Can't Get Over You || Pope Heyward

1

Chapter 1 -
April 2019

April 21st, 2019 was a day that would forever be etched in Hallie Routledge's memory. Little did she know, it would turn out to be a blessing in disguise - a day filled with mischief and antics that would shake the very foundation of her life.

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, John B Routledge with the help of his partner in crime, JJ Maybank, had created a plan. The two decided to lure the younger girl by sharing their plans of going to Eddie's Beach Shack; a quaint brunch spot on the bustling shores of the tourist-infested side of town, which just so happened to be Hallie's absolute favorite place to indulge in breakfast foods.

When John B broke the news to his sister, a contagious joy lit up Hallie's face like fireworks in the night sky. She couldn't contain her excitement, eagerly dashing to get ready in record time, afraid that they might leave her behind, as they have many times before.

Little did she know, this seemingly innocent escapade held a secret. As they embarked on the journey towards the beach shack, a heavy silence hung in the air. A flicker of doubt should have wavered in the girl's mind as she observed the clandestine glances exchanged between the two mischief-makers. But alas, the duo had expertly masked their intentions, leaving her completely oblivious to where they were actually heading.

Her dreams of laying on the warm sandy beach in her favorite purple bikini, devouring a stack of mouthwatering pancakes were gone. As reality hit Hallie like a tidal wave as she was abruptly pushed into a chair in the dreary confines of her school's library, clad in one of John B's oversized t-shirts that he carelessly tossed at her before they entered the building.

With an annoyed slump of her shoulders, Hallie sank into her seat, her arms crossing over her chest. The frigid air conditioning sent shivers down her spine, causing goosebumps to pepper her skin as she scowled up at her older brother. Fuming with frustration, she knew she should have hidden her report card better.

"I don't need this, you know," she grumbled, her voice laced with irritation. "English is hardly important."

John B, his eyes twinkling with amusement, looked down at his fourteen-year-old sister, a smirk dancing on his lips. He knew she would thank him one day for this unexpected detour. "Oh, really?" he retorted, a hint of sarcasm dripping from his words. "I guess knowing how to read isn't important after all."

The brunette muttered under her breath, barely audible. "I can read."

JJ chimed in with a knowing smile. He swung the chair next to her around, casually straddling it, his chapped lips forming a lazy grin. "Hey now, we're just trying to look out for you, kid," he said, his voice oozing with playful banter. "We can't afford to have a dumb pogue, can we?"

A skeptical eyebrow arched as Hallie stared at him, unimpressed. "Well, where's your tutor then?" she fired back. "You only passed freshman year cause the teachers didn't wanna deal with you again."

A sarcastic laugh erupted from JJ's lips, his hand reaching out to ruffle up Hallie's hair. She swatted his hand away, and their playful banter quickly escalated into a full-fledged sibling-like squabble. As they bickered, unaware of their surroundings, another approached their table.

Pope Heyward was a familiar face in town to the two boys, known for his studious nature, constantly buried in textbooks or diligently helping out at his parent's shop. Recognizing his exceptional academics, John B had thought of no one better to tutor his younger sister.

"Hey man, thanks for doing this again." The brunet expressed his gratitude, extending a friendly dap to the brainiac.

Pope nodded in response. "Of course, after helping me with those deliveries yesterday, it's the least I can do."

John B placed his hands on Hallie's shoulders, prompting her to glance up at him. His stern look matched his tone. "Behave."

The brunette rolled her eyes, biting her tongue to restrain the countless remarks swirling in her mind. He had already enlisted her in tutoring, she didn't want to have to walk home too.

John B waved to the dark-skinned boy before motioning for JJ to leave with him. The blond playfully nudged the side of Hallie's head, whispering a small "good luck" to her before following his best friend out of the room. Left alone with her new tutor, Hallie watched as they hurriedly made their exit.

"Alright," the tutor declared as he settled himself in a seat across from her. He reached into his bag, pulling out a stack of heavy textbooks that made Hallie's head ache by just looking at them. Flipping one open to a specific page, he announced, "Ready to begin?"

Hallie spoke, drawing out her words and innocently smiling up at him before closing the textbook and pushing it aside. "Actually..." she started, her voice trailing off. "I can't learn from a stranger."

An intrigued eyebrow raised on the his face. While he was no newcomer to tutoring, having taken it up as a side hustle to earn some extra money, he had heard nearly every excuse imaginable from procrastinating students. But her reasoning was refreshingly different. "Oh?" he responded, waiting for her to continue.

She nodded confidently. "People tend to view strangers as untrustworthy, leading to negative assumptions. Since I've just met you, I can only assume that your intentions as a tutor are bad. For all I know, you could want me to fail."

A small, amused smile played on Pope's lips. He could already tell that the girl was quite intelligent. She may struggle with understanding Shakespeare, but she certainly knew how to spin a persuasive argument. Normally, he would shut down such antics from his students, but with this girl, he found himself curious to see where this would lead.

Chuckling softly, he shook his head. "I suppose that does make some sense. So, how do we fix this problem?"

The brunette pretended to ponder, tapping her index finger lightly on the table. "Hmm, that could take a bit, but a name could help for now."

"Pope. Pope Heyward." Offering his name with a small smile.

A mischievous grin formed on the teen girl's face. "Well, Pope Heyward, how do you feel about pancakes?"

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(Not edited)
Hii, thanks for reading!! This has been in my drafts for awhile and decided maybe it was time it saw the light. Lmk what y'all think. And pleasee like and vote thanks ;)