Once Upon A Love Story

Chapter 6

I called a tow truck to move my car towards the nearest mechanic. It caused a heavy dent in my savings account almost hundred dollars wasted. I sighed. I have to find a job to work part time. Tomorrow, I'll ask around our neighborhood if anyone needs a babysitter. Meanwhile I completed the assigned work and banged my head a several times when I didn't get the expected answers in trigonometry, I'm sure I got half of the answers wrong anyways. It was eleven until I was finally done. Exhausted, I brushed my teeth and changed into my PJs before falling asleep.
The next morning I was running late yet again and I didn't have a choice but to skip breakfast. I had called Willow for a ride to school seeing as my car had still not returned. As soon as I wore my sneakers there was honking of the car no doubt it's Willow getting impatient. I hugged my Mom goodbye and was out the door
"We're gonna be late" she whined "No Willow, we'll reach school on time and one late slip won't taint your record, by the way can you find out if any of your posh neighbors need a babysitter I'm kinda broke so.." She glanced at me surprised but hid it well. "Yeah sure, I'll let you know today, but will you be able to juggle school and job at the same time?" She asked. I shrugged "Lots of people do it, so why not." She nodded without taking her eyes off the road. After she parked her Subaru we made a mad dash towards our class just as the final bell was ringing. I had Mathematics first and Professor Roberts was going to grade our tests from last week. I did horribly I'm not sure I can keep up the streak of A's in Mathematics and I'm scared. After entering the class I went to the farthest seat and sat down. After a few minutes professor Roberts entered the class. "Good morning students." There was a murmur of greetings from the class "I'm very dissatisfied with your performance. I agree that the test was of a difficult level but such grades are unacceptable." He said shaking his head and kept the stack of test papers on the desk. Just then the door opened and Ryan stood in the doorway. "Ah, Mr. Vincent you're late." Said professor Roberts. Ryan grinned sheepishly "I'm sorry Mr. Roberts." He said "Please be punctual next time Mr. Vincent, this shouldn't be a regular habit of yours, now take your seat." He reprimanded. Ryan scanned the seats and walked straight to the empty seat next to me and folded his long legs to sit down and of course, my heart skipped a beat. Professor Roberts was distributing the papers and when my turn came he looked down at me disapprovingly I got a C plus. I was horrified, how could this be? "Miss Callahan, you've slipped down your grade. I've noticed it in the previous tests too, which surprises me as you have straight A's in all the other subjects. You have to work harder." He said. "Yes sir" I whispered and he moved forward. After a while he gave Ryan's paper and he got an A plus at which professor Roberts was extremely pleased and I was green with envy.
I tried to crane my neck and look at his paper but wasn't able to read anything apart from that damn red A plus with a wide circle round it. I gave up and tried to concentrate on what professor Roberts was teaching but I was too stressed to understand anything. Finally the tedious class was finished.

"Miss Callahan and Mr. Vincent please meet me after the class files out." Said professor Roberts.

I was a nervous wreck. "Miss Callahan, you want to be selected in Yale or Harvard university, is that true, yes?" Professor Roberts asked "Y-yes Sir." I answered truthfully "So you need to work on your grades they're slipping alarmingly. You're a very promising student Miss Callahan and Mr. Vincent here can help you with your studies." He said glancing at Ryan. I was mortified "No sir, it won't be necessary, I'll take extra efforts for slacking in the previous tests." I said beeseechingly. "And I'm sure Ryan has many other activities, so he won't have time for the extra tuition." I explained. Before professor Roberts could utter a word Ryan interjected "I don't mind." He said and I stared at him stupefied. "So you see Miss Callahan, Mr. Vincent doesn't have a problem in helping you. Both of you can work out a schedule and next time I don't want such a poor performance from you Miss Callahan. Now You may leave." He said and we shuffled out. As soon as we were out of the class I rounded on Ryan "Why did you do that?" I asked furious at him. He shrugged. "It'll be like a revision for me and I can hardly be hard headed and say no to professor Roberts. He keeps grudges and I don't want to be the one on receiving end." He said. "But I have to find a part time job and I won't be able to fit in job, school and this extra lessons together." I said. "Not my problem." He replied and grinned at me. It wasn't fair he had everything perfect pearly white teeth, perfect looks, perfect grades, perfect doting family, a perfect girlfriend (not at the moment but duh), perfect future and I have to work so hard just to fulfill my dreams whereas he made it look so effortless. He then saw the defeated look on my face and his face softened "Don't worry, we'll somehow make it work." He said and was off to his next class. I dragged my feet towards English, glad that we didn't have gym today.

After the classes were finished for the day I went to the library to get a head start for the upcoming test. Just as I was removing my books and laptop Ryan came unceremoniously dropped his bag next to mine. I looked up at him alarmed. "You aren't thinking to start from today itself, are you?" I asked him. "Would that be so bad?" He asked back. I scowled at him but it didn't faze him. "Actually I'm here to solve your problem." He said. I was intrigued so I gestured for him to go on. "My Mom needs a nanny, as both my mom and dad aren't home most of the time" he said bitterly. "And I have football practice. She's six, so I was thinking if you'll take up this job I'll be available to help you for an hour or so, I'll give you some problems to solve and you can ask me your doubts in that hour when I'm present." He says triumphantly. And I have to agree it's a pretty good solution two of my problems are being solved so it's only reasonable that I agree to it. And I'm not doing this because I want to spend time with Ryan I tell myself. "Alright it's a good idea, so when should I start with the job?" I ask him. "I'll let you know, here give me your cell phone." he says and plucks my cell phone from the table and starts typing after a second his cell phone vibrates. "Now I have your number and my number is saved in your contacts. Most probably you'll have to start tomorrow and I'll let you know the payment too." He says almost as an afterthought. These rich people take money for granted and it disgusts me to no end. But I just nod at him afterall he's the one who's helping I should be a tad bit grateful for that. "Thank you for helping me yet again." I say. "It's nothing." He replies and gets up to leave and suddenly stops. "Aren't you going home?" He asks. "Willow is my ride home, as you know my car broke down yesterday and she has some choir practice so I have to leave when she'll be done." I tell him. "Come on then I'll give you a ride." He says. "It's alright Ryan, you're already doing too much for me I don't want to be indebted to you. You'd have to drive out of the way to drop me off." I said. "Don't worry I won't take the interest." He says sarcastically and laughs at my expression. He won't give up I realize so I text Willow that I have a ride home and follow him towards the parking lot.
And this is how, once again I find myself next to Ryan in his Rover.