The Bad Boy’s Tutor: Hidden Masks Book 1

by Arthurs, Nia

  “Nothing,” I said.

  Her eyebrows bunched. “I know that’s not true.”

  “Mom…”

  “Tell me.”

  “First, tell me. Why do you stay with him?”

  She sucked in a breath. I knew that would shut her up. Whenever I spoke to Mom about Dad’s abuse and her tolerance of it, she got uncomfortable and left.

  But tonight, she stood her ground. “You’re too young to understand.”

  “You’ve been saying that since I was eleven, but I understand perfectly. You can hide your pain from the world, but you can’t hide it from me.”

  She met my gaze, unflinching. Brave. Showing far more strength than she did when Dad was mistaking her for a punching bag. “I love him.”

  “Right.”

  “Your father is a broken man, but I still want him. I still believe in him, flaws and all. That’s what love is.”

  “Then love is too cruel,” I hissed.

  “You’re saying that because you don’t know what love feels like.”

  “And I never want to. Not if it means I turn into a raging monster of a jerk.”

  She stepped forward. “Don’t talk about your father like that.”

  My temper spiked. Even now she was defending him. “Why can’t you act like this when he’s hitting you? Why do you make me worry about you? I’m so afraid that one day he’ll punch you one time too many or you’ll have one more drink than you should…”

  She rushed over. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

  I nodded. Whether or not Marissa decided to have the baby, I needed my mother around. Even this battered, delusional version was better than not having her at all.

  “Mom, you gotta stop drinking,” I croaked.

  She pulled back, her face hard. “Is this about what happened yesterday?”

  “You were so drunk you were flailing all over the bed, cursing everybody out.”

  She looked ashamed.

  I knew Mom would rather I pretended it didn’t happen, but I had to address it. “Why do you keep going there? Yelling at the girls won’t do anything.”

  “The girls.” She scoffed. “Is that what you call them?”

  “They’re humans.”

  “They’re scum.”

  I flinched. “Mom…”

  “Don’t defend them. You’ll disappoint me.”

  I leaned over and implored, “How is it that you can see their wrongs, but you can’t see Dad’s? Why are you blaming them when it’s Dad who drives there. It’s Dad who pays for—”

  “Stop!” she screamed.

  I clamped my mouth shut.

  She trembled and the veins in her temple bulged. Her perfectly brushed hair wafted to her shoulders. The necklace sparkled above her expensive cocktail dress. She was the very picture of a privileged and pampered wife.

  But we both knew the truth. Why couldn’t she admit it?

  “I’m tired.” She let out a breath. “Don’t stay up too late.”

  I took a step toward her. “Wait…”

  “Good night, son.” She brushed me off and disappeared through the door.

  I headed inside and sank on my bed. Scooping my phone up, I absently checked the screen.

  There was a new message.

  Curious, I tapped on it.

  UNKNOWN: Goodnight, this is Monique.

  UNKNOWN: I hope you don’t mind. I got your number from Baz.

  UNKNOWN: About tutoring…

  I closed my eyes, unable to read the rest. For some reason, if Monique cancelled our tutoring sessions, I’d be devastated. With all the chaos in my life, my interest in her was the only bright spot.

  I sucked in a deep breath and kept reading.

  UNKNOWN: About tutoring, I’m free everyday.

  I blinked. Read the text again. Why was she suddenly offering to tutor me everyday when she’d seemed set against that?

  It didn’t matter. An opportunity had just presented itself and I wouldn’t let it pass.

  JAMES: Hey, Monique. I’m in a bad state and I think I’d need two hours everyday.

  She didn’t respond for a while.

  I did some pushups. Jogged around my room. Played a few bars on the guitar. But I couldn’t focus on anything.

  When my phone finally chimed, I sprung on the bed and grabbed it. Monique’s name blared across my screen. I’d saved her number while I was waiting.

  MONIQUE: Deal.

  That night, despite all the crap I was going through, I slept with a smile on my face. I woke up with one too.

  I headed to school and things got shaky, but when I heard Marissa had skipped her classes and stayed home, I breathed a little easier.

  The school day crawled by.

  I called Marissa at lunch to check on her. Being happy when she was absent was a selfish move, especially when she was the mother of my child.

  I cowered in the corner of the janitor’s closet and held my phone close. “Everything okay?”

  Marissa sounded breathless. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. I wanted to go to the hospital to take a formal test.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come with you.”

  “It’s okay. I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “This is my baby too. Next time, call me if you need me.”

  “Thank you, James.” She giggled. “I really appreciate that.”

  I winced, sensing that she was taking my assurance the wrong way. As the mother of my child, I planned to cater to Marissa’s needs and be there for her every step of the way.

  But I didn’t love her.

  Thanks to my parents, I could never love anybody.

  8

  I Am English, English Don’t Care

  Monique

  I sat nervously in the library. A furtive glance over my shoulder said James hadn’t arrived yet. I pressed a hand to my thumping heart and mentally prepared myself to see him.

  Be professional.

  He’s got a girlfriend.

  I set my books out. Surveyed the lesson plans for the sophomore class. Fixed my hair… I caught myself midway. Fussing over my appearance was a no-no. Why should I care how I looked in front of James?

  He wouldn’t notice anyway.

  I let my curls frizz as they may and checked the time on my phone. James was late. Figures. I should have known from the way he threw his money around that this wasn’t important to him.

  Jerk.

  I stuffed the thought deep inside. James Sawyer was just a means to an end. His money would save me from sleeping a room away from a grimy pervert. Even so, I wished he would have more respect for my time.

  Five minutes turned into ten.

  Then fifteen.

  Twenty.

  If I didn’t need this gig so badly, I’d pack up and go home. But I wasn’t that proud. James had paid a lot of money for this session. The least I could do was stay and wait. If he showed with only five minutes to spare, I could say I was here all along. No refunds.

  I tapped my pencil against the desk. Rushed footsteps echoed in the distance. I glanced up as James came sprinting toward me. His backpack flapped against his side. His hair tumbled over his forehead.

  “Hey,” he said breathlessly, “I’m sorry I’m late.”

  “It’s fine.” It’s not fine. You jerk. Do you know how long I waited?

  He checked his watch and groaned. “Whoa, I didn’t know it was this bad.” James slid into the seat across from me. “I really intended to be here early, but someone I know is in the hospital—”

  “I said it’s okay.” My gaze met his. I held it firmly. “Let’s go over English first.”

  “Uh, okay.”

  I was curious about why he’d shown up when our session was half over, but I kept my mouth shut. The only thing I agreed to do here was help him improve his grades. I didn’t need to know anything personal. It would only blur the lines.

  “Hey, before we get into it.” James handed an envelope over. “This is f
or the month.”

  My jaw dropped at the weight of the package. I peeked into the envelope stuffed with bills and almost fainted. Never in my fifteen years of life had I held so much money at once.

  I felt uncomfortable. Like I was doing a drug deal or something equally unsavory.

  I pushed the envelope toward him. “I can’t accept this.”

  “Why?” James gave it back. “It’s based on the terms we agreed on last night.”

  “It’s too much.”

  “I told you I’m desperate, right?”

  I needed the money, but this was wrong. “I was only joking about the hundred dollars an hour thing. And you don’t even know if we’ll work well together yet. No, I can’t. You should find someone more qualified, someone worth all this. Take it back.”

  “I don’t want anybody else.”

  “James, this is crazy.”

  His eyes focused on me. “I want you.”

  “Why? You don’t even know me.”

  “Look, the truth is…” He glanced around, looking shy and unsure of himself. A far cry from the James Sawyer that swaggered down the hallways everyday. “It’s embarrassing. Everyone knows I failed last year. I only got promoted because of my dad.”

  “So?”

  “So I don’t want someone that’ll be fake. And I don’t want someone that’ll tear me down.”

  “But—”

  “I know you tutored during the summer. And that you could have taken AP classes but chose not to.”

  Because I’m too poor to afford all those extra classes. Not that I said it aloud.

  James stared imploringly. “Please, help me out.”

  I bit on my lip and nodded. How could I say no to him?

  We finished our session and I went home and gave Mom the money. She was half-asleep when I tossed the envelope in her lap, but when she counted the bills her eyes burst open.

  “Where did you get this?”

  “I got a new job.”

  She sprang from the couch, her dark eyes flashing with fear. “Do you work with a loan shark?”

  “No?”

  “Is it from selling drugs?” She held her breath.

  “No.”

  “Did you agree to be someone’s sugar baby?”

  “Mom!” I almost laughed. “I wouldn’t do that.” I’m trying to get away from creeps not make money from them.

  “Then… how?”

  “It’s perfectly legal. I promise. Just…” I glanced at the bathroom. “Don’t tell Dad. Pay the rent and the utilities with that money. Okay?”

  Her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug. I felt something wet against my neck and realized she was crying.

  My heart stirred. Life had been so unfair to her. She’d fallen in love with my father and signed up for decades of pain, disappointment and suffering. All I wanted to do was ease that burden.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry we’re your parents.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  She clung to me when I tried to pull back. The money in her hands lodged against my stomach almost painfully. “When we’re back on our feet again, we’ll return this.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  Finally, she leaned away from me and swiped a thumb below her cheek. Her eyelashes were clumped together from her tears and her beautiful brown skin looked puffy. “As much as I appreciate your help, I thought I told you not to worry about our financial trouble.”

  “Mom, are you seriously scolding me right now?”

  “I’m the parent here, and I warned you that your education is more important. Did you skip school to earn money?”

  “No.” I sighed and admitted, “I’m tutoring someone after class.”

  “Tutoring? One person gave you all of this?” She thrust the envelope higher.

  I glanced at the bathroom. Dad was still inside. Leaning closer, I lowered my voice. “His name is James Sawyer.”

  “Sawyer?” Her eyes widened. “As in the Sawyers who own half the town? The ones who live in that big mansion on the hill?”

  “Yup. I go to high school with the son.”

  I expected Mom to relax.

  She didn’t.

  “How many sessions have you done?”

  “Uh, one.”

  “When?”

  “Today was the first.”

  She glanced at the envelope. Her voice climbed. “And he gave you all of this? Are you sure he just wants tutoring?” She pushed out her brown lips. “Are you naked when you teach him?”

  “Mom,” I reeled back, “that’s disgusting.”

  She licked her lips. “It just doesn’t make sense. Why would—?” Before she could finish, the door to the bathroom swung open. Mom scrunched her nose and used the money envelope to fan the air. “Honey, what did you eat?”

  “The leftovers from last night. I didn’t want it to spoil, but I guess it spoiled me.”

  “Gross, Dad.”

  His black eyes landed on the envelope and glinted. “What’s that?”

  “Nothing.” Mom swung it behind her back. “Just a packet from Monique’s school. They’re still trying to get her into the advanced classes.”

  “Why are they harassing us? She said she didn’t want to do it.”

  “I know right.” I laughed awkwardly.

  Mom nudged me forward. “Help your dad with dinner. I’m gonna be right back.”

  “What do you feel like eating, honey!” Dad hollered at her.

  “Anything!”

  I followed Mom to the front door. “Are you going to deposit it now?”

  “Yes.” She glanced at Dad who was wandering into the kitchen. In a whisper, she explained, “I opened up a new account. One he doesn’t know about and that I won’t mention. We’ll pay rent and utilities from there.”

  “Great.” I smiled.

  Mom left and I returned to my room. After locking the door, I jumped on my bed and sighed. Even though I had wavered on taking James’s money, I’m glad I did. My family was spared from eviction and I was spared from Tito’s offensive presence.

  Thank you, James Sawyer.

  Despite my personal feelings, I was determined to make every cent count. James Sawyer’s grades would improve. Drastically. That was a promise.

  With my lofty goal in mind, I met James for tutoring the next day. I gave him homework to do over the weekend and made him promise to call me if he hit a snag.

  “Thanks, Monique,” James said as he gathered his books and slipped them into his bag. “Do you need a ride?”

  I checked my phone and noticed a text from my best friend. “Thanks, but Harley’s waiting for me in the parking lot.”

  James escorted me to the exits. “You and Harley are pretty close, huh?”

  “We’ve been best friends since kindergarten so… yeah.”

  He squinted against the sunlight. “I see.”

  I walked ahead but realized James was right behind me.

  I stopped.

  He did too.

  I whirled around and faced him. “Why are you following me?”

  “What?”

  I frowned at him. What is he up to now?

  A smirk climbed his handsome face. My body trembled at the sight and the arms that were clutched over my chest fell limp. James stepped toward me, moving with all the confidence and swagger of a star. My heart raced.

  Step back. Step back! “W-what are you doing?”

  “I’m not following you.” He stopped an inch away. “My car’s in the parking lot.”

  My cheeks heated and I was glad my skin was dark enough to disguise the blush. Too embarrassed for words, I scurried ahead of James. He easily kept up and walked me all the way to Harley’s pickup.

  When he opened my door, I brushed past him to climb inside. James grinned and I felt a new wave of humiliation.

  “Hey,” Harley said, when I scrambled into the passenger side, “are you—?”

  “Just drive, dude. Drive.�
��

  Harley looked past me. “Could you step back, Sawyer? You’re in my way.”

  James gripped the window instead. “It’s Harley, right? I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  “I’m starting a band.”

  Harley snorted. “No thanks.”

  “I didn’t ask you anything yet.”

  “The answer’s still no.”

  James continued like he hadn’t heard him. “I’m working on getting a bass player and drummer so we’re not official yet. When we have it all together, I’ll call you.”

  “Don’t bother.” Harley started the car and put it into gear. “If you don’t want me to roll over your foot, you should move.”

  James took his time backing up. Harley barely checked to make sure he was out of harm’s way before he skated out of the lot.

  “Hey!” I glanced back. “You could have hurt him.”

  “Would have served him right.”

  The coldness in his tone gave me pause. “What is your problem?”

  “I don’t have a problem.”

  “Why did you reject James’s offer to join a band? You’ve been moaning about getting kicked out since summer.”

  “I don’t want anything from him.”

  “Wow. Okay then. Keep being miserable. At least I tried to help.”

  “Speaking of help, why did you have to help him? It bugs me that you’re his tutor. He’s rich enough to afford a college professor. Why does it have to be you?”

  “I don’t know but, because of him, my family can stay in our apartment another month so I’ll do the best I can.”

  “Look, Mo, to him that money was just petty cash. He has to be after something else.”

  “My mom said the same thing.”

  “Maybe you should listen.”

  I turned my face to the open window and let the wind tug my hair. Closing my eyes, I admitted. “I think you’re both wrong.”

  “What?”

  “I thought he’d joke around too, but he’s very focused. More than that. It’s like he’s eager to learn. I don’t get why he’s failing.”

  “It’s because he can. Because he’s got money and once you have that, you have everything.”

  An image of James getting slapped in The Greasy Monkey came to mind. Harley was wrong, but it wasn’t like I could share that story as evidence.