Chapter 6: Chapter Six

RILEY

The following day, right on cue, Tristan was there to pick me up from the library at eight sharp. We headed to his place.

I found myself sneaking glances at him. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt under a black jacket, paired with black jeans that looked incredibly sexy.

His jawline, chiseled and lightly stubbled, had me unconsciously licking my lips.

~Why can’t he be as unattractive as his personality?~

The ride was quiet. He kept his eyes on the road, and I kept my thoughts to myself.

Eventually, we pulled into a driveway. I looked out the window to see a grand, elegant mansion.

What else was I expecting?

“We’re here.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and we both headed towards the front door.

Inside the living room, a petite, elderly lady with a warm smile greeted us.

“Good evening, Tristan. Can I get you and your friend anything to drink or eat?” she asked with a polite tone.

I quickly realized she was the housekeeper.

“I’m good, thank you,” I replied, returning her smile.

“How is she doing?” Tristan asked, though I wasn’t sure who he was referring to.

“She just had her dinner and is now asleep.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Waters. You can warm up dinner and leave it outside before you leave for the day. We’ll be upstairs studying,” he said, glancing at me.

I nodded in agreement, feeling a bit out of place in his enormous house.

The place was like a luxury hotel; rooms and windows everywhere, and a grand staircase that I assumed led to his room.

His parents were nowhere in sight, and my curiosity was piqued.

“Shall we?” he asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“Huh? Yeah, lead the way,” I mumbled, following him.

“Where are your parents?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. He didn’t respond immediately.

“My dad travels a lot and only visits on weekends,” he finally said as we reached his room.

“Us? You and your mom?” I bumped into his back when he suddenly stopped.

“You know what they say?” he asked, turning around and bending down so we were eye to eye.

Our noses were almost touching. I was suddenly aware of how much taller he was than me. His musky cologne filled my senses.

~Oh my God!~

“Wh—What?” I stuttered, meeting his captivating eyes.

“Curiosity killed the cat.” He smirked and walked into his room, leaving me flustered.

I blinked rapidly, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

“If you’re that interested, I meant my little sister, Susan,” he added after a few minutes.

That was news to me. I didn’t know he had siblings.

I stood awkwardly in his room, taking in the surroundings. The room was a testament to his love for football and rock music.

Posters of football players adorned the walls, and old music records were stacked on a shelf. A large king-size bed was the centerpiece of the room, with a study table and two chairs nearby.

“Interested, my ass. I’m just being aware of my surroundings, because I don’t trust you in this huge house, asshole,” I muttered.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and placed my backpack on his study table.

“You continue to amaze me, Adams. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back,” he chuckled, disappearing into what I assumed was the bathroom.

I sat at his study table, pulling out my notes and textbooks, trying to focus on the task at hand.

I tied my hair into a high ponytail and started reviewing my notes.

“Alright, I’m ready,” he announced, pulling up a chair next to me. I shifted slightly as his scent started messing with my senses.

“So, what topic do you want to start with? Calculus and trigonometry are more complex than other subjects, so maybe we can start with the easier ones and cover one topic each day,” I suggested, flipping through the pages.

I felt his gaze on me.

“What?” I asked.

He cleared his throat and nodded. “Sure, let’s start with algebra; here are my test sheets.” He handed me a few of his test papers.

“Wow, you are hopeless.” I smirked, looking through his exams, trying to gauge his math skills.

“I know. I really need to get at least a C- on all my tests,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

I cleared my throat. “Got it.”

I began teaching him the basics of algebra. He listened patiently, without any snide remarks or teasing.

Maybe he was serious about this. He even started taking notes and asking questions.

~Who is this guy sitting next to me?~

This was a side of Tristan I hadn’t seen before, and I was secretly enjoying it.

~No, not enjoying.~

But it was okay, I guess.

“Alright, I get it now. So we just substitute the variables in the equation, and try to get the value of the unknowns. Cool.” Tristan leaned back in his chair.

“Yeah, it’s really that simple,” I sighed, putting down my pencil. I noticed it was almost nine.

We had agreed to study for an hour each day, and our time was almost up. Surprisingly, I had enjoyed teaching him since he wasn’t being a distraction.

~Except for his body,~ my inner voice smirked.

“Let’s call it a day. Do you want anything to drink?” he asked, standing up.

“Water is fine.” I gave him a small smile as he left the room. I stood up, let out a deep breath, and started packing my things.

I spotted some pictures hanging on the wall behind me. They were of him and a sweet little girl, who I assumed was his sister, Susan. She looked to be about six years old.

His mom wasn’t in any of the photos.

~Wow, he was such a cute kid.~

A small smile tugged at my lips when I saw a picture of him dressed as Spiderman.

“Curiosity killed the cat, remember?” His deep, husky voice startled me from behind, causing me to spin around.

He was standing so close that I accidentally knocked a glass of water out of his hands, drenching my hoodie.

“Shit! I’m so sorry,” I blurted out.

I wasn’t sure why I was apologizing. I tried to brush the water off my hoodie, but it was already soaking through to my t-shirt underneath.

“Always the klutz, Adams. Let me grab you a towel,” Tristan said, heading off to find one.

“Don’t move. I’ll get you another glass of water.” He rushed out of the room, leaving me alone to cringe in embarrassment.

I pulled off my wet hoodie and tried to dry my now-damp t-shirt that clung to my chest.

I was so focused on drying my clothes with the towel that I didn’t notice him standing in front of me until he cleared his throat.

“Jesus! Ever heard of privacy?” I quickly grabbed my hoodie to cover my chest and he rolled his eyes, setting the glass of water on the desk.

“Please, I’ve seen better,” he scoffed, walking out of the room to give me the privacy I’d asked for.

His words stung more than I expected, and I felt my eyes well up with tears.

What was I expecting?

Sure, he’d called me cute, but that didn’t mean he found me attractive. Not that I wanted him to.

God! He was still a pompous jerk, and I couldn’t stand him.

I knew I wasn’t like other girls. I wasn’t skinny or flawless.

I was average, a little on the curvy side, but I’d never felt insecure about my body—until now. I didn’t understand why his words had such an impact on me.

I angrily wiped away my tears and pulled my hoodie back on. After grabbing my bag, I walked out to find Tristan engrossed in his phone.

“I’m ready to go,” I said, keeping my voice steady and my eyes on the floor.

“I can lend you one of my shirts if yours is still wet,” he offered, looking up from his phone to my damp hoodie.

“I’m fine. It’s getting late.”

“Alright, wait downstairs. I’ll be right there.” He disappeared into his room while I headed for the living room.

Soon we were on the road, and once again, the car ride was filled with silence.

“Did you take down the ad from the school newspaper?” he asked after a while.

I glanced at him. “Why?”

“Well, you’re tutoring me now. How many students are you planning to take on?” he asked, sounding annoyed.

I raised an eyebrow. “What was it you said? Oh right, curiosity killed the cat, Tristan. And remember, this is a trial run. It’s not permanent until I know I can trust you.”

I noticed his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, and I frowned.

What was his problem?

“I told you I wouldn’t bother you and I keep my word, Adams,” he snapped.

“That doesn’t mean I trust you, or that I’ve forgotten all the times you’ve been a jerk to me. You’re doing this for your grades, and I’m doing it for the money. We both have our own selfish reasons.”

We fell silent. I could see his jaw clenching in anger out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored him.

Asshole.

As my house came into view, I unbuckled my seatbelt and slung my backpack over my shoulder, ready to bolt from his car as soon as he stopped.

“Get out,” he muttered.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I slammed his car door shut with enough force to let him know I was just as pissed, and headed for my house without looking back.

A few minutes later, a strange thought crossed my mind.

~How on earth does he know where I live?~