Of Literature & Kisses (Forbidden Romance)

Chapter 4 - Assessment

The first day of the second week of school started out peacefully. I hadn't run into Dean, or been hunted by him, and the day had gone by in peace with Phoenix and I. Riley had stopped by our table and I pretended to catch up on a made-up assignment so that he would leave me alone and speak with my friend. She really liked him, everything about him, what she would call his perfect brown eyes and perfect dark skin. His perfect black hair and perfect athletic build. Riley truly was handsome and perfect in the eyes of the entire school.

He was also kind and accommodating, walking me to class every day after lunch since it was close to his own.

Inside the classroom, I did the usual, waiting for the bell to ring with my nose stuck inside of a book I was too distracted to read. Perhaps when the magic of the first two weeks would leave I would be able to look at our literature teacher in the eyes without trying to decipher the colors of blue in them.

When the beginning bell rung, he stood from his desk slowly and demanded attention with nothing other than his presence, standing out in the center of the room. As had become characteristic of him throughout every female mind in the school, he wore his hair in a clean, reddish brown wave above his shoulders. His large and broad chest was clad in a navy blue sweater, and the literal branches of his thighs were covered in khaki. He wore brown leather shoes and a matching belt, with a large black watch on his left wrist.

He had style. Not only did he have his perfect looks and unwavering intelligence, but he knew how to dress to make his body a poster-board for the best male educator in the northeast.

"Alright," he began. "I was looking at your entry assessment scores and they were awful, short of downright horrific, with the exception of a few students. If you guys did poorly, you can imagine how poorly the other students did. But I've spoken to the school administration and we've come to an agreement," he said, smirking at the class as he leaned back against his desk. "Mandatory tutoring for those who got less than a sixty percent, and suggested tutoring for those who scored anywhere between sixty and seventy-five percent. Anyway, you shouldn't panic, since it's only the beginning of the year and we have time to correct this before the AP exam in May. Any questions?"

The classroom stayed quiet for a moment, and I looked around me as I waited.

Paola was the first to raise her hand with a question. "Does the assessment test resemble the actual AP test?"

He smiled, shaking his head slowly.

A rapid-fire of hands kept coming, but they weren't truly about the test results and completely about the upcoming AP test we hadn't even started preparing for.

Cautiously I raised my hand.

"Cece," he said, nodding in my direction.

"When do we get our results for the entry exam?" I asked him. He looked at me with a gratitude I hadn't expected.

"Thank you for asking, since everyone else is more concerned about a test we have months to prepare for," he shook his head in amusement as the class quieted. "You'll be getting them today. Right now, actually, and we'll be going over all the answers before dismissal. Help me pass them out?" He asked me, getting the mass of papers from his desk without hesitation.

I stood and went to him, taking the stack into my hands and giving the exams out to their respective owners. Mine was the second to last in the pile, and I was pleased with the ninety-six I received. I sat down when I was finished, happy to start the review and see what I had done correctly and incorrectly.

The class went by quickly as we reviewed the entirety of the exam, the bell taking me by surprise. I took a moment to pack my things into my bag, taking out the earbuds and my phone for the musical accompaniment of today's walk home.

"Cece," he called me before I could make it to the door. "Can you stay behind for a minute?"

I nodded, walking to his desk, where it stood as a barrier between us. "Yes?" I asked.

He shifted in his seat, looking up at my face. His eyes were calm and studious, taking in nothing other than my own eyes. I didn't know why I found it hard to focus on what he would say, or on how to breathe.

"It's about the tutoring," he began. "I told you all about the tutoring but I decided to wait to ask you personally about it. What do you think?"

"About what?" I asked.

He gave a laugh. "About the tutoring."

"Oh!" I jumped. "Well, I think it's a great idea. But if the scores were really that bad in all of your classes then you're going to be swamped."

Suddenly, without warning, he gave me a flawless and full-fledged smile. "I know that. So I thought I'd get the student with the best score, and the one I trust most, to help me."

He looked at me expectantly, and then my eyes widened with realization. "You mean me."

"Yes," he said, still smiling, but with something close to amusement. He sobered when I remained quiet, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know you're probably busy with your classes but it'd be a good opportunity for you. I'd cover all of your community service hours, and a unique and personalized recommendation letter for every school and program you're thinking of applying to."

I made a face. "I don't know why I feel... dirty, like you're bribing me with hours and letters."

"Because I am."

"No," I shook my head. "I don't like that. I'd have said yes without the bribes, to help you, but now I feel all wrong accepting because you-"

He seemed taken aback, a thick brow arching in confusion. "Then I'm not bribing you. I'll just be giving you hours and letters as gratitude for your help. Better?"

"When would the tutoring sessions begin?" I asked, biting my lip as I thought. "And for how long? How would they be organized? I think that maybe you should divide the students into groups based on their levels and the amount of students, rotate them so that they don't burn out- What?" I stopped when he started to look at me with a sliver of a smile over his full, rosy lips.

"Nothing," he said. "And I think you're right. The number of students would make three groups ideal, and we can do one tutoring session for each group every week, making that three days of tutoring: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, since no one shows up on Fridays and is too tired on Mondays. You'd come on the days that you can, and if you can't come on a given day just let me know beforehand. I won't be in your way."

Silently I nodded.

"Is that all, Mr. Gallagher?" I asked him.

He gave me one last look. "For now, Ms. Cedric. Have a good day."

And I walked away with my pulse slightly leaping, plugging in my earphones to drone out the sound of my thoughts.

________________________________________

Hello, guys! And welcome back to school to my fellow students! Thought it be appropriate to update it today considering 😂  Riley in the picture. And thanks so much for reading!