Chapter 004

Ivy's POV

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to find another way to get your tuition," Mrs. Clark said, looking down at me through her glasses. I tried to speak but I was tongue-tied. My hands clasped together on my lap as I sat across from her in her office.

"But I'm an honour student," I finally said, and she nodded.

"And that's why we've been tolerating you. Miss Sullivan, you missed classes twice in a week for half of last semester."

"My grandmother was ill and I had to take care of her."

"And what about the voluntary leisure activity? We've seen no reports on that too," she said, and I sighed, biting into my lip.

I didn't have enough time to meet up both for school and work. Nan was ill, so I needed money to pay her bills, and it had affected my study time. And not to mention Carter too. I had been trying to escape reality by running into his arms, and then he left me. And now I was paying for my wrong decisions.

"But it's only one semester left to finish. Please just let me keep it," I pleaded, but she looked at me. Unmoving, her cold stone expression didn't catch fire for even a bit.

"And that's why we trust that you can find a way to pay your tuition, Miss Sullivan."

I didn't know how I would get two thousand dollars for my college and three thousand dollars for Nan's hospital bills. I thought about asking for a raise, but still, the money wouldn't even reach half of what I wanted to cover.

"If that's all, Miss Sullivan, you can see yourself out," she said, and I nodded and thanked her. I left the office hoping that I wouldn't see Carter, and thankfully he wasn't there.

I honestly didn't have the strength to talk to him or get hit by the sting of his rejection. I walked hopelessly out of the building. I had to think of a way. I couldn't help being stranded.

Not now… when I was just one semester away from graduation.

Just then my phone rang, and I checked it, but it was no ID. I picked the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes."

"I'm Coach Lockwood. Coach of the Groundbreakers hockey team. I would like to see you if you are around."

Why was Noah's coach calling me?

"I just came out of the Admin building. Since the facility is near, I can head over there," I told him, and we ended the call. Soon my phone buzzed with a text on where to find his office.

It took me approximately thirty minutes to get my big body to the hockey facility.

When I finally found his office, I knocked and heard a gruff voice tell me to enter. Coach Lockwood was a large man with broad shoulders and a bald head that glistened under the fluorescent lights. He gestured for me to sit.

"Thank you for coming, Miss Sullivan. I'll get straight to the point. I want you to tutor Noah Carter."

I blinked at him, sure I had misheard. "I'm sorry?"

"Tutor. Noah Carter. You're the best in the department, and he needs to pass his biochemistry final to stay on the team."

I couldn't believe my ears. So Noah went to snitch to the coach? After everything he'd done, he had the audacity to go over my head and get his coach to pressure me?

"Coach Lockwood, I can't tutor him. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I can even fend for someone else when I'm in trouble myself."

He nodded slowly, and I expected him to dismiss me. But instead, he leaned forward.

"I heard about your scholarship."

I stiffened. "Did Carter tell you?"

"No. I found out when I asked the Dean about you. He told me about your situation. The missed classes and the scholarship."

I swallowed hard, waiting for him to use it against me. To threaten me into agreeing.

"Here's the thing," he continued. "I got the Admin to keep your scholarship—if you work a leisure activity to boost your pass rate."

My eyes widened. "What is…"

"You have to be around the hockey games. Help around with whatever the boys need, and also help in being their mascot for games."

I couldn't believe my ears. Just that to keep my scholarship? That was a great offer.

But I couldn't deny that I didn't want to run into Noah. The thought of being around him, seeing his face every day, having to smile and pretend like he hadn't shattered my heart into a million pieces… it made my stomach churn.

But then again, he wouldn't do this for free.

"And what do you gain from offering me this? That I teach Carter?" I asked, my voice cautious.

He leaned back and nodded. "You're indeed a smart woman."

I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime offer. I shouldn't even have to think about it. Two thousand dollars for my tuition, all for being around a hockey team and tutoring one arrogant jerk. It was a steal.

But my memory betrayed me. Carter holding my hand, pressing a shy kiss to my lips, whispering that he loved my curves. Could I really be in proximity with a jerk like him? Could I survive seeing him every day and pretending I felt nothing?

"Each lesson is three hundred dollars. It's not free," he added.

I didn't even hesitate. "Deal."

My eyes widened at my own answer. I hated Carter, but I loved money more. I could have my grandmother's hospital bill paid in no time. Three hundred dollars per lesson? That was more than I made in a week at the bar.

But a thought struck me. "That's a huge amount of money for tutoring, though. How do I believe you?"

He chuckled. "Carter has to get drafted, and for him to do that, he has to stay on the team. And for him to do that…"

"He has to keep his grade up," I finished.

He nodded.

Exactly. So that money was nothing compared to him getting drafted to the NHL.

I dropped my account details with him, and he immediately sent me six hundred dollars for the lessons this week.

“And advance on the payment.” He said.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Two times a week the lessons would hold, he said, and I almost squealed.

Six hundred dollars just like that. I could pay Nan's hospital bills for the month. I could breathe for the first time in weeks.

I thanked him profusely and left his office, a lightness in my step that hadn't been there in months.

Only to find Carter standing by the door.

He was leaning sideways against the wall, a small smile on his face that made me want to wipe it off with my fist.

"When does the first lesson start, Ivy? Or should I say, "Tutor?”