Tutoring Him

13.

Sadie

'Why do you need so much? You're only going for a week.' I look at Jane overpacked suitcase. It's monday morning, 7 a.m. We're standing in the hallway right now.  Jane's going on dance camp today. Which means I'm alone for a whole week. I can tell she's nervous. I would be that too if had to share a room with my crush for a whole week.

'Says you.' Jane says. I chuckle. 'That's true.' I say. I always pack way to much. Suddenly our neighbors' door opens. Jane and I turn our heads towards the sound. Tyler enters the hallway with also a suitcase. Alex comes after him, without one. Weird. What's he going to do?

I observe them. Tyler is wearing shorts and something what looks like a baseball jersey. I don't know, I'm not interested in sports. He's wearing a cap with the same logo as his shirts. I suspect of his team or something. Alex looks like he just rolled out of bed. One hand in the pocket of his grey sweatpants, the other fixing his messy brown hair. The hand in his pocket moves to his face. Alex rubs his eyes, which proves he had just woken up.

Then Tyler spots us. 'Hey, where are you going?' He says. 'I could ask you the same.' Jane replies. I chuckle. Tyler rolls his eyes and sighs. 'I have a baseball championship in L.A. I'll be there for a week.' So it was indeed a baseball jersey. I didn't know Tyler was on such a high team. 'And you?' Tyler says. 'Dance camp.' She answers. 'Ah.' Tyler nods.

'Don't you have to go there, Sadie?' Alex says, sounding confused. 'You dance too, right?' Shit. I was hoping to avoid that question. 'I used to dance.' I begin. 'But I, ehm, I broke my knee, ehm, during a performance.' I swallow. 'It never fully recoverd.' I stare at the ground and fiddle with my shirt. 'Oh.' Alex says, his face softening. 'I'm sorry.' I fake smile at him. 'It's okay.'

Luckily Jane changes the topic, she knows I get uncomfortable when someone asks why I don't dance anymore. It had been a very hard time back then. 'I think I need to go guys.' Jane says, looking at the time on her phone. I hug her quickly and then she leaves. Now I'm alone for a whole week. Yipee. I think I'll spend plenty of time at Leila's. Wait, I better don't. Leila is roommates with Amber. And I don't want to spend plenty of time with her.

'I got to go too.' Tyler says. 'Bye dude.' He high-fives Alex and also leaves. Now it's only me and Alex standing in the hallway. I break the silence. 'You baseball too, don't you?' I ask him. 'Yes,' He replies, hands in his pockets. 'But Tyler trains at a higher team, so that's why I stay here.' I nod. That akward silence again. Why does Alex make me so nervous?

'Sooo,' Alex says, a hand going through his hair. 'Wanna walk to class together? We have biology first right?' My eyes widen. Did Alex just asked that? 'Ehm, okay.' I answer, still a bit shocked. He answer with a smile. Which is very attractive.