “Yeah?”
He opened it and I just looked at him. “What are you doing in here?”
“Playing a game. Are you already done?”
“Yeah, come and check it for me.”
I turned the shower off and hoped that my face wasn’t as red as my hair. He had totally busted me and I flipped my phone off. Looking at the paper, he had them all right. “See, this isn’t so bad.”
“Why didn’t the teachers tell me about this last semester?”
“Well they probably did. You know the see appendix such and such, yeah that’s your formulas. You did good, do you want to keep going with the next one?”
“Are you going to go hide in the bathroom again?”
“Well I can’t now, so I guess not.”
“Why were you in there?”
“You make me nervous.”
He grinned and I hated it. Nick knew why I was avoiding him, but he wanted me to tell him why. How could I explain that he made me want to do things that weren’t a part of the tutoring I had agreed to. It had been far too long.
“I like that I make you nervous.”
Of course he did. He moved forward and I sat back a little to give us a bit of a gap between us. It was hard to see him as anything else but the “enforcer.’ It was his name on the team and it just seemed to fit. Nick moved closer suddenly and pulled me to him, his lips meeting mine. My body responded, kissing him back before my mind could tell me to stop. I finally realized what was happening, or my brain caught up and I pushed back. “We can’t Nick. I am just tutoring you.”
“Okay, I just thought we would get it out of the way so we could get back to work.”
It sounded like a good plan, just poorly executed. Moving towards him I kissed him back, this time more passionately. I wanted him to feel what I was feeling and when I pulled away, the hardness in his pants was all I needed to attest to it. “There, that’s better. Now on to the next page. This is the ratios that we need to find. Most of these are for getting loans and stuff for businesses. Same scenario as before.”
Flipping the book in his hands to a few pages in for the formulas he would need. “Just use these formulas and plug in your numbers. This one is a two-step process, so you won’t find the third number until you do this formula first.”
I looked up and he was staring at me. “What?”
He shook his head like there was nothing wrong, so I started to get up and walk into the kitchen for a drink. His hand stopped me and he pulled me down onto his lap. “You can’t kiss me like that and then go back to work.”
“I thought we were getting it out of the way. The first kiss didn’t do it for me, that’s all.”
“Will you give me another chance?”
“No it’s fine really Nick. It’s out of my system now.”
I could tell he didn’t believe me, hell I didn’t even believe me. “If that’s true than stop running away.”
I sighed and sat back down. He was too close for comfort, but there was nothing I could do. I didn’t want him thinking that he had that kind of control over me. I think he was too used to control as it was. I waited while he did the next practice sheet and again, he didn’t miss one. I was starting to think that he really didn’t need any help. I told him so and he just shrugged. “I guess you are just a good teacher.”
“Yeah that’s what it is. Really why did you sign up for a tutor Nick?”
He didn’t answer me, just looked at me in that way. I licked my lips nervously because he was staring at them. It was getting strange and when he moved in for another kiss, I wondered even more what he was doing there.
“I knew that you would be my tutor, so I signed up. It’s not easy to get close to you Chloe, so I knew that this would be a good way to do it.”
“Do what?”
“Seduce you.”
Chapter 5
“Wait, what are you talking about?”
I had a feeling I knew what it was about. The same thing that I was afraid of happening again I would assume. It wasn’t the first time someone had heard what happened with me and Jimmy and tried to replicate it. I guess it was partially my fault for doing some of those things with Jimmy, but I wasn’t going to let Nick make a fool of me as well.
“You know what I am talking about Chloe.”
“Yeah I think I do. You need to leave Nick. Let me know how much I owe you for bailing me out and I will get it to you tomorrow. You don’t need a tutor for math.”
He looked confused, but I was done entertaining his plans. Nick didn’t get up until I was already at the door holding it open for him. “What did I say wrong?”
“Nothing Nick, I just don’t have time for that. The only reason I tutor is to pay for tuition. And that is for tutoring, nothing else.”
“What did you think I meant?”
“It doesn’t matter, just please leave.”
He finally got up and when he tried to say something I just shut the door. I felt like an idiot for thinking that it had been fate trying to put us together. It was just rumours of sexual conquests that made him rope me into tutoring him, nothing more. I had gone a bit too far with Jimmy and he had recorded some of our encounters, so even though he was one of two that I slept with while I was in college, I looked like a slut that screwed all the jocks. Not to mention the fact that we had tried out some new things that I had found interesting.
I angrily pushed back the tears from my eyes, mad that I was upset more than I was mad at Nick. I was stupid to think that a guy like that was ever supposed to be for me. It just wasn’t in the cards for me. I went to bed that night and dreamed of Nick. That may have been the worst part of all.
***
I was awoken early in the morning with the smell of coffee. I didn’t drink alcohol, but coffee was an essential. Lianna was coming in with a cup. “Hey sexy, look at you. Did you have a good night?”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Pouty face and then she jumped on the bed with me after she set the cup down. “Come on, it couldn’t have been that bad. You were looking hot, he’s always hot, it’s a match made in heaven.”
“For one it was supposed to be just for tutoring and for two, well he only wanted me to tutor him because of Jimmy.”
“You are never going to live that down are you?”
Taking the coffee, I took a drink and sat back with my eyes closed. “Well apparently not while I am in college. I mean, he knew everything about it and he only signed up because he knew that I tutored most of the jocks.”
“So he’s officially a scumbag and a dumb jock?”
“Not dumb, but yeah scumbag sums it up.”
“I’m sorry Chlo, I know that you really liked him once upon a time.”
“And we will not speak of it again.”
“Deal.”
“So how did it go with you and Johnson?”
“It went great. We went out for dinner and then ended up at his place. He kicked his roommate out and we did it on every surface in that little place.”
Her joy was irritating, so I got up and went into the living room. It was then that I saw his jacket still on the couch. Picking it up, I sighed. It meant I would have to see him again. “Hey don’t you have Nick for one of your classes today?”
“Yes, do you want me to punch him for you? I totally will, especially after the other night at the party.”
I assured her it was nothing like that. “Just bring him his jacket that he left, if you don’t mind. I don’t think I can see him again, not right now.”
“What happened that was so bad that you can’t even see him?”
I sighed, not sure how to explain it, but she was the closest one that would get it. “You remember how I felt about him, right? Well when I got his name from the Student Union, I thought that it was fate or something. I don’t know. I am usually not that sappy, but for some reason I was feeling that way. Then I find out that it is all a ruse and he starts to kiss me…”
“You guys kissed?”
“Yeah, it was pretty nice, but you are missing the point.”
“What’s the point again?”
“He was only here because he thinks I am going to do to him, what I did for Jimmy.”
“Do you want me to punch Jimmy in the face then?”
I had to give it to her. She could always make me laugh. “No Lianna, we are not punching anyone in the face, geez. I thought you were supposed to be nicer when you and Johnson were on?”
“Yes, well I don’t like seeing you upset so it makes me want to.”
“As much as I love you for that, no. I am just going to avoid him and hope for the best. Besides, I was kind of mean to him last night.”
“Just let me know.”
“I will.”
“So what are you doing today after class?”
I shrugged, really not thinking that far ahead. “I don’t know, I guess I need to go back down to the Student Union so I can find a real client and then I need to go hit up financial aid and see if they will give me an extension. If I can’t figure it out soon, I will have to go ask my parents for money.”
“How much are you short?”
“A couple grand I think, but I will figure it out. What are you up to today?”
She gave me that look and I knew that it was Johnson that she was planning to do today. “Just remember to give that jacket back to Nick please? I will owe you big time.”
“Enough that you will stay gone tonight so we can have a date night?”
“Alright chica, thanks for the coffee but I think I am going to go.”
Chapter 6
Class was a bore and by the time I got out of there, all I wanted to do was go home and take a nap. I hadn’t slept well from the night before, but there were things that I had to do and they had to be done. So instead of sliding into my warm sheets at home, I went across campus to see if I could get an amount and hopefully a bit of an extension on tuition before I went back to see if I could find another student to tutor.
Kate was there when I got in. She had been my financial advisor for the last couple of years and there was nothing to say but she was great. She had helped me find a couple of scholarships that I hadn’t known about and I was hoping for some magic today.
“Hi Kate.”
“Hey Chloe, how’s it going?”
“Not so good, but I was hoping I could talk to you about getting an extension on the tuition. I know I am like a week late on it, but I was hoping that you could maybe cut me some slack and give me an amount of how much I owe if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all dear, take a seat and we will see what you got going on. I’ve been out the last couple of days, so I haven’t gotten any alerts that the college sends to me usually. I am sure we can work something out for you Chloe, just hold tight.”
I thanked her and waited for her to pull me up on the screen and tell me how bad the damage was going to be. I knew it was over three grand left after all the grants and scholarships, but I did not expect the printout that I got instead.
“This has to be wrong Kate. I know I owe more money because I only made a partial payment, remember?”
“Yes dear, but it looks like someone came in and paid this morning. It must have been real early because I wasn’t even in yet.”
My mind raced, trying to figure out who it was that would do it. My first thought was my mom, but I hadn’t even gone to her about tuition money yet. It was a last resort situation and I wasn’t sure how she would have known.
“Well do you know who paid it on my behalf?”
“That’s the strange part. It was paid in full in cash and there doesn’t look like there was a receipt or anything given. When Jane comes back from lunch, I will ask her what she knows about it.”
“Okay thanks Kate.”
“Are you sure you don’t know who paid it? It’s a lot of money.”
I nodded that I didn’t. I couldn’t figure out who would send me that kind of money or why. It was weird and I ended up not going to the Student Union. There was no point if I didn’t have to pay tuition. I had enough money for incidentals for the rest of the term. It looked like I didn’t have to do any more tutoring, but it begged the question why. Or more aptly, who?
***
It was driving me crazy not knowing who had sent the money to the school and to pay in cash just didn’t make sense. Who did I know that would pay it for me and then in cash, most people didn’t walk around with a bunch of cash in their pocket. I called mom to see if she had paid anything but she ended up getting suspicious so I told her it was nothing and went on.
There was one person that kept coming to mind, but I knew I had to be wrong and if I wasn’t wrong, it begged to wonder what the whole point of it was. I got my phone out and dialed the number that had called me a few days before.
“Hey Nick.”
“Chloe, good to hear from you.”
“Was it you?”
“Me?”
“Did you do it, I just need to know.”
“Do what?”
He was playing too dumb for it not to be him, so why would Nick pay off my tuition? It didn’t make sense, especially after I kicked him out of my house yesterday.
“Why did you do that Nick? You can’t buy sex from me. Believe it or not, there are some things that money can’t buy.”
“Whoa, whoa, what are you talking about? You said the only reason that you tutor was to pay your tuition, so I just thought I would help you out. I promise there were no strings attached.”
I didn’t believe him, there were always strings. It just didn’t make sense. “Well thank you I guess, but I need to know how much it was so I can pay you back.”
“Don’t worry about it really. It’s no big deal.”
It was though. It was a very big deal and I couldn’t believe that he didn’t see it that way. I knew he had money, but the way he was acting like it was nothing was crazy. It was almost four thousand dollars all together, as well as the five hundred he had given the cop to get me out of going to jail. Why was he being so nice to me? It seemed like a long way to go to help someone to get laid, but what other reason could it be?
“Look I didn’t do it so you would have sex with me, though I would love it, I don’t buy pussy when I can get it for free from half the girls on campus.”
I knew what he said was true, but it still just didn’t make any sense. “Well I don’t know why you did it then Nick. What do you expect to get from it?”
“Nothing okay. How about we start again? Would you like to go out for dinner tonight? I hear your schedule is open now and I would really like to take you out.”
I didn’t know why, but I agreed. Maybe it was because he was so damn hot and I had had a crush on him for a couple of years, but whatever the reason I agreed to meet with him. He told me he would pick me up in an hour and I hung u
p before I could change my mind.
Chapter 7
I was nervous, as I usually was around hot guys, but he was there on time and I had agreed to it already. I wore the slutty dress that Lianna had tried to get me to wear the night before and I had to say that it looked pretty damn good. Now that it was kind of a date, I didn’t feel so bad to be wearing it and I hoped he liked it. I really hoped that he would be as tongue-tied as I was.
When he showed up though and I opened the door, I was once again lost in his dark brown eyes. I caught myself smiling like an idiot and pulled it back down. “Hey Nick, so where are we going?”
He didn’t tell me, said it was a surprise. I went with it, I mean, he had just paid for my tuition, in full that day, so I kind of felt obligated. Beyond that, I really just wanted to know why he did it in the first place. I knew he was filthy rich, but it still didn’t make sense why he would do it to begin with. We barely spoke to each other for three and a half years and in the last few days he had bailed me out in a cop car, as well as paid off my tuition. It just didn’t make sense and I was all about figuring out inconsistencies.
“So where are we going Nick?”
“I made us some dinner at home and I was thinking that we could go back to my place.”
There it was. He did want me for sex or something like that or why would I be invited to his home. “I thought we had already gone over that? I am not really looking for sex Nick.”
“Neither am I, though once again always here if you change your mind.”
“Then why?”
“Can’t we just enjoy a meal before we get into all of this?”
“Fine but you are acting really weird.”
“Do you really not remember me from before?”
I looked at him a little stunned, “From before?”
“Yeah before college, do you remember me?”
We got in his car and started driving towards his house. I wasn’t sure where it was, but I figured it was close. “Remember you from when?”