FRIDAY'S GIRL ·ϿʘϾ·

Chapter 12

***DRAFT***

Leaving school, I felt a bit overwhelmed. It was Thursday afternoon, late October, and I had to head to my first rehab session at NorthBay Medical Center; though I was anything but excited. Thanks to Murphy's Law, the physiotherapist had initially scheduled me for every Friday, but I flat-out refused. I couldn't miss my pricey tutoring session, which was going to set me back a whopping forty dollars an hour.

During my vacation in Florida, I spent a lot of time and effort saving up that money. My dad, a firm believer in the idea that a person's character is built through obligations, principles, and hard work, "encouraged" me to help my uncle in his business. Slaving away nine hours in a mechanic's workshop taught me the real value of money and just how hard it is to earn it. The worst part? I had planned to give my girlfriend an unforgettable trip, just the two of us to a hotel near the beach and some amusement park. Talk about being a total sucker!

So, when I paid for my tutoring sessions for the first time, I felt a bit dizzy. Revenge was going to be expensive. Moreover, throughout the lesson, I was a model student, behaved very well, didn't try to seduce April, I swear! It was two intense hours of study, where I focused solely on the subjects. I had a diabolical plan in mind, but I also needed to improve my grades.

"Promises are meant to be kept," I commented at the end of the class when the awkward moment of payment arrived. "Eighty dollars, cash."

April hesitated for a few seconds before taking the white envelope I was offering her.

"I feel like a scammer." Her delicate fingers opened the flap and pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. "Here, this is yours. It doesn't seem right to me that you pay me so much for two hours of tutoring."

"Alright. I'll accept the money, but on one condition: we'll use these forty dollars for something we both can enjoy. Maybe, a night out at the movies or dinner somewhere." She frowned and looked at me suspiciously. "Just as friends, so I don't forget your face in the future."

"You're so funny!" April rolled her eyes and let out a snort, brushing her bangs away from her face. "Movie or dinner? Uhm... Did you know I'm on a diet? If you invite me to a restaurant, I'll be very cheap. I only drink smoothies after six in the evening. And if we're going to see a movie, it has to be good enough to capture my attention, or I might turn into the popcorn monster, attacking a few spectators because of the smell of butter. I can't help it, if there's food after midnight I turn into some kind of gremlin."

"I'm not afraid of you," I responded with a smile. "In fact, I plan to buy an extra-large popcorn and soda combo, just to see your transformation."

Winking at her, I took the two bills. As our hands touched, she blushed slightly, and I liked that. The way she looked at me made me want to get closer to her, to make her squirm a bit.

"See you next week." April hurried to put the envelope inside her backpack, as if she was eager to leave my house.

"Thanks for today's lesson," I said in a husky voice, giving her an unexpected farewell kiss on the cheek. She startled— "Sorry, it was a spur of the moment, I just wanted to thank you for your generosity. See you Monday in class."

I smiled like an idiot remembering her embarrassed face, as I headed towards the school parking lot. I had arranged to meet my soon-to-be ex-girlfriend to take me to the hospital. That day my dad had an important meeting, and my mom couldn't swap shifts with any of her coworkers.

My joy vanished when I bumped into Oliver, who was leaning on the hood of his red convertible Mercedes-Benz. It was unbelievable that just a month ago, I had seen him as my best friend, almost like a brother. Nonetheless, since returning to school, I had managed to keep my distance from him more or less.