Dirty Little Secret

Chapter eight - Tutor

ARDEN INES

The final bell rings and I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. I don't like that I'm so nervous to do this. But it also doesn't help that Colton has been really weird. 

He's constantly staring at me and now always talks to me. I started seeing him in the hallways between every period and always feel his burning eyes on me during lunch.

It unnerves me more than I'd like to admit. 

What if he's only inviting me over to try to get in my pants?

That's what Sara told me anyway. I hate to think like that though. Maybe he really needs the help... hopefully.

I walk out of the school and glance around the parking lot.  I don't see him yet. 

I made sure to tell Adrien that I didn't need a ride. He was suspicious but didn't say anything else.

"Hey. You ready?" a voice says from behind me. 

I turn to see Colton walking out of the front of the school.

I nod a response and we walk side by side to his car.

Neither of us says anything until we get on the main road.

"I really appreciate you helping me. Math's always been my tough area." he says not taking his eyes off the road. 

"It's no big deal. Math is my strong suit so..." I say with an awkward laugh. 

This time he does glance at me, with a genuine smile that makes my stomach flip and my heart to race.

God, even after twelve years this boy still makes me as nervous as he did in kindergarten. 

I smile at the thought of little Colton that young. 

We make small talk on the way to his house but nothing out of the ordinary. Which reminds me that he is not my friend, and I don't belong in that position.

He pulls into a driveway that has its own personal bricked entrance. The house itself is huge. Well not house, mansion. 

The grass is perfectly green the kind you see in a movie and the white brick looks fancy with everything around. 

I'm not surprised though. It's a Lancaster home.

We do need to leave by 5:30P.M. That's what time my parents get home." he says as he parks his equally nice car.

I suddenly feel self-conscious but shake it off. No one's a Lancaster. He doesn't expect that from me.

He walks to the door and holds it open for me as I walk in ahead of him. And we go to the kitchen table and get started. 

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By the time 5:00 rolls around we're getting our stuff cleaned up. But suddenly the front door opens and voices fill the room. 

Heels hitting the marble floors get louder as they come closer.

"Shit." Colton mutters under his breath.

I tall women in a pencil skirt with a blouse makes her presence known. She scans Colton and then me. Lingering on me more than him she looks and me from head to toe with distaste.

An even taller man comes to stand beside the women and puts his hand on the small of her back.

I medially recognize him. 

Mr. Lancaster. 

And the women must be his wife. Mrs. Lancaster.

Mrs. Lancaster crosses her arms over her chest and says, "Honey why is this...girl...in our home?" 

Colton can barely look his parents in the eye as he says, "She was helping me with math." 

She scoffs and reply's, "Colton if you're having trouble with your classes, we can hire a professional tutor to help you. Although I don't see the need. Your grades are perfection."

I throw a glance at Colton but don't dare speak. 

Mr. Lancaster barely glances at anyone as he excuses himself for a phone call. Leaving us alone with the scary woman.

"No more. Don't let me see this filth in my home again." She says as she walks away. Her nose in the air. 

I gasp at her words. 

Filth.

Filth is what you call the dirt underneath your shoes. 

Filth is something that's disgusting. 

That's what I am to her. That's what everyone is to people like her. 

I turn and grab my bag and start fast-walking for the door.

"Wait." I hear Colton say from behind me, sighing. 

"Please, just wait." 

I do. I stop and turn to face him. 

He grabs his keys and walks toward me. 

"Don't. You don't want to sit in a car with disgusting filth like me." 

I'm being petty. It's not his fault his mother said that. But I don't care.

He didn't defend me.

I'm not sure why I expected him to. It's his mother.

"Don't say that. Don't even listen to her she has no idea what she's talking about." his eyes hold mine with a sadness I haven't yet seen before. 

I purse my lips and sigh.

He walks toward me and puts his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the door.

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AUTHOR NOTE

Hey!!

Thank you for reading chapter eight. I hope you love it!! 

See you next chapter.