The Scars of Anatomy

11. Tutor

I walk into the anatomy lecture hall to find just Delilah in her seat. There's about ten minutes until class starts, and I'm sort of relieved that Olivia isn't in class yet. After yesterday, I could sense a bit of lingering, awkward tension between us after she notified me of Adrianna's lipstick still on my neck. I've been mortified ever since.

I almost didn't show up to class today, but I figured that was the cowardly thing to do, and it could potentially worsen the situation.

"Hey, Dee," I softly greet Delilah, who has her nose shoved in a textbook.

"Hey," she says, peeling her eyes away from her book to greet me properly. "How are you?"

I give her a shrug of indifference. "Alright."

She frowns. "You didn't do so hot on the test, did you?"

I'm taken aback by her blunt question. "Uhh..." I stall awkwardly, scratching the back of my neck. "Not the best, I guess."

She nods. "Quinton was pretty insistent about it, and you quickly shoving your test in your backpack was kind of a giveaway," she admits with a wry smile.

At the mention of rat boy my fists involuntarily clinch. I knew he would be an asshole about it.

"So, how bad was it?" Delilah asks cautiously, surprisingly not in a condescending way. She asks out of genuine concern, like a friend would.

I let out a soft groan of agony and contemplate if I should tell her or not.

Sensing that I must be on the fence, she speaks up. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but just know I won't tell anyone," she says with all sincerity. "Especially not Quinton. I can tell you two don't necessarily... get along."

"You got that right," I mumble. After a few beats, I let out a sigh. "It wasn't necessarily a complete crash and burn, but let's just say there was some major damages," I confess, willing to trust her.

She purses her lips together and nods. "Well, you know who a great tutor is? Olivia." A small, knowing smile spreads across her face. "Just ask and she'll be more than willing to help you."

I try my best to suppress a smile. While that does seem tempting, a part of my ego is telling me not to ask her. But then again, it would be a good excuse to spend more time with her...

"I'll think about it," I tell Delilah, and she flashes me another knowing smile, one that says she knows I'll eventually cave and ask Olivia to tutor me.

We sit in silence for a few moments, more students filing in. I know I only have moments left, and something inside me can't bite back my curiosity, so I just come outright and ask Delilah. "Can I ask you something?"

Delilah carelessly shrugs a shoulder. "Go for it."

I twist in my seat to face her directly, one elbow resting on the back of my chair while the other is planted on the desk. "What's up with ra—Quinton," I quickly correct myself.

Delilah doesn't even flinch at my question, it's almost as if she's been expecting it. With a sigh, she looks over both shoulders before leaning in to whisper to me. Instinctively, I lean in to hear her and give her my undivided attention. Her lips twist to the side as she contemplates how to begin. "Quinton... he's got it bad for Olivia."

"I've gathered that much," I mutter and she shoots me a look that tells me to shut up and listen to the rest of what she has to say.

"He's had a big crush on her since freshman year, but Olivia has never reciprocated those feelings." She pauses, choosing her next words carefully. "But when I say Quinton has got it bad for Olivia, he's got it bad. As in, he dumped his girlfriend of four years when he thought he may have had a shot with Olivia."