Jiley Oneshots

Tutor (i) [f]

"James you need to study!" Deborah demanded, waking into her son's bedroom and seeing him lounging on his bed. Beside him, his girlfriend was propped up against his headboard, lazily flicking through a magazine.

"It's all under control ma" he dismissed, "don't even worry about it"
"No James I do worry about it" his mother said firmly, "your grades are slipping, again, and this time it's no joke. You'll have to retake the whole grade if you don't improve"

Riley frowned, putting the magazine down and bringing her legs into her chest. "You didn't tell me it was that bad Jay"
"It's not" James sighed, glaring at his mother for mentioning it. He saw Riley's disbelieving look and added, "it's not, I swear"
"Oh really James?" Deborah challenged, "so if I were to call up your teachers, they'd say you're doing great would they?"

He didn't answer.

"I could tutor him" Riley suddenly suggested, looking between them both. "I mean, I've done it before, prior to Regionals when I helped him pass his math exam"
Deborah shook her head, "no, I don't think that's a good idea. We all know you wouldn't actually study. You'd get distracted and find something more fun to do instead"

"We would study!" James argued, "Riley's super stubborn about stuff like that"
"Plus I'd do it for free" Riley added, ignoring the fact that James called her stubborn, "and I know James' mind and how he learns best"
"I'm still not happy about this" his mother sighed begrudgingly, "but I admit, it would be easier for you to do it Riley. Fine. But don't make me regret it and if his grades aren't up on his next paper then I'm getting a proper tutor"

Deborah left the room and James lay back down on the mattress with a relieved smile, "oh thank god, now where were we?"

He shifted closer to his girlfriend and moved to connect their lips when she pulled away sharply.
"Uh I don't think so. We have to study remember?" She reminded him, pushing her hand against his chest to create a large gap between them.

He frowned, "what- Rilessss no"
"Jamessss yes" she mimicked his whiny tone. "You said it yourself, I'm stubborn like that"
She smiled smugly at him, ready for him to start backtracking. He didn't disappoint.
"That's not what I- you know I just said that to get her to leave! You're not stubborn Ri!"
She laughed, "oh yes I am"

~

"James I've literally done it for you" Riley sighed, pointing at her own cursive writing directly above his scrawny font. "Look, I've done the hard part, you just need to do the final step"
Her boyfriend blinked at the white page and scratched his neck. Then he looked up with a confused expression and asked, "can you show me how to do it again?"

The petite girl nodded tiredly and scooted her chair closer to his desk. He watched intently as she picked up a pen and began scrawling down numbers and the occasional letter. She narrated her thought process aloud, giving him the opportunity to follow along and hopefully learn the method.

"So X must equal 11.5" she concluded, "does that make sense?"
James opened his mouth. He desperately wanted to say yes, for her sake more than his, but it would've been a lie. "Can you just explain that bit again?"
She squinted her eyes at the sheet in front of her, "what bit?"

"Uh, all of it?"

Riley sighed and put down her pen. With evident exasperation, she asked, "James do you understand anything I've been talking about?"
His silence was enough of an answer.
"It's hopeless Ri" he finally said, "I'm never going to get it. You're wasting your time"

The brunette girl sighed again, this time from exhaustion rather than frustration. "James" she said firmly, "I am not wasting my time. As long as you want my help, you have it. I want to help you"
"Why?" he snorted, "I'm a lost cause and we both know it"
"Why?" she repeated, "because I love you, you idiot and I know you can do this stuff. Please don't give up"