Against the rules

Ava’s POV

There were only a few rules I lived by in college. Rule number one? Never fall for a jock.

It wasn’t just a personal preference. It was survival; I had to avoid them in order to do well. I had seen too many smart girls throw away their GPA for a 6'0 something guy with biceps, a quarterback playboy and a bad attendance record. Not me, no way, I'll never do that, that's how I survived my first year in Westbridge University, and I'm not going to break that rule in my second year.

That’s why, when Logan Carter walked into my History class fifteen minutes late, I didn’t even bother looking up from my laptop. I already knew who he was. Everyone knew him: star quarterback, campus heartthrob, a playboy, and the guy who had probably never studied a day in his life.

Professor Ambrose Mills barely looked at him as he walked to the only empty seat right next to me.

I stiffened. Just my luck, I didn't want to sit closer to him. jocks never supposed to be with nerds, not that I'm a nerd, I just study too hard!.

Logan dropped into the chair, letting out a dramatic sigh like sitting in class was the hardest thing he’d done all day. His cologne is something warm and expensive that fills the space between us. I ignored it. I don't want to fall into trouble. jocks were trouble!

“Hey, what’d I miss?” he asked, his voice smooth, like he knew he could charm his way through anything. He could charm other girls who were willing to open their legs for him, but not me.

I kept my eyes on my screen. “Everything.”

I felt him staring at me. “Cool, cool,” he said. “So, what’s your name?”

Seriously? It was week four of the semester.

“Ava,” I answered curtly, still typing.

“Nice. I’m Logan.”

I finally looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah. I know, everybody knows you".

His lips quirked into a smirk. “Wow. Already a fan?”

I exhaled slowly. “I’m your tutor.”

His smirk faltered. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. guess he didn't expect this to come.

Professor Ambrose Mills had warned me last week that I’d be assigned an athlete for tutoring, something about a scholarship requirement and academic probation, since I could only depend on my scholarship and not screw this up, I had been hoping for someone who at least cared about school.

Logan leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs in front of him. “Well, that’s awkward.”

I shut my laptop. “Not as awkward as failing this class, if you fail, I lose my scholarship too".

His blue eyes flickered with amusement. “You think I’m going to fail?”

“I think you were fifteen minutes late to a fifty-minute class, so I guess yes, you're going to fail if I don't tutor you".

He laughed. Actually laughed. Like I had just told the funniest joke.

“Relax, Ava. I’ve got it under control, I'm not that dumb, I'll not fail, it's just that history isn't my favourite subject. Why do we have to learn about some stupid past events? I don't know," he sighed.

I pressed my lips together. I had two options: 1. Let him crash and burn, or 2. Do my job and drag him through this class kicking and screaming.

Before I could decide, Professor Ambrose called out, “Logan, glad you could join us. Since you missed the first half, why don’t you tell us your thoughts on the reading? I bet you're ahead of us since you came to class whenever you want".

Logan’s smirk disappeared. He turned to me in full panic mode. I rolled my eyes and slid my notes toward him. He scanned them, cleared his throat, and bullshitted his way through an answer.

I just saved his ass.

The professor gave him a long look before nodding. “Try being on time next class, the world doesn't revolve around you, Mr Popular."

Logan exhaled in relief, then turned to me with a slow grin. “You just saved my ass.”

I took my notes back. " I did, but don’t get used to it.”

The bell rang, and I gathered my things, hoping to escape before....

“So, when’s our first tutoring session?” Logan asked in a voice heavy and deep. Now I know why girls flocked around him.

I glanced up. He was too close now, his confident smirk still in place. He was trying to tease me, but I kept my cool.

I should have said no. Should have told him to take his education seriously before wasting my time.

Instead, I sighed. “Library. Tomorrow. Seven.”

Logan nodded. “Cool. See you then, Ava.”

As he walked off, I reminded myself of rule number one.

Never fall for a jock. Even if he's drop-dead gorgeous, never do that! I reminded myself.

Especially not one like Logan Carter.

But something told me he wasn’t going to make it easy. He used to be around and toy with girls, but ain't the one.