My Chemistry Tutor

CHAPTER 7

LISA'S POV

I lay down on my bed to relax for a bit before I have to leave for work in about thirty minutes.

I was just about to close my eyes for a quick nap when I heard the familiar ding of a notification on my phone.

I roll over, reach for my nightstand, and grab it. My heart skips when I see the name.

A text from Jennie.

I immediately sit up in bed. This is the very first time she's ever texted me. My fingers fumble as I unlock my phone and open my messages.

Send me your work schedule so I can figure out study techniques you can do in small amounts of time.

I sigh as I stare at the screen. Why am I sighing? What exactly was I even expecting her to text me?

Hello to you too, love.

Seconds later, her reply pops up.

Shit, I'm sorry. Hello, Lisayah.

I smirk. The thought of Jennie cursing kind of turns me on not going to lie. I don't think I've ever heard her swear before.

I decide then and there that my mission next time she tutors me will be to get her to curse out loud.

Do you have work today, Lisayah?

Unfortunately, I do.

That's too bad.

Why is it bad, love? Did you have something hot planned for us to do today? ;)

I think it's too early to cover the boiling point and melting point for chemistry. Maybe after we've gone over a few more chapters.

Oh my gosh. This girl is so oblivious. Sometimes it's a little frustrating, but mostly... it's just really, really adorable.

Jennie has this way of making me feel weak like my walls crack every time she talks to me. She's nothing like I expected. I realized that the very first day she tutored me.

Never in my life would I have imagined her running after me outside the library. No one ever does that. And the way she said no to me... it was so firm, so full of sincerity, like she actually cared.

Most people avoid confronting me like that. But Jennie? She looked me straight in the eyes, and she meant every word.

And her goddamn pinkie swear that was just too cute. Who even does that anymore? But with her, it felt genuine. It felt real.

She's definitely one of a kind.

My phone buzzes again, snapping me out of my thoughts.

So, are you going to give me your work schedule, Lisayah?

Shit. I'd been so caught up thinking about Jennie that I completely forgot to reply.

I work from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, I work from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. And on Saturday and Sunday, I work from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Holy cow, do you ever have time for yourself, Lisayah?!

I chuckle softly, shaking my head.

Time for myself? What's that?

Very funny, Lisa. But you need to have time for yourself. I don't want you getting stressed or burned out. Please take care of yourself first.

I pause, staring at her words. Why does she care so much about me?

Before I can think of a proper reply, I glance at the clock. I'm running late. I need to head to work.

I send her a quick bye before shoving my phone into my pocket. With a sigh, I grab my bag and head outside to my beat-up old car.

JENNIE'S POV

"I'm worried about Lisa!" The words slip out of my mouth before I even realize I've said them.

Mom pokes her head out of the kitchen, eyeing me curiously. "Who's Lisa?"

"Oh, she's the girl I'm tutoring for chemistry. Remember, I told you about her?" I reply quickly.

"Yeah, you mentioned her," Mom says, stepping fully into the living room. "But why are you worried about her?"

Dad wanders in, drying his hands with a towel. "What's going on?"

I sigh, frowning as I hug a pillow to my chest. "She works too much. She doesn't have time to do schoolwork. She barely has time for herself."

"Maybe her family is going through financial problems," Dad suggests gently.

I bite my lip. Maybe he's right. That would explain why Lisa told me she needs the money so badly.

"Maybe you should talk to Lisa," Mom adds. "Try to convince her to cut back on her hours. And if needed, we could even have a conversation with her parents. Lisa is still a kid. She doesn't need to work herself so hard."

I nod slowly. "You're right. I'll try talking to her about it next time."

I jump up, rushing to hug them both tightly. "Love you guys!"

Then I hurry upstairs to my room, flopping onto my bed. My mind spins with ideas on how to bring this up without upsetting her.

How would Lisa take it? Would she get angry? Would she shut me out? I really don't know.

Lisa isn't exactly an open book. She hides her feelings behind that tough exterior, and it's hard to tell what's really going on inside her.

But one thing I do know I don't want to offend her. That's the last thing I'd ever want.

All I want is to help her. To see her succeed. To watch her believe in herself the way I believe in her.

Because she deserves that. She deserves to see herself as the capable, strong-spirited person that I already see in her.