Everything Changes

Chapter Forty: Biology Tutor

Brittany watched as Isabel punched numbers into her calculator as they did homework together in the library.

It made her wonder when the last time she held a calculator was. Senior year of high school, if she had to take a guess, as the math class she took for a general education credit was nothing that required calculations of the sorts.

"You just have gotten the math genes from your mom's side," she assumed.

Her cousin snickered, keeping her eyes on the calculator. "Yeah and clearly no science genes, considering I have biology tutoring in thirty minutes."

"Biology?" She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "Aren't you a finance major?"

"It's the only science gen-ed I could get into if I want to graduate on time," she explained. "Which explains why I'm borderline failing and I need serious help before I take the final next week. I'm a numbers person. I can't do science."

"Yeah, you're like... the opposite of a 'woman in STEM', Isabel—well, minus the M 'cus that stands for math. You're the opposite of a woman in STE."

"STE," Isabel repeated. "Exactly."

Brittany stood from her chair before zipping up her backpack. "Anyway, good luck with that. I'm off to PR writing."

"That sounds horrible," she commented as she simultaneously punched more numbers into her calculator.

"Well, like you said you're a numbers person and I have a way with words. I got that from my mom's side," she joked before swinging her backpack around her shoulders. "Have fun with your tutor."

"They're probably such a nerd," she groaned as she rolled her eyes. "I'll still be here when your class ends if you wanna come back."

"Okay, see ya in an hour. Bye-bye, Izzy."

Isabel had been so focused on her finance homework that she didn't even see someone approach her. "Hey."

Assuming she would meet eyes with her biology tutor, she met eyes with her hookup instead, Marco De León. He was wearing sweats and a fraternity t-shirt, an outfit Brittany would finally approve of. "Oh, hi," she greeted, watching as he took a seat across from her. "Actually, um... I'm waiting on my... my..." she paused, debating on the saying the one word that would make her feel stupid in front of him. "Tutor."

"I'm your tutor," was the last thing she expected him to say.

She couldn't help but laugh. Fraternity Pledge Master Marco was not a biology tutor. A tutor to the youngest pledge class on how to correctly shotgun a beer or the highest ideals of what it meant to be in a fraternity, sure... but he didn't know a single thing about biology. She figured he went to his 'sports management' classes once a month and was hooking up with girls who sent him homework answers.

"That's funny," she laughed, shaking her head. "If you wanna hang out with me or something, you can buy me Starbucks."

He chuckled. "Oh, I see... you think I'm joking?" He questioned as she nodded. "I'm a biochemistry major. I was a TA for general biology last year, both semesters. Now I tutor students who are bad at biology... like you, I guess."

"You're smart?" She blurted out. She felt bad for assuming Marco's studies but it was more so that she pictured him as a sports management major or something a frat/jock would study. He was the definition of a frat guy - and the majority of them didn't major in biochemistry.

"Why do you think me and Toby are in all the same classes?" He questioned except that was a question for Brittany. Isabel didn't know Toby's major either, beside the fact he wanted to go into dentistry. There were very few things she knew about Marco, anyway - and all of it included the party scene or the bedroom. "I guess I'm smart. I want to go to chiropractic school after graduation."