Girl Next Door (GIRLXGIRL)

12

Evan's POV:

The week is dragging. With Scott gone for another two weeks for work, it's back to feeling like a single mother and balancing four schedules.

Trying to put my focus on one thing is seeming more impossible now than ever... especially since Lexi just walked into the tutoring center at the time I happen to be volunteering.

Please don't come over here. Please be here for physics or something, not math.

Of course, the student at the desk signs her in and points her in my direction.

I force a smile and she wearily nears my table, "oh, uh... hey."

"Nolan has you stumped again?" I ask, hoping to avoid some of the inevitable awkwardness that's about to occur.

"Yeah, unfortunately." She sighs, sinking back into the wooden seat. "I didn't think you'd be here."

"Is it okay that I am?" I laugh.

"I just- I thought you were trying to avoid me, so I can understand if you want me to go or whatever." Lexi shrugs, keeping her eyes anywhere but my face.

"Lex." I say her name softly and she glances up. "I'm not avoiding you. And of course I don't want you to leave. You have a right to be here." I explain.

She nods and pulls a thick notebook out of her bag and opens it, her messy handwriting blanketing the pages.

"I don't get the graphing." She sighs, pushing a worksheet to me. "It's confusing as hell."

"Heck." I correct her, my eyes focused on the problem. "We can go through it step-by-step." I suggest.

She nods and we do just that, taking it easy.

After we finish the first one, she speaks again on a subject unrelated to math.

"How are the kids?"

I look up and she keeps her eyes on mine, some of the tension now gone. "They're good. They're at an after-school program right now, I gotta pick them up in an hour." I say, checking my watch.

Lexi nods, "that's good. How's Scott?"

I feel my throat get tight and I bite my lip. Rather than spitting out some bullshit answer, I point to a mistake in her math. "You swapped the signs. Two negatives make a positive."

I see her subtly shake her head and try to ignore it.

"Does he know?" She asks.

I snap my head up and widen my eyes, "why would he know, Lexi?! God, no."

I see a grin on her lips. "I was just asking. I didn't know if you had some come-to-Jesus type of realization and felt the need to confess." Lexi snickers.

"Can we not discuss this here?" I ask, worried about someone hearing.

Even though Lexi isn't my student, and she's eighteen (barely), I know I could still get in a lot of shit for crossing the line I did with her.

"I'm not-"

"Enough. Don't elaborate. Do your math." I hiss, pushing the sheet back to her.

"Yes ma'am." She sighs, tucking her head down.

Lexi's POV:

My tutoring session comes to a close and I walk out the double doors, waiting for my ride.

Conveniently, my car decided to crap out on me, so I'm back to bumming rides from friends and family.

I sit myself on the curb, hoping Mike won't be long. I play with the strings of the holes in my jeans while the sun beats me in the face.