The Tutor

TWENTY-TWO

(Leah POV ♥︎)

MONDAY
"Hey hottie!" I heard a mock low voice yell. Jessie winked at me and proceeded to continue as I walked towards her. "You looking real nice sweetheart." She fake cat-called me.

I laughed and as she pulled her body off her car. She made her way towards me and we walked into school together. "Do you think people will think I'm 'cool now'?" I asked while pulling a pink strand out.

"For sure." She reached up and ruffled my hair.

We walked in step by step together and I felt cool. My hair now has these cool streaks of pink in them and my clothes were my usual preppy just with more of a low cut shirt.

We made it to our lockers, which sadly Jessie had hers a couple lockers down.

"Don't freak out now, but Jackson is walking towards you." She whisper-screamed.

I nodded and threw my stuff in my locker.

"Hey Leah," I heard Jackson lean on the locker next to me.

"Hey." I took a tube of lipgloss out. I made sure it was snipped out and the tube made a popping sound.

"I like your hair." He picked my hair up.

I turned around quickly and swatted it out of his hand. "I like it too!" I gave a big fake smile.

I walked past him and down the hallway. Jessie followed my side. I passed her a notebook I promised I would. Silly her, she didn't bring her science notebook on a test that we can use our notebooks on. I know the entire unit so I don't mind being notebook-less.

"You mad or something?" Jackson rushed to my side.

"No. Why would you ask that?" I asked innocently.

"I don't know, I just thought after that kiss that.." He trailed off.

"Thought what? It was just a simple kiss." I shrugged.

"right." He left.

I looked at Jessie with wide eyes and she laughed.

~

After school I was a mess. Sure the whole Jackson thing was over, but I sat in my car for good five minutes just thinking. Thinking about how much of an ass he is and how I was too blind to see his true self.

A text pinged throughout my car and it was Kai. He texted me to meet him at the park and so I snapped out of it and drove there.

~

Walking up the dirt road I saw Kai sitting on a ledge-like thing. He held a book in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"Hey," He greeted. He put out the cigarette and put his finger in the book as a bookmark.

"Hi." I gave a small smile. I have a plan today and if I show him I'm sad he won't do it, so therefore I have to be happy. I fixed my smile to a bigger one and looked at him. "Whatcha reading?" I leaned towards the book.

"You probably already have read it last year but." He stuffed the book in my face.

I laughed a little and backed away from the book to see what it was. Oh a classic. Pride and Prejudice.

"Oh, I love this book!" I held it like a prize.

"Well, I hate it." He snatched it away.

I gave him a little summary and some metaphors and the meaning of their actions while he sat there. But the entire time I was talking it was like he wasn't even listening.

Finally I turned around and looked him straight in the eyes. "Do you want to study or what?"

"Your hair is pink." He reached out.

I was caught by surprise for a second, but got annoyed. "Glad we covered that, so do you understand now?" I faced him annoyed. He was still entranced by my hair and his hand lingered a little too long.

He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear and kept his hand at the base of my neck under my ear. I looked between his eyes and widened them in surprise. Gulping, I asked my long awaited question, "Since you don't want to learn, can you teach me something then?"

His hand dropped and he shook his head momentarily and put his hand at the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, what do you wanna learn?"

"Drinking."

"Le-"

"Kai. I'm fine." I rolled my eyes annoyed.

He looked between my eyes for confirmation and huffed. "I got something in the car hold on." He jumped off the ledge and went towards his car.

It was weird how he just looked at me. Did Jackson tell him anything? I bet he just feels bad for me. I don't need his sympathy though. I'm perfectly fine without his ugly best friend.

Coming back he held a bottle with clear liquid. "This is strong Leah. I need you to be careful." He placed it in my hands carefully.

He jumped his way back on to the ledge and took the bottle from me. The sun was setting and it was perfect for a more dim lighting to hide the bottle in plain sight.

"Drink a little and then a little more so it comes to you. If you chug it, it will hit you like a train." He scoffed.

I took it from his hands and held to bottle and took a swig. It was sour and bitter and the taste left my mouth feeling tingly. My throat slightly burned and my nose scrunched in disgust.

"Ew. Please don't tell me all alcohol tastes like that." I gasped.

"Nah. This ones cheap and just straight liquor." He took a swig. No reaction. Must be an alcoholic.

We put the bottle in between us. It was quite and my mind started to loosen up. All the tension from being silently angry all day left my body and was replaced by a state of relaxation.

"I saw him." My mouth betrayed me. I was tipsy and I couldn't really think about what I was saying. I just said what I said.

"Saw who?" Kai turned towards me.

"Jackson. He kissed another girl." I took another drink from the bottle.

"Leah," He took the bottle away from me. "Why didn't you say anything to him?"

"It doesn't really matter. I never mattered to him so why should he for me? It was so silly of me to think I even had a chance." I laughed. Truly, it was funny of me to even get my hopes up!

"I'm so sorry Leah." He looked away. He didn't say much after my confession and just sorta looked off.

I pulled his chin towards me and the liquid gave me a new found sense of confidence. "Kai, I want you to tell Jackson that he's a piece of shit." I slurred and leaned on his chest. "You just might be the only guy I can trust. I can't even trust my own father now." A tear spilled. "Poor Milo, I hope he doesn't ever end up like my dad. I hope he respects women and doesn't play with them. You'd never do that, right Kai?" I looked up at him.

He looked down at me and stroked my hair lightly. He never did promise, but I think the look in his eyes said he wouldn't. I would hope so anyway.

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