Tutor

Chapter 1 - Tutoring Jack

C H A P T E R O N E - TUTORING JACK

Scarlett's POV

A body came up from behind me and grabbed my hand, Brent. Brent Madison. He was one of my best friends, we would never date each other because we're too close, but he was the goalie of the soccer team making all the girls fawn over him.

My mom approved of him because he was smart and athletic. I was getting my books for AP Chemistry out of my locker when he came behind me.

"Hope Mrs. Parsley isn't on her period today!" He laughed to me. Mrs. Parsley was my AP Chemistry teacher and it seemed she was on her period everyday, although she wasn't. But she liked me, so I was okay with her.

"Hope not." I said back to him.

"Well, I need to go to Algebra, see you at lunch." He said as he released my hand and placed a small kiss on my forehead.

Okay, if you went to my school you might think Brent and I were dating, but I swear we're not. We're just close friends - really close friends. I closed my locker and headed to Chem class.

I scanned the class full of people in front of me, making sure I was in AP Chemistry. I took all of the AP classes, because my parents like for me to be smart and get a good job when I'm older. I already sent applications for college, and I'm waiting to get a response back.

Mrs. Parsley walks up to the room and starts talking about the lesson we are going to learn about today. She doesn't even say 'Good Morning' or 'How was your weekend'. She's very rude and to the point. She writes a million words on the board and expects us to write it down quickly. Also her big figure is in the way, so I have no idea what to write.

I look over to the person beside me, Luke Donahue.

"What is she writing?" I ask him. Luke was the smartest guy I know, he had blonde locks and blue eyes.

"I don't know. I'm just recording what she's saying on this." He says pointing to the phone on his lap. That's a smart idea, maybe I should do that. I dig through my bag and try to find my phone. While I'm doing this the fire alarm goes off, signaling... a fire. Well, actually it was just a routine fire drill.

We get up out of our chairs and make a straight line towards the door. I am behind Luke facing the back of his head. We go out onto the parking lot of the school, waiting for the ''all clear".

Once someone says it's okay to go back in, we file back into our classroom.I hear my name being called over the intercom.

"Scarlett McAllister please report to the principal's office."

I hear my name and another person's name, but I can't quite hear it over the noise of the other students talking. Am I in trouble - I think to myself as I walk down towards the office. Once I step inside her office I see Jack O'Neal sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room. I take the seat farthest from him and wait.

A few minutes after I sat down, Principal Delecky comes out and greets us. Us as in Jack O'Neal and I. Let's say Jack and I had a past, but now we're over it. I don't even like hearing my name and his in the same sentence. I can't even bear seeing him, I can't even -

"Jack, Scarlett.. please come inside my office." He has holding the door open for the both of us.

My mind is so focused on stupid Jack, I forget to be nervous of why I'm even here.

"Scarlett, you are the best student in your AP Statistics class. You're averaging a 99.9 right now. He's averaging a 78.9. His parents requested for him to be tutored, by the smartest senior there is.  And that would be you."

My mind tries to process everything he had said and when I did, I freaked.

"I can't." I say giving no explanation whatsoever.

"Mrs. McAllister, you have to. It's the rules."

"Principal Delecky you have to understand, I can't." I say. I glance over at Jack to see him slouched down in his chair with his hands in his face.

"Give me a reason." He said calmly.

"I - uh." I couldn't tell him about our past together. I can't.

"Exactly." He said not letting my finish, although I didn't have an excuse.

"But-"

"No buts. Unless you drop Statistics." He said firmly.

I can't drop Statistics.  I can't tutor Jack. I can't drop Statistics. 

"Fine." I say walking out of the office.

I was just forced, no actually. I was just threatened/blackmailed to tutor Jack O'Neal. Jack, the boy who I had a past relationship with. Jack, the guy who was my first love. Jack, the first guy to break my heart. Jack, the first guy who didn't get my parents approval. Jack, the guy who will always have a special place in my heart.

Jack comes walking out of the office and follows me.

"I didn't know Scarlett." He says in a hushed tone.

The way he says my name makes my heart flutter. But I try to push past his words, and ignore him.

"Whatever." I say trying to speed walk away from him. But he's faster. He catches up to me.

"Scarlett." My heart drowns again. "Please." He says. My head is down, but he brings his hand up to it and and makes it meet his. My eyes see his and my heart reminds me of all the happiness we had together. But it also reminds me of the fights, the arguments, and the pain. I look away again.

"Please stop." I say with a tear forming. Brent sees me and runs up to say hi to me, helping me get away from Jack.

"Get away from her." He says to Jack. He grabs my arm and leaves Jack in the middle of the hallway. Brent knows about Jack, and he doesn't like him.

I look up to meet my eyes with Jack's again. And I see pain. I've hurt him, just like he did me.