“Yeah this all looks great.” Jake barely even skims it over before haphazardly folding the schedule into his bag and pulling out a crumpled paper to show me. “So, I have some questions on the homework that I’m struggling to wrap my brain around.”
Through the crinkles I recognize this week's homework assignment, which he’s half completed. “Sure, I can take a look at the answers you have so far. And then we can go over the rest next week when we meet again….” I trail off taking a second to actually look at the worksheet in front of me. “This is due tonight.”
He winces in response, “I know. I’m sorry. I tried my best to finish it, but I just couldn’t figure out the answers. My notes and the textbook were no help.”
My heart tugs. So many of my past tutoring clients had said the same. Shared that defeated look on their faces. My sympathy dissolves a moment later when he opens his mouth.
“Given the tight deadline, I was hoping you could help me out. Just this once. Then next week you can walk me through how you got all the answers.” He worries his bottom lip between his teeth, looking like a child that got caught sneaking a cookie before dinner.
I grit my teeth, then let out a deep breath and manage to say, “I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to give you the answers without you first trying.”
“I understand. But I promise I’ll go back and review my notes later.” Jake bats his eyelashes at me, and for some reason that sets me off the edge.
Did he really think he could flirt his way into getting these answers out of me? Sure I may be a people pleaser, but I’m not a complete pushover. I glance at the time on my laptop, mentally calculating how far behind I would fall on my work if I continued to entertain this. “You know what? Unfortunately, I don’t think this is going to work out.” I pack up my bag and stand up from the table. “But I will be sure to get you connected with another tutor ASAP.”
A pit in my stomach starts to form. As much as I wanted to quit right now, I definitely needed the money from tutoring especially since I’d stopped my nannying job. It’s fine, I’d figure something else out.
That seems to catch Jake’s attention as he collects his things and follows me out of the library. “Wait what?”
I don’t make it far before he cuts in front of me and blocks me from going any further. “I feel like my schedule and mytutoring style just aren’t aligned with your needs. So I think it’s best if I help you find someone else?—”
He shakes his head vehemently. “You can’t quit, you're my tutor.”
I think back to my conversation with Violet. Jake had already had several tutors quit on him, one more quitting would put him on probation. As annoyed as I was in this moment I didn’t want to leave him hanging. “Don’t worry I’ll tell the tutoring center that I couldn’t make things work with my schedule. You won’t be penalized, so they’ll be able to get a new tutor lined up by tomorrow. There’s usually a lot of tutors who have extra availability in their calendar?—”
“I don’t want someone else. I want you.”
My stupid heart skips at his words, because yes, even though I’m enraged who wouldn’t have at least some reaction to a declaration like that?
“I’m really not that special.”
“That’s not true.” He shakes his head vehemently. “You’re the best tutor in the psychology department. Maybe even in the whole school. And that’s what I need.”
“I just don’t think this is going to work out.”
“It will. I need it to. Please.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, takes a deep breath, and then continues. “Listen, I made a lot of mistakes recently. Including showing up late today. My coach gave me an ultimatum about my grade in this class. Either I take tutoring seriously or I can expect to ride the bench for the rest of the season. I can’t do that. Ican’tlose hockey. I won’t.”
“I get that. I just don’t see whyIhave to be your tutor.”
“If my coach finds out I chased off another tutor after the first session, I’ll be screwed. He’s already mad at me for how I’ve handled this whole situation. This is basically my fourth chance. You quitting would be a surefire sign that Iblew it.” A look of shame and self-doubt spreads over his face. “I can’t mess up again. I’m out of chances.”
Flirty comments and smoldering looks did not affect me. Begging for my help however… ”Fine.” I watch as his face perks up, back to its normal cocky state. “But we do things my way. On my schedule. And you promise to never ask me for answers to your homework again.” He gives me a small nod. “Great. I’ll email you a new time to meet, and what to have prepared ahead of time.”
“Yes, Sergeant.” Jake gives me a mock salute, that I roll my eyes at.
I walk away wondering if I just made a colossal mistake agreeing to be his tutor.
Chapter 6
Jake
Iwas going to getanothershitty grade for this week’s homework assignment. I should’ve known better than to take Mandy up on her offer for a quick hook-up. I also should’ve known better than to ask my tutor to give me the homework answers. But I was feeling really desperate. Whenever I felt desperate or stuck in a corner I tended to make some really stupid decisions.This fucking blows.
After Eliana left, I decided to head back home. Our triple-decker building, lovingly dubbed ‘Hockey House’ decades ago by some former Westchester players who were too drunk to think of anything more creative. From the outside, it looked normal and blended in with all the other apartment buildings on the street. The inside was what I liked to refer to as ‘controlled chaos.’ With nearly half of the team living in one house, there was no better term for it. The basement had fully been converted into a home gym/man cave although some could argue our entire house was just one large man cave.
With a bunch of college hockey players left to their own devices on how to decorate three stories, it should come to noone’s surprise that our living room was decked out with various forms of hockey and sports memorabilia. Thanks to Adam being especially anal about cleanliness —that man had somehow got us to agree to a regular chore schedule— we had actually managed to keep this place in pretty great shape over the years. I wish I could say that was the case when we inherited the house. Did I still have nightmares about the fact that we had found used condoms in places where used condoms should never see the light of day? Yes. Yes, I did. But after the hellish deep cleaning, we all agreed to be better than our predecessors and never let anything like that happen on our watch.
Before I make it upstairs to my room and sleep away the long day I had, Adam waves me over to the kitchen where he’s currently reheating emergency lasagna I made and stashed in the freezer for nights we’re too lazy to cook. My father’s love for cooking was very much passed down to me. Growing up, food was always a solace in my house. Which means even if I wanted to walk away, I couldn’t. The smell of tomato sauce provides a level of comfort and make my stomach grumble. Between practice and Mandy, I was drained. The smell carries through the kitchen as I walk in. Adam slides over a plate and nods for me to pull up a seat on the bar. “So how did tutoring go?”
