The Tutor (BOOK 2: OMEN KING SERIES)

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Romeo Benjamin

I strut my way into Delta's frat party for whatever Jerald's thing is, and I swear I can feel the air shift. The place is packed-music thumping like a heartbeat, the kind that makes your chest vibrate.

Familiar faces dot the crowd, and I get a whole lot of nods, the kind that says they see me, but don't really see me. Just the captain of the football team, not the guy behind the badge.

As I weave through the throng, Jonathan Mathews, the new right winger on our hockey team, sidles up to me, his grin wide. "Rocky, where the hell have you been, dude?" he asks, like I'm some long-lost mate he's been waiting to catch up with.

I force a chuckle, but inside, I'm cringing. That's the thing about being known. Everyone knows the title, but not the person. If it's not my roommates or my best mates, they see me as some shiny trophy, not the guy who struggles behind it all. Relationships? Nah, I've learned my lesson. They want the football captain, not the person who sometimes feels like a ghost in his own life.

"Ah, you know, just dealing with school shit," I reply, hoping I sound casual.

Suddenly, a red solo cup is thrust into my hands, filled with some concoction that smells way too strong. It promises to wipe away the memories of lectures and assignments that feel like they're piling up like dirty laundry along with the mess that is my father. Cheers to that, I guess. But I can't take a sip-not on a school night, and definitely not when I'm driving back to my dorm later.

"Schoolwork? Dude, you're killing the vibe," Jonathan says, raising his cup for a mock toast, and I try not to roll my eyes.

The music blares, drowning out our conversation, and I glance around. A chaotic spectacle unfolds before me-people dancing, laughing, swaying in a rhythm that feels both exhilarating and exhausting.

And then I see her.

Jenny. She walks in with a brunette girl, her expression somewhere between curiosity and dread. I can't help but stare. Something about her tight black dress screams confidence, but she looks out of place, like she'd rather be buried in a textbook than surrounded by this madness. The brunette, though? She's already glued to a corner where Tim is chatting up a storm with a group of girls.

What's she doing here? Jenny's not the party type-she's more of a study-at-home kind of girl. Did she lose a bet? Or maybe her friends dared her to come and show off her legs? Or maybe there's more to her than just her brains.

But that dress...

Snap back to reality, mate. I'm supposed to be a functioning adult. I wouldn't actually go tearing that dress off her, tempting as that thought might be. That's a fast track to a restraining order, and I've got enough paperwork to deal with already. Plus, I'd probably end up ripping the thing by accident and owe her a fortune for a replacement.

So, I decide to play it cool. I give Jenny a nod and a half-smile, trying to appear nonchalant while inside I'm screaming. It feels like a tightrope walk, balancing between wanting to leap into the chaos and keeping my cool. I'm dying inside, fighting the urge to say something witty, something charming, but all I can manage is this awkward grin.

Poker face, Rocky. Just maintain that facade. I should be fine, right? At least that's what I keep telling myself. It's all about appreciating the view without getting carried away. Beautiful sights are meant to be admired, not touched. God, I hope I can keep my hormones in check tonight.

I walk over to her, my signature smirk plastered across my face. She rolls her eyes, and I can't help but find it amusing. As I approach her, I catch a whiff of her perfume, a sweet scent of vanilla that lingers in the air. She tilts her head back to meet my gaze, her petite stature no match for my towering height.

"Romeo," she says, her voice sending a nice shiver down my spine

I push away the urge to make a crude remark about her comment, instead focusing on the task at hand. She brushes her blonde hair back, revealing her gorgeous blue-gray eyes that seem to look at something. I don't bother to follow her gaze; it's probably just some boring book or some nerd.

"Tutor girl," I reply, momentarily forgetting her name.

Smooth, real smooth. I'll just ask around for her name. Maybe someone knows. Well of course someone knows, she's hot as fuck. But how the fuck did I already forget? Did I seriously have a memory problem?

"You already forgot," she sighs, disappointment evident in her voice.

"Ah, you know, short-term memory loss. It's a real struggle," I joke, a mischievous glint in my eye.

Surprisingly, she can't hide the smile that tugs at the corner of her lips. "Yeah, yeah," she says, her tone laced with sarcasm. "What do you want?" she asks, her curiosity piqued.

I can't help but smirk, knowing exactly what I want, sex. But I can't let that slip; I need to ignore my twitching dick if I want her to agree to tutor me. "Well, you already know, but I want you to tutor me, I mean, unless you're too busy saving the world and all."

Her eyes narrow, but I can see the hint of amusement dancing in them. "I'll think about it, Romeo. And no, I don't have superpowers, in case you were wondering."

I shrug, pretending to be disappointed. "Aw, here I was, hoping you could fly me to the moon. Guess I'll have to settle for studying instead."

She laughs, a sound that's like music to my ears. "You're impossible. But I'm still thinking about it. Consider it my good deed for the day."

I raise an eyebrow. "Wow, you must really owe someone big time if thinking about tutoring me counts as a good deed."

She playfully shoves me, and I stumble back a step, dramatically clutching my heart. "Watch it, Tutor girl. You almost broke my fragile ego there."

She can break my ego anytime if it means hearing that laugh one more time, or even seeing that gorgeous smile with the deep dimple in her chin once more.

She rolls her eyes, but there's a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Just promise me you'll actually leave me alone, because I said I'll think about it."

I hold up a hand, pretending to take an oath. "Scout's honor. I will."

She shakes her head, but I can see a glimmer of pride in her eyes. "You're lucky I'm actually taking the time to think about it, Romeo."

For fucks sakes, please think faster.