Chapter 1: Tutor? Kael?

Akira's POV  

I stood frozen amidst the crowd, the faint laughter of mockery echoing in my ears.

My eyes shut close as the cold liquid seeped into my clothes.

I almost broke into tears, held back only by my mum's reminder: always be a strong girl.

“Milkshake woman,” a girl laughed.

I wanted to move but I couldn't; my legs failed me. 

“You know what milky, go and cry behind the lockers,” my tormentor said to me. His sea blue eyes scanned me with a satisfactory grin playing on his face.

My legs dragged on the floor as I faded from their presence. I went behind the lockers to cry like he predicted.

Did I deserve to be treated like this?

I removed my glasses and wiped off the droplets of milkshake that threatened to blur my vision. I put them back on, forcing a bitter smile on my face.

I felt better after a few minutes, but I was still drenched in milkshakes and feeling sticky all over.

No way I’d attend class like this! I detest missing classes, now he'd be the reason I was missing one.

While I paced around thinking of a way out of my minor situation, a pair of hands appeared with clean clothes.

“Take this,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thank you.” I took the clothes from her. Our eyes locked, I wanted to take off my clothes but I was a little uncomfortable. She noticed and she turned around. I changed into the clothes immediately.

“Why are you helping me?” I couldn't help but ask.

“What Kael did to you was unfair.”

No one ever sees that around here, Kael is a billionaire heir. Everyone abides by his rules.

Besides, I was the one who made the mistake, I brought him the wrong milkshake, he got pissed so he downed it on me. That's typical Kael, I was used to it.

“Maybe. Thank you,” I thanked her once again.

“You are welcome, now head on to class.”

I nodded to her and I sprinted off to class. I was late, but glad I made it.

After the short lecture, I strolled to my locker. I caught the principal watching me from the hallway window. My stomach dipped.

“You, report to my office now.” Her voice was firm.

I hope I didn't get into trouble, that was a thing I have always avoided because I didn't want to taint my school records.

I ran straight to her office. 

“You called for me ma'am,” my voice was shaky, enough to show my uneasiness.

Her office was filled with an air of authority, awards and medals hung on the walls perfectly. Various maps and landscape paintings showed her enthusiasm for explorations. 

The school's badge hanging boldly behind her seat proved that she is ever so loyal to Underwich Academy.

“Yes you, Akira Owens,” she affirmed. “Have a seat.”

I sat at her command. She doesn't seem mad. She probably has something important to say.

“You know Kael Blackwood right?”

The sound of his name sent shivers down my spine. Of course! Everyone knew Kael.

I nodded in response.

“Good. You would have to be his tutor for a while,” she dropped a bombshell.

Tutor? Kael? The two words weren't supposed to be in the same sentence.

“Ma'am?” I called, wanting to confirm if she meant what she just said.

She inhaled a little before speaking. “The Blackwoods came here this morning. Kael's grade is dropping. His parents want him to get into MIT, they need a good tutor for him. And you are the only one in the right position to tutor him.”

“Can't they find another person to tutor him?” I couldn't help but ask.

It doesn't have to be me. I would gladly tutor anyone else in the world besides Kael.

“You know… Kael can be a handful sometimes, he drove them away. The suggestion now is: someone around his age.”

I stared at my feet, with no words to say. Kael had been everything but nice to me, he didn't deserve my sympathy, but I do not want to be the reason he doesn't get into MIT. He might be a jerk, but everyone deserves a little pity.

Will Kael even accept to be tutored by me?

“Akira,” she called, “You'd be paid $5000 per month for 5 months.”

$5000? That's a salary for a full time job. Tutoring is only a per time.

“I'd tutor him,” I didn't know how the words slipped out of my mouth.

My brain already calculated that the money would easily add up to my savings for college.

“Good.”

I found a way back to my home, despite my head being in a mess since I left the principal’s office.

‘Tutor Kael’ The words replayed continuously inside my head.

The worst thing was that; the tutoring begins today. I picked up my lazy ass, fixed my oversized glasses, gathered some textbooks and marched right to Kael's house.

I was very familiar with Kael’s house; it was only a few blocks away, yet my heart weighed heavily. 

When I got to his door, I clenched my fist, saying silent prayers in my head, trying to muster up enough courage to ring his doorbell.

Before I could, he opened up the door making me startle a little.

“Milky?” he called, like it was my actual name.

He was dressed in his jersey, looking deadly hot as always, and holding onto his hockey stick like it was his favorite thing to do, and it also seemed like he was on his way out.

“Hey… Kael,” I stuttered.

He stared at me with questioning eyes. Like I was a person who lost her way. “I don't think I have any pending homeworks for you to do.”

“I actually… I…” the words felt stiff inside my throat.

“I am your new tutor,” I broke the news to him.