Your Tutor

Chapter Five

—

Forest Brooks: 12:31 a.m.—

"Maylee?" I question after rolling over in my sleep, only to not find her next to me. She had been sleeping for a couple hours without issue, why is she awake now? "Fuck," I grumble, flipping onto my back and rubbing my eyes. If I have to go on a manhunt for a barely sober college girl, I'm going to start questioning my life choices.

Just as I move to slide out the bed, her soft voice rumbles through the air. "I'm right here." I shift my gaze to her dark figure sitting up on the bed. "I just—" she cuts herself off. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

I push up to lean against the headboard. "Bad dream?" I ask, tilting my head. The way she's sitting kind of gives it away. She looks stressed and tense. And when she doesn't respond, I nod. "I thought so. Water will make you feel better."

Maylee sucks in a deep breath. "I can't."

"Can't what?"

She rubs her arm as she talks, pinching the skin, "It's childish, I don't wanna— I just can't. I have to wait a minute. Go back to sleep."

I've had my fair share of nightmares. Mostly when I was in high school, but they still happen every once in a while. I'm no expert, but I can help a little. "Are you paranoid?"

"I just have to wait," she says back, continuing to pinch her flesh.

I sigh. "Hey," I whisper. "Turn around, please. Look at me." My eyes stay trained on the hand that keeps nipping her skin. She's going to bruise if she doesn't stop. "Just for a second."

Maylee clearly hesitates before turning in my direction. I can barely see her, but she looks as if she cried. I don't want to upset her even more, but I desperately want to ask what it was about. Fuck my curiosity.

I reach for her arm without making any drastic movements, as I don't want to startle her. She watches as I wrap my hand around hers and pull it away from her arm. "You're awake. Alright?" I smile when her fingers start lightly pinching my palm. The tip of her thumb meets her pointer finger knuckle to nip my skin. Anxious tick, I assume.

"It's habit. I can't help it."

"I'll go get your water, okay?" She nods, and I get out of bed. 

Within a few minutes, I'd gotten her water in replacement for the empty glass on her table and a melatonin pill. I have some trouble falling back asleep after waking up, so this might help her get back to bed.

I hum as I hand the glass to her and offer her the pill. She swallows the small tablet and sips some of the water. "Thank you," she says as she gives me the half-empty glass back.

I set it on the bedside table and nod. "Wanna talk about it?" I ask, still yet to get in the bed. She shakes her head, wiping her cute nose with her sleeve. "Okay."

She extends her arms to me, so I step up and allow her to wrap her arms around my torso. I rub her back, letting her sink into me. "Lay with me, please," she says. "Just until I fall asleep."

"Come this way," I respond, tugging her towards the end of her bed. She does, scooting over to me. I lift her and take her spot in the bed. "Good?"

She nods, pulling the covers over us.

"Good."

—
Maylee Lych
—

I finish dressing myself after taking a shower and doing my hair. I leave the bathroom and grab my phone before heading into the living room. I see Cameron and Mac sitting at the counter in the kitchen; Cameron laying on her arms and Mackai watching her as they talk to each other.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Mackai says, a smile pulling at his lips.

I groan, moving into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.

"Do you feel as bad as I do?" Cameron asks, voice low, most likely because loud noises set off the raging headache that pounds against our skulls.

I let myself focus on pouring the coffee in the mug so I don't spill it — because I'm still separated from all reality — before responding. "Probably. I, like, can't feel my feet, and I dunno' why." I lift the cup to my lips and sip slowly.

"How ya' feelin' Cam?" Brooks asks, his voice disrupting the air. He's still here. I'd figured he would be gone before I woke up, but no. He just can't leave me alone, can he?

She grumbles, stuffing her face in her arms.  "Hungover." Her head shoots up, but she clearly regrets moving so fast because her hands find her forehead followed by a groan. "You haven't left?" she questions through the pain.

"Unfortunately," I say. "You can go now," I tell Brooks, watching him stand behind Mac and Cam with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Cameron looks at Brooks, studying his figure. "Did you guys shower together?" she asks before shifting her gaze back to me. "And I know damn well you can't braid your own hair."

I almost spit out the hot drink. "Hell no. He just took one after me. He's wearing your clothes, by the way," I tell Mac. The amount of Mac's clothes I've taken from Cameron or him is uncanny. I should probably give them back. Poor guy. "And turns out he can braid." I had him put two dutch braids at the top and leave the rest down. Simple — but cute.

She furrows her brows in disbelief before turning her head back to him. "How?"

Brooks smiles. "My cousins taught me a while ago. She's the first person I've done it on — that's not my cousin or sister. Good, huh?" He's clearly proud of himself as he looks at his work. And I have to agree, it's not half bad. "Also," he starts meeting my gaze. "I'll take my leave when Mac leaves."

"That's not fair. His girlfriend lives here," I retaliate but to no avail.

"Okay? It's a hangover, she isn't going to die without his presence."

I take note of the challenging fire in his eyes. He has some nerve. "He's not gonna' leave his girlfriend like that. Some people are nice."

"His girlfriend who is sitting right here," Cameron chimes in, looking back and forth between us. She groans when she gets no reaction.

Brooks narrows his normally soft eyes at me. "Would you stay to take care of your boyfriend if he had a cold?" he asks, tilting his head to the right.

I raise a brow. "Would you?"

"For my girlfriend, no."

"And you think she'd be okay with that?"

He shrugs. "What would you do?"

I put my mug down and fold my arms over my chest. "I'd be pissed. He should care no matter what I'm sick with."

"All right. I'll work on it."

"I wasn't asking you to change, your girlfriends might think differently." I smile. "Just leave."

He shakes his head and chuckles. "Okay, Peaches. I'll see you later." He winks before turning and walking to the door. "I'll give you your clothes tomorrow, man," he says to Mackai.
Mac glances over to him. "Just give them back to her. I'll get 'em from May later."

Brooks nods and exits, and I watch as he does.

"'Peaches,' huh?" Cameron teases.

I stammer, not able to come up with a good excuse — or even a way to make the truth not sound romantic. "He said—"

"Oh, no need to explain. I completely understand." She grins.

Word Count — 1,289

this chapter is on the short side and sorry it's delayed, but I had practice super early and I just got out. <3