“I know. And that reminds me, the girls and I are coming to do a class, now that our schedules are all synced up. But fighting aside, you need something else.”
I rub my hand over my face and sigh. “I don’t know, Nevaeh. I’ve been in survival mode for so long.”
“You have to start somewhere. You already survived, so survival mode is redundant.”
“I should probably start with my GED.”
“See, there you go. That’s a perfect leaping point.”
“Maybe, but I have big holes in my education, Nevaeh. Math and science in particular. I’d go back to school if I didn’t think I might encounter the same issues as Star did.”
“What about a tutor?”
I rub my jaw in thought. A tutor wouldn’t be so bad. Yes, it’s embarrassing needing the help, but logically, I know I have no reason to be ashamed. In the same breath, I know if I want to stand any chance at helping Star later down the line with her homework, then I need to get my shit figured out.
“Okay. So I need a tutor. Any idea where I might find one?”
She grins. “Leave it with me.”
Chapter Ten
AMBROS
I swappedout my bike for one of the club trucks. We have a couple now, most with car seats, which makes things easier. But truth be told, I have a garage full of cars and trucks. I rarely need to borrow one unless I go somewhere alone on my bike and come back with passengers. Like today.
Star had dozed off in the back, so I keep the volume of the radio low, glancing a few times over at Citi, who was sitting quietly, lost in thought.
“You okay?”
“Hmm?” She looks at me.
“You’re quiet, that’s all.”
“Are you saying I’m usually loud?” she teases, making me smile.
“Not at all.”
“Good. But no, my head’s all over the place, that’s all. Neveah’s going to help me out with Star’s school fees. The private school is perfect for her, but I wrote it off when I saw how much it would cost. Nevaeh wants to pay—won’t take no for an answer. Heck, even as a kid, she was stubborn. So if I had toguess, I’d say she’s probably already paid a year in advance so that I couldn’t say no anyway.”
I chuckle. “That does sound like something your sister would do.”
“Right? The thing is, she’s right. She can afford to do it and she wants to, so why do I feel so weird about the whole thing?”
“Probably because you’re used to watching out for Star all by yourself. You’re not alone anymore, angel. But it will take some time for your brain to catch up with all that.”
“I guess.” She scrunches up her face. “We also talked about me getting my GED.”
“Sounds like a plan. Need any help with that?”
“Honestly, I’m going to need all the help I can get. Nevaeh’s going to organize a tutor, so for right now I’m going to leave it in her capable hands. She did say something that stuck with me, though.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“That I need to find something to do beyond surviving. You know, live the life I got a second chance at. The problem is, I don’t know what I want to try. It’s pretty damn daunting.”
“Don’t overthink it. Start with something small and go from there. Try a new drink or a different place to eat, visit the beach, or learn to swim. Most things you try will be new experiences, right?”
She nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”
