Chapter 4

Aiden woke to the sharp vibration of his phone. He rubbed his eyes, squinting at the caller ID. It was his mother. He answered anyway, forcing his voice steady.

“Good morning, Mom.”

Her tone was brisk, almost rehearsed. “Aiden, your father and I spoke with the Martins last night. Evelyn’s parents are ready to proceed. They think Christmas is a perfect time for the engagement announcement.”

Aiden sat up straight. “Engagement?” His chest tightened.

“Yes,” she said as though it were already decided. “Evelyn is such a lovely girl. Wealthy, stable, from a good family. This is a chance for you to build a future instead of wasting away in classrooms.”

His jaw clenched. “I told you before, I’m not interested in...”

“You don’t have the luxury to pick and choose,” she cut in, voice cold. “We’ve sacrificed for you, Aiden. Teaching doesn’t pay the bills. Do you want to struggle your whole life? Do you want to disgrace us?”

“I’m not disgracing anyone,” he muttered, though it felt hollow.

“You will meet Evelyn next month,” his mother pressed. “That is final. Don’t make your father angry. He is already worried you’re throwing your life away.”

The call ended before he could reply. Aiden lowered the phone slowly, staring at the dark screen as if it had betrayed him.

On the desk beside his bed sat an open envelope, bills sticking out in neat but heavy stacks. The first half of the money Julian’s father had promised him. The rest would only come if Julian passed his course. Aiden thumbed through the notes, feeling both shame and relief. The money solved problems in the short term, but every glance at it reminded him that his job wasn’t about tutoring anymore. It was about proving himself to people who thought he was nothing.

He folded the bills back into the envelope and exhaled. Whatever happened with his family, whatever they forced on him, one thing was clear: he had to make sure Julian passed.

***

The knock on the door came exactly thirty minutes before the lesson was supposed to end. Aiden opened it to find Julian leaning against the frame, hair sticking up in wild blonde tufts, shirt wrinkled, eyes bloodshot. A faint smell of alcohol clung to him.

“You’re late,” Aiden said flatly.

Julian smirked, stumbling in. “Better late than never.”

“You’re thirty minutes from never,” Aiden replied.

Julian dropped into a chair, dragging his fingers through his messy hair. “I didn’t think you’d still want to hold a class.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

He shrugged. “Most tutors would’ve packed up and gone home.”

Aiden set a thick textbook on the desk between them. “I’m not most tutors.”

Julian gave a half laugh. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

Aiden ignored the remark and opened the book. “Chapter five. Sit up.”

Julian groaned but obeyed, pulling the chair closer. “You’re bossy.”

“I’m your tutor, not your drinking buddy.”

That earned a grin. “So you noticed?”

“I noticed the smell,” Aiden said, finally looking him dead in the eye. “Do you want to pass this course or not?”

Julian pressed his lips together. “Depends on the day.”

“Well, today, you don’t get to choose.” Aiden slid a worksheet forward. “Read the first problem.”

Julian glanced at the page, his words slurred just enough to make the math sound foreign. He stumbled over definitions, muttered complaints, then slumped back in his chair. “This is stupid.”

“What’s stupid is wasting both our time,” Aiden said sharply. “Read it again.”

Julian groaned louder but leaned in. This time he read it correctly. Aiden’s face softened just slightly. “Good. Now solve it.”

“I can’t.”

“You can,” Aiden said, voice calm but firm. “You’re just too used to giving up before you try.”

Julian’s eyes flicked up at him, annoyed but also intrigued. No one ever spoke to him like that, certainly not a tutor. They usually sighed, coddled him, or walked away. But Aiden sat there, unbothered, waiting.

Julian bent over the page, pencil scratching slowly. His numbers were messy, but when he pushed the paper back, the answer was correct.

Aiden tapped the margin. “See? You can do it.”

Julian raised a brow. “You sound surprised.”

“Not surprised,” Aiden said. “Just proving a point.”

Julian tilted his head, studying him. “You’re different, you know that?”

“I hear that a lot.”

“Not like a compliment.” Julian smirked. “You don’t flinch. You don’t bend. You’re like…” He trailed off, searching for a word, then shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

Aiden cleared his throat. “Next problem.”

The minutes dragged, filled with half-serious answers, sarcastic quips, and Aiden’s steady corrections. Julian complained about formulas, joked about dropping out, and at one point laid his head on the desk dramatically. Aiden nudged his arm. “Sit up. You’re not a child.”

“You sure?” Julian asked lazily, lifting his head. “Because my dad treats me like one.”

Aiden didn’t answer. He wasn’t here to dig into family wounds. But the edge in Julian’s voice lingered in the room.

The clock ticked toward the end of their session. Julian leaned back, stretching, his eyes locked on Aiden. He wasn’t subtle. His stare lingered too long, dragged too slow. Aiden kept his eyes on the book, though the weight of it pressed on him.

When Aiden finally glanced up, just for a second, Julian caught it. The faintest shift, the quickest flick of Aiden’s gaze away. Julian smirked, but said nothing.

“Starting tomorrow,” Aiden said, closing the book firmly, “we’ll hold our lessons in my office at the university. It’s quieter, fewer distractions.”

Julian blinked. “Your office?”

“Yes.” Aiden’s tone left no room for argument. “If you want to pass, you’ll come on time, ready to work. No more half-hearted nonsense.”

Julian leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, grin tugging at his lips. “You really don’t scare easy, do you?”

“I’m not here to scare you. I’m here to teach you.”

Julian’s grin widened, but his eyes softened, almost curious. “Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Professor.”

Aiden gathered the papers into a neat stack, ignoring the way the word lingered in the air between them, heavier than it should have been.