The Nerdiest Bad Boy [UNDERGOING EDITING]

ᏟᎻᎪᏢᎢᎬᎡ ᎢᏔᎬNᎢY-ᎾNᎬ

I was actually enjoying my day, napping on the couch without a care in the world. Aside from the schizophrenic woman banging her ceiling with a broom, in the apartment below us and our neighbours' excessively loud crying baby, everything was serene. My euphoria-like state was ruined, however, when my cell phone started ringing. Without checking my caller ID, as per usual, I answered the phone call. "What?" I hissed.

"It's always a pleasure talking to you," Arden greeted in a sarcastic manner.

"Why are you calling me?"

"Can't friends call each other?" she quipped.

"Don't bullshit me, Daniels. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. I just want to sleep," I admitted.

I heard Arden laugh on the other line. "Actually, Nicholas, my dad wanted to know if you could come over to tutor Gavin."

Albeit I didn't want to go at the moment, I knew the money would benefit Amanda and I, so I had no choice but to agree. "I'll be there in twenty minutes," I told Arden.

"I can't wait!" she said happily.

"I'm coming to tutor Gavin, not you," I pointed out.

I could imagine Arden glaring at me through her phone. "You suck at this being nice shenanigan, friend."

"I'm not a good actor, acquaintance," I mocked.

"I've been downgraded to your acquaintance? Ouch."

I chuckled at her commentary. "Keep this up and it'll soon become peer."

Arden laughed rhythmically. "I'll see you soon, Nicholas."

After I hung up, I had to force myself to get up. I was faced with a not so major dilemma: sleep or make money? Obviously, the best answer was to get up and go to the Daniels' residence, but sleep seemed so much more appealing.

Once my internal debate was settled, I dragged myself off of the couch and I took a shower. I then changed into a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. I combed my hair with my fingers as I slipped my glasses back on. I figured I looked decent enough, so I grabbed an orange from the kitchen and exited our apartment. My temporary freedom was too short to even be considered short-lived because Amanda entered our apartment just as I was leaving.

"Hey, Mandy. See you later." I tried to slip past her, but Amanda blocked the doorframe with her duffel bag.

"Where are you going?" she asked while eying me suspiciously.

"I'm going to Arden's house. Goodbye." I made another attempt to leave, but Amanda wouldn't budge.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Arden lately," she said suggestively.

I ran a hand through my damp hair. "If you're trying to imply some sort of innuendo, then I advise you to stop. I'm going there to tutor her brother."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You tutor, Nico?"

"Mr. Daniels hired me to tutor his son."

"This is a paying job, right?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "The world doesn't revolve around money, Amanda."

"When you're an eighteen-year-old raising your bratty younger brother, then the world sure as hell does revolve around money," she quipped back. Although I didn't admit it, Amanda did have a point. We didn't have any relatives who lived nearby and it was either I lived with Amanda, or in foster care. I actually did plan to choose foster care, but Amanda threatened to kill me in my sleep, so I decided to stay with her. I'd say I was kidding, but I really wasn't.