The Tutor

Chapter 13

Rafe remembered his first day in school like it was yesterday. His anger, the feeling of uselessness. He was in such a daze that he tripped over Nora without even realising. And it'd been the best thing that happened to him.

He now ran up the same stairs into the same school and saw the same students swarming from all directions. Three months ago, just the look, the feel, and even the smell of the place made him sick. But now, it was beginning to grow on him. He knew most of the students by name, most of them saying hello as he passed by and even Ernest the janitor greeted him like a long-lost friend.

He went for a run just before class since he was up at the crack of dawn. He barely recognised himself.

As he took his steps towards class, he felt more confident and even looked forward to being back from holiday. It was by far the most unexciting holiday he'd ever had, but the lonely week-long break was made bearable and productive by none other than his geeky tutor and

Alex's PlayStation. Unlike all the other students who got to go back to their parents or holiday, Rafe stayed in Berk, his father still refusing to soften.

In a month, they would submit their university applications, and he had limited time to impress his teachers and boost his personal reports. But more than ever, he was confident.

He walked into the classroom as Miss McGrath began taking down the register.

Nora was already seated, her back straight, her pens and pencils neatly in order.

She saw him and nodded. He acknowledged her with a nod, too. Taking the usual seat behind her and next to Luke, he also took out his homework, which he neatly folded in plastic wallets.

"Is that a Hello Kitty paperclip?" Luke said, pointing at the little Japanese mascot on the corner of the paper.

Nora pretended she didn't hear the comment as Rafe glared into the back of her head. She had placed Hello Kitties everywhere. He adamantly refused to use the tacky stationery, and yet her ninja-like fingers clipped the little creatures everywhere. It was a matter of days before Rafe would notice and grumble.

"Yes, but it's not mine," Rafe muttered before lightly kicking Nora's chair. She turned around with nonchalance. "Take this shit back before I throw it away."

"Fine. But there's a reason I gave it to you," she explained.

Rafe looked at her and waited for an explanation. Luke was interested to hear too.

"It brings luck. It's also one of my important superstitions."

Her face was always so severe and passive Rafe could never tell if she was joking or not. She looked innocent enough, and with a sigh, he took back the Hello Kitty paper clip and put it back on his homework. Her superstitions really intrigued him. Intrigued him enough that he was beginning to believe in them too, because perhaps those rituals were real, and they would indeed help him get back to good graces with his father.

"Oh my god," Luke said and laughed into his hand, "she has you by the balls, mate."

It's like teachers have eyes and ears at the back of their heads. At the word 'balls', Miss McGrath turned sharply to stare with a raised eyebrow at Luke.

"Who has who by what, Luke?" She stared so hard at him that it made even Rafe uncomfortable, especially with his balls being the topic of conversation.

"Nothing Miss, sorry Miss," Luke muttered as he shrank into his chair.

Rafe went past the point of caring. Nora could take his balls and put them in a pink Hello Kitty purse and carry them around with her like a war prize if it meant him getting into London Business School.