The Flynn Effect

04 | arm's length

Jo

WHEN FLYNN PARKS next to the curb, I decide there and then that I hate him even more. I jerk forward, the seatbelt wrapping tightly around my torso and preventing me from colliding headfirst with the glass.

I blow out my cheeks and lean my head against the headrest, closing my eyes. I feel his eyes scanning my face.

"Are you okay?"

I crack my eyes open. "I'm furious."

He nods, seeming contented and then tells me we're here. I get out of the car and slam the door shut while a soft ocean breeze breathes past us. I'm more than happy I'm wearing a sweater and then I look back and see Flynn bringing out everything he threw at the backseat.

Right in front of us is a cabin-like restaurant, half of the walls are built with logs and the other half is completely exposed. The foundation is supported by rigid pillars made of wood that sink straight into the sand and there's a suspiciously long staircase leading up to the front door. Glinting fairy lights are hung all around the bottom of the thatched roof and from where we are, down below, I can see the very few customers conversing in their seats and a single waiter occasionally going back and forth.

"You coming or what?" Flynn asks, already in front of me. He's heading up the stairs like he's done this several times and I hesitate before stepping forward and placing my hand on the banister. The first step creaks and I let out a shaky breath and look up to see Flynn pounding his way upwards.

Gaining a little more confidence, I take the next step and begin to climb further until I get to the front door where the word 'Rosie's' in neon lights are staring at me right in the middle and push it open. It swings shut behind me and I take a minute to glance around just as the smell of spicy burgers fill my nose. The whole place looks quiet, intimate and kind of romantic. The only sounds I can pick up are the silent chatter from the few people in the restaurant and the distant waves crashing in the ocean.

I follow Flynn to a booth that sits at the edge of the cabin and settle down on the comfortable chair. This particular angle gives a beautiful view of the twinkling city lights of Appleton-the city Lakeville shares borders with and I stare at it with a particular longing. I stare at it with a possibility that someone I've missed is there.

Flynn takes a seat opposite me and I shift my focus to him, painfully ignoring the picturesque view next to me.

"So," I frown. "I need to set some things straight here."

I don't wait for him to answer so I move on with counting. "One, this is strictly tutorials only. No funny business."

Flynn chews the inside of his cheek and nods.

"Two, this-" I gesture to the space between us and the books around us and continue, "- doesn't make us friends. I'm simply your tutor and you're the tutee. We're still enemies regardless."

Flynn does the okay sign with his fingers and vehemently nods. "Got it."

I clear my throat. "Three, please refrain from being any closer to me than my arm's length," I stretch my arm on the table to demonstrate and I see his eyes flick to my arm and back to my face.

I can't exactly tell his expression but he nods regardless, completely unfazed.

"Good," I retract my arm and say the next number. "Four, please stick to time and let me know beforehand of any adjustments you'll wish to make to this arrangement."

"And last but not the least,-"

Flynn rolls his eyes and leans forward on the table. "Listen, Pryce, I'm not particularly fond of you either so I think we should just get this over with," he pauses for a second and folds his arms. They bulge against each other, the right one sprawled with a few tattoos. "Frankly, I think you're quite irritating some times. Like a literal pain in my ass."