Tutoring session

Aiden's POV 

The cold air hitting my face felt like nothing, it wasn't soothing at all, nothing could sooth me at this moment.

I wanted to book a cap, and go back to campus not caring about the pricing but I couldn't because there's a boy waiting for me to tutor him.

There was a store nearby, I went in and begged to use the bathroom and luckily the owner, an elderly lady, was kind enough to let me use her bathroom without buying anything.

With shaky hands, in front of a mirror, I checked the damage.

The fabric of my pants had torn along the seam.

Shutting my eyes, I fought the tears and schooled myself.

I pulled out my hoodie and wrapped it around my waist, knotting the sleeves tightly in front so the fabric draped low enough to hide the tear.

The cold air made my chest tight and my skin feel slightly dry but I didn't care. What was more important was hiding my slightly bare behind.

I washed my hands and splashed cold water on my face before stepping out of the bathroom, pushing the memory of what happened today like I've done many others.

The tutoring apartment wasn't far from the store so I thanked the lady and jogged out, all the way to the apartment.

I knocked on the black gate and was welcomed by the gatekeeper who must be used to my face by now because he didn't ask who I was like the first time we met.

He opened the gate for me and let me in, I thanked him and made my way to the white two floor storey building in front of me.

I rang the doorbell, it didn't take long for a maid to let me in.

"Good afternoon Aiden," the maid, a young lady properly in her mid twenties greeted with a warm smile.

"Morning," I replied back with a stiff smile that didn't reach my eyes.

She chuckled, "George is already waiting in the study."

"Okay, thank you." I didn't wait for her to reply, I just eliminated myself from the awkward situation and walked to the study.

George is three years younger than me, he is eighteen years old however he looks slightly older than me because of his tall physique and broad shoulders.

But being big and tall doesn't stop him from isolating himself at school.

George is socially withdrawn and hardly talks to anyone, I am the only person he opens up to.

This is the reason why his father employed me. Apart from being good at what I do, I also make his son feel comfortable.

I guess it's because we are kind of similar, we both don't like people.

George was raised by a single parent, his dad. 

I have never bothered to ask about his mother because it's none of my business and he has never bothered to tell me about her as well.

Just like the maid said, George was in the study. 

He had his math book in front of him, he was going through the assignments I gave him last time.

When he saw me, his face brightened up, his eyes lit like the fourth of July, it was full with colors.

"Good afternoon Aiden," he greeted.

"Afternoon George." 

I placed my bag on the couch before sitting down in front of him.

"Why are you not wearing your hoodie? It's cold this time of the month." George asked, a little frown on his face.

I scratch the back of my head, looking for a good excuse to give him.

"I had a little wardrobe malfunction on the subway." 

"Would you like warm chocolate? Your face is all pink due to the cold." He asked yet another question.

I bit my inner cheek, I knew he wouldn't drop it so I nodded. 

George stood up and went to the door. I heard him talking to a somebody before coming back into the study and sitting in front of me.

I took George's assignment and marked it, unlike last time when he failed almost all the equations, this time he failed only four.

I took my time and carefully explained the equations to him.

Halfway through the session, I noticed that George wasn't paying attention to what I was saying, he was just staring at my face.

My fingers on the table itch to touch my face, maybe there's chocolate on my lip.

Letting my fingers win, I let them touch my lips but there was nothing, no stain.

"George, you are not paying attention to what I am saying," I said calmly, not letting the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach affect the lesson.

"I am paying attention." He said, returning his eyes to his book.

However, a few minutes later when I looked up, I caught him staring at me again.

His gaze lingering on my face in a way that made me self conscious. I shifted on my chair uncomfortably and told him to focus one more time.

After one hour and thirty minutes, the session ended. I packed my stuff back into my bag.

"Good work today George, although you were a little bit distracted." George scratched his ears, his cheeks a light tint of the color red.

Is he blushing? Embarrassed perhaps because of the fact that I called him out.

I left George in the study and walked out, running into his dad on my way out.

His hair was disheveled like he had run his fingers into it a couple of times. 

It looks like he just came back from the office, he was still in his tuxedo.

George's dad is a forty five years old businessman, who loves his son dearly.

"Good afternoon sir," I greeted, just like earlier with the maid, I gave him a tight smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"Good afternoon Aiden." He greeted me.

"How is the tutoring going? I hope George isn't giving you a hard time?" He asked.

"No he is not, George is picking up just fine and he is easy to tutor." I replied.

The conversation sounded stiff and awkward, communicating with people has never been my strong suit.

I didn't know what to do so I started walking to the door, he followed behind me, his hands in his pocket.

"Thank you again for agreeing to tutor my son," he extended his hand for a handshake.

I took it, "Thank you for accepting me as his tutor." Handshakes are not supposed to be long, especially when the conversation is over so why is this one long?

I didn't know what to do yet again so I just gave him one of my awkward smiles and this made him chuckle before letting go of my hand.

"Bye Aiden," he said.

"Bye Mr Forester." I replied back before rushing out of the compound.

I was about to walk back to the subway when what happened earlier suddenly hit me, I shook my head and decided to call an Uber.

The ride back to campus lasted for about twenty minutes, I used those twenty minutes to think about everything that has happened today. 

I know I said I had pushed it in a box but sometimes when you sit alone in a quiet place, alone with your thoughts, the things you've been trying to hold in for years always find a way to taunt you.

I shook my head and forced them back into the box.

The Uber stopped in front of the campus, and I hurriedly left. All I wanted to do was lock myself in my room and watch some anime or maybe read manhwa until the world comes to an end and we all die.

"Hey red haired!!" Just when I was about to open the door, I heard someone call me.

With a sigh I turn around, not bothering to smile. 

"The teacher in charge of scholarship distribution is looking for you, he said there's something wrong with your scholarship disbursement." 

Disregarding my torn pants, I thanked the girl and rushed to go find the teacher....