02

2

Turns out, the lucky fella who is on the soccer team that I am stuck tutoring is Zac Miller.

Of all the people in this hellhole I could be stuck with, it happens to be Zac Miller.

Don't get me wrong. I don't know him well aside from the things I've seen and heard. I'm not one to judge but there is seriously nothing good that can come out of me tutoring Zac. Aside from him passing the class, of course.

He was the last person I wanted to get involved with.

"Miller," I sighed. "What can I possibly do to assist you?"

A small grin grew on his face when he saw the agitation hiding behind my eyes. "That's just it. You're my new tutor."

I gaped, unsure what to say because this was a bad, bad thing.

"What?" I exhaled, almost not believing him.

He quirked an eyebrow, not bothering to hide his amusement as he saw the stunned look on my face. He tilted his head, "So, what do you say we hit the books?"

"Right now?" I mumbled.

He nodded, "Yes."

I blinked, taking control of my senses once again. "What? No... I'm busy."

I turned to head to my car when he held onto my arm and stopped me. "Don't walk away from me." His voice was firm and cold, no emotion in it anymore.

I pulled my arm away from him. As much as I wanted to snap at him or tell him that I could do whatever I wanted, I was too scared to freak out at someone like Zac.

I exhaled through my noes to keep myself calm. I clenched my jaw, waiting for him to speak.

"My house, let's go." He nodded his head towards his car. His voice remained straight.

I narrowed my eyes, "I told you, I'm busy right now."

"Really?" He retorted, quirking his eyebrows. "With what?"

I opened my mouth but shut it when I didn't have a response. I wasn't very good at lying.

"That's what I thought." He turned and started walking to his car. "Let's go."

"But wait!" I stopped him. "I have my car, I'll meet you there."

Zac gave me a stoic look, his eyes stone cold and almost looking lifeless. "No need. Let's go." He didn't say anything else. He turned around and headed to his car, not giving me a chance to have a say. Because I was too afraid to argue with him, I quietly followed him to his car and got in the passenger seat.

The car ride was silent and uncomfortable. He didn't speak to me once and his arrogant, cocky, constantly-smirking self had vanished. Now he was cold and distant, emotionless and not seeping of a single emotion. I wasn't sure which one I hated more.

When we got to his house, he simply shut the car and got out without saying anything to me, so I followed him inside his house, not sure what else to do.

"You have a nice home," I mumbled softly, my voice quiet when we walked in.

As much as I hated the fact that I was stuck with Zac and it was extremely uncomfortable and awkward, I at least tried to speak to him and keep the mood light seeing as I was going to be stuck with him.

Zac nodded, still not saying anything to me. He started walking so I followed him into his kitchen.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" He asked, not looking at me as he opened the fridge.

My mouth went agape. He couldn't see my face right now which I was thankful for. I couldn't help it — who would think Zac had the decency in him to ask me if I wanted some food or water. Wow.

I quickly cleared my throat, "No, I'm okay."

"Suit yourself, Bloom." He muttered as he grabbed himself some water and then walked right past me. Quickly turning to follow him, he led me up the staircase and opened a door to reveal his room.

It wasn't quite what I would have expected.

It was clean and all sorted and organized. The walls were a light grey, a large bed in the middle of the room with a flat screen on the wall across. There was a dresser against a wall. Two recliners that were diagonally facing a large windowed door that led to a balcony. He had a bookshelf against one wall.

Overall, it was... not what I expected. It was mature and sleek, not dark and scary.

I hid the surprise on my face and walked into the room, Zac closing the door behind me.

"Take a seat wherever," he muttered dryly as he walked over to his bed and sat down. "Let's get this over with."

I was very confused by his switching personalities. One moment in the parking lot he's being arrogant and annoying, smirking and amused by my annoyance. Then all of a sudden, he's stone cold and stoic, showing no emotion and seeming like he wants to be anywhere but here.

I inhaled deeply as I sat down on his bed, a foot away from him and pulled my books out of my bag.

"Okay," I exhaled. "Balancing equations."

-

Four hours had gone by and it was now eight pm. We had been studying this whole time, except the one point where Zac started throwing chips at me while I was trying to explain things to him. He got bored and spent an hour throwing food at me, trying to get it stuck in my hair which was very annoying but we ended up laughing.

Aside from that, we didn't talk much about anything aside from chemistry. Zac complained and groaned the whole time about how he doesn't understand anything I'm saying. I kept my calm and patience and continued trying to make it easy for him to learn.

"Okay," I exhaled, standing up and putting my books back in my backpack. "This was... progress. Kind of. You still have a lot you need to learn before the semester ends."

Zac laid on his side, on the bed, his elbow propped up with his face leaning in the palm of his hand. He looked at me with an amused grin, "Then it's good we have a lot of time, love."

I refrained from rolling my eyes and ignoring his comment. He was like this with all girls.

The confusion remained considering he was back to his annoying, flirty, arrogant self. I wanted to ask him why he turns his personalities on and off like he had a switch but decided that was a bad idea.

"Why are you leaving?" He asked me calmly, taking me by surprise.

I looked at him. "What? We're done studying."

He shrugged as he sat up, "Right, but you haven't eaten a thing all day."

I blinked.

He noticed that?

"I... uh—" I was stuttering like an idiot for words. I don't know why small things about Zac surprised me so much. "I'm not hungry."

Zac gave me a skeptical look, his eyes narrowed. "Right... sure. We could still study."

I let out a small laugh as I zipped up my bag, "I am tired of reading chemical compound names. How are you suggesting we continue when you're the one who's been complaining this whole time?"

Zac gave me a dull look and then shrugged. "Like you said, we have a lot of work to do." Again, his tone had shifted to a more monotone one that made it harder to read what he was feeling or thinking.

"We can continue tomorrow. I have to be somewhere," I swung my bag over my shoulders.

"Where?" Zac stood up when I headed for the door.

I turned to look at him, narrowing my eyes. Sometimes he would act like he couldn't bother to give me a second of attention. Other times he'd be so interested.

"That's your business, how?"

Zac rolled his eyes at my tone. "It's a Monday night, I didn't think you were one to be out right now... nerd." He shifted on his feet, scoffed and looked away from me.

I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms over my chest. Of course, like everyone, Zac saw me as nothing but a nerd. It bothered me but it was something I was used to so I did my best to ignore the irritation building inside me.

"News flash," I mutter. "Apparently nerds can also have a life." I shook my head and turned around, walking out of his room.

Zac followed me down the staircase, "I guess you do learn something new everyday. Where are you going?"

"I told you, I have plans." I ignored him as I slipped my shoes on. He stood behind me, watching my every move.

"Where? With who?"

"With half the school," I muttered sarcastically as I turned to look at him with a very clearly annoyed expression. "Tyler's party. I'm sure you know more about it than I do."

"You're going?" His eyebrows pulled together.

I rolled my eyes. Of course, with him thinking I'm just a pathetic nerd, he would assume I would never go to a party. God forbid a "nerd" has a social life. "Yes, Zac. I am going. If you let me leave."

I pushed past him and opened the front door, my heart beating frantically in my chest. Whenever I felt myself being too sassy or forward with Zac, I would panic a little because I didn't want him to lash out at me.

He looked down on me, didn't think I was good enough — much like how he looked at almost everyone else. I had seen him push multiple kids against lockers, even through a few punches, simply because someone accidentally bumped into him.

I didn't want him to get angry with me and do something like that. Everyone knows he has a bad temper.

I looked at Zac once more to see that he looked like he wanted to say something but refrained from doing so. He took a moment before slipping his shoes on and following me out his house.

"Where are you going?" I ask when he walks in front of me.

"To drive you home," he tells me bluntly, not emotion in his tone as he heads for his car. He doesn't look at me.

"I can walk," I tell him.

"Get in the car, Bloom."

"No, really. It's fine. I can mana—"

"Just shut up and get in the car, Jasmine." His voice is annoyed now but remains low. He stands by the driver door and looks at me with a tired and agitated expression.

Jasmine.

This was the first time he called me by my name. Except for when he asked me if it was my name.

He had been calling me "Bloom" all day which I still didn't understand. He was annoyed at me which worried me so instead of saying anything, I silently got in the car.

"You can just drive me back to the school," I spoke softly, my voice quiet and hesitant. "I can drive my car back home."

As much as I was tired and didn't want to drive my car, my house was much further than the school was. I was already afraid of making the wrong move around Zac, the last thing I needed was to waste his time by having him drive me all the way home.

Zac shook his head, "Give me your address."

"No, really. The schools only a few minutes awa—"

Again, he cut me off. "Just give me your address, Bloom. It's late, you shouldn't be driving."

Was Zac... concerned?

Of course not. He's Zac Miller, he just wants everything to go his way. He wants the last say.

I sighed and gave him my address, quickly having learned that there is really no point arguing with someone like Zac.

After a 20 minute car ride, we got to my house. I turned to look at Zac who had a blank look on his face. "Thanks... for the ride."

"Don't thank me," he muttered, looking away from me.

I nodded unsurely. "Okay. See you around, I guess." I started to get out of the car when Zac stopped me.

"Bloom," I turned to look at him. "Uh... thanks. For tutoring me." Zac looked away to avoid my gaze, clearly not being good with saying thank you.

A smile grew on my face, "Don't thank me." I mimicked his words causing a small smile to twitch on his lips. I then got out of the car and left.