Tutoring Mr. "Bad" boy.

Chapter 33

As she ushered me towards the plush sofas, I could feel the awkwardness hanging over us like a gloomy cloud as I silently followed.
Was I scared of her?
No.
Was I nervous?
Definitely!!
Which is totally insane. I mean, she's so warm and kind and friendly and gorgeous.

God, she's gorgeous, I think to myself for the millionth time.
Too gorgeous, actually.
That has probably got to be the reason why I'm so nervous. It's almost like being the presence of royalty! And I don't exactly know how to act around royals, so I do the next best thing.
"This place is amazing, Mrs. Hilton," I tell her, which is totally not an attempt to kiss her ass or something, but because the house really is amazing.

Ok maybe it was an attempt at ass kissing.

She chuckles before responding, a melodious sound that sends instant shivers down my spine. "Thank you, dear. And please, call me Leslie. Mrs. Hilton makes me seem older," she whispered the last bit, bursting into a fit of giggles, and I join in, the initial awkwardness gently easing away.

"Right, Leslie," I practice out loud and she pumps a fist in the air.
"Yay!!" She adds excitedly, plopping down on of the sofas, and patting the spot next to her.
"Come. Sit with me, sweetheart."
I oblige instantly, unconsciously rubbing my hands against my thighs.
I'm taken aback momentarily when she reaches to take my hands in hers.
"You don't have to be nervous, sweetheart," she assures me in a gentle whisper, flashing a kind smile. I only nod and return her smile.
"I'm really really glad you're here, Mandy. Because, I want to thank you in person for being there for Randy, and for helping him out of that dark place I tried so hard to get him out for a long, long time," She tells me, both her voice and eyes heavy with so much emotion, that it takes every ounce of control within me to not shed some tears.

"Randy's had a pretty rough childhood, you know. While the other kids were busy learning how to ride bikes with their fathers, his was always away at work. The few times he was actually home, he was simply just too hard on the poor boy. Even as a child, Alex always expected so much from him. At first, I figured he was just trying his best to bring up a decent young man and so I let him have his way. But as the years went by, I realized he was only trying to bring up an exact replica of himself...a mini, perfect Alex Hilton. He pushed Randy beyond his limits, not only in school, but in every aspect of the boy's life. And I let him..." She pauses mid sentence and for the first time, looks downwards. I could tell the waterworks were about to burst open any moment and somehow, it wasn't because of how his dad had treated Randy, but because of her continued silence and allowing him in doing so.
She very much regretted it, I noted from her tone.

A few seconds later she sniffles gently and then looks up again, her bright smile absent from her face.
"I'm sorry about that." She chuckles lowly and forces a big smile. It was now my turn to reach out for her hand. Trembling, I take her hands in mine and squeeze them gently. As ironic as it may seem, holding her hand seems to bring me more comfort than giving her the comfort I'd intended.
"Don't be. You can't blame yourself for all that," I whispered.

"But I do," Leslie admits under her breath. "I really do," she repeats, her voice breaking into a silent sob. "But hey, I can't offload all this on you. Where are my manners? I'm so sorry, Mandy. This was supposed to be me getting to know you, not babbling away like some crazy person," She rattles away, gently wiping a stray tear that is fast making its way down her cheeks. I can feel my heart sink into my stomach as I look on, unable to say or do anything. And even with a tear stained face, Leslie still looks so precious and brave.

Randy really was his mother's son. He never wanted to inconvenience or bother anyone with his issues and although it made him out to be this brave, independent guy, it was a large contributor to all of the misery he felt in the past.