It Started With A Fire

Chapter 6: The Tutor

Chapter 6: The Tutor

The day went by fast, almost too fast. I have a killer hang over and haven’t paid attention in any of my classes yet again. I know I need to clean up my act, but that’s easier said than done.

“Hey mate! Want to get a beer tonight at the pub with the lads and I?” my friend, Mike, says. I think this over. I guess I’d rather feel the joy and focus on the throbbing headache later than actually have to think about Maura and Hunter.

“Let’s do it,” I tell him and he shakes my hand, pleased with my answer. I bid him farewell, saying that I’ll catch up with him later. I’ll probably regret this decision later on, but at this moment it doesn’t matter to me.

I walk across campus, stopping every now and then just to breathe and control the throbbing in my head. Maybe I should rethink my decision tonight, and I probably would if my head didn’t hurt so badly.

“Another hangover?” an annoying voice says and I groan. She’s probably the most stuck up person at this University, always picking on the guys like me because she believes that we are doing is ‘wrong.’ If only she knew the half of it.

“Shut the fuck up Dakota,” I snap. I’m normally not this moody, but you try being a single parent who just lost two people to death. It’s not fun, especially when you have stupid bitches like her pestering you all the damn time.

“Not my fault you don’t know how to hold your liquor. You’re really upset. Care to tell me why?” she pesters. I’m so close to just snatching that brunette hair of hers and tearing it off. I would never harm a woman, but damn she makes me want to.

“None of your business. You wouldn’t understand if I even told you,” I whisper the last part. Fuck. I’m actually starting to get over the hangover. That means that I can feel and I don’t want to feel.

“I was just trying to help. Be a little more gracious,” she tells me, walking away. I can’t even comprehend what she said as she walks away. She has such a fit body, too bad she’s such a prude.

I continue my walk to the dorms, making my way up the stairs to my room. I stop at the end of the hall when I see my tutor sitting on the floor. I groan, looking at the time on my phone to see that I am ten minutes late. Fuck.

“You’re late,” he says standing up as I approach him. I quickly unlock the door and walk in, tossing my shit on to my bed.

“I know. I’m so sorry,” I tell him in a bit of a panic. I run my fingers through my hair, dragging them along what facial hair that I have. I really need to shave. I just haven’t found the time too recently I guess. It’s just getting a bit out of hand.

“You have your schoolwork at least right?” he asks, putting a pencil behind his ear. He sits down at my desk, grabbing out his calculator and a pencil. He always uses my paper for scratch paper, something I couldn’t deny him since he’s been tutoring me so much for so little.

“Yeah. I did manage somehow today,” I attempt to joke lightly. He doesn’t seem too amused though. When will I crack this little cracker so he’ll learn to have some fun? Jesus.

“Which subject should we start on then?” he asks me. Sadly, I know which one.

“Could you help me write a ten page essay for my English course? C’mon Niall, I know you’re the best at this topic,” I say as coolly as I can. I need to stay on his good side and right now kissing ass is the only way to do that since I was late. He tugs a piece of his brunette hair, ruffling it a bit before nodding.

I thank him and we spend a few hours on researching the topic and writing the paper. It actually turned out pretty decent, probably one of my best ones yet. I was really trying no matter how much my head throbbed. It was a distraction and that was what I needed.