The Unwanted Tutor

Chapter 6

The next day, I sat down at the table with my bowl of cereal and picked up the newspaper across from me.

As I was reading, my mother walked into the dining room. I could feel her eyes on me but I just stared at the paper, determined to ignore her.

I felt bad for my outburst yesterday, I don't think my parents were really impressed that I acted like that when Anthony was over.

But, my parents were really going to leave me alone with Anthony? He said we weren't going to do work everyday, what was he planning then?

"Garrett, let's talk about yesterday." My mother stood in front of me with her arms crossed.

"I'm eating right now." I replied and ate a big spoonful of cereal.

"I know, I just wanted to know why you're upset about our trip." She said.

I shrugged, "I'm not upset anymore, I hope you have a good time."

"Garrett, come on. Don't be like that." Now she sounded frustrated.

I set the newspaper down and stared at her. "No, I mean it. Leave me alone with that creep and have fun."

"Creep?" My mother repeated, "Are you talking about Anthony? What's going on?"

"I don't know, I don't like that he touches me when I'm trying to get my work done. I tell him to stop but he doesn't listen." I admitted.

"Where does he touch you?" My mother looked genuinely concerned.

"My shoulders, you know I hate that. He rubs them and when I tell him to stop-"

"Oh," My mother laughed, "Garrett, I was scared for a second."

"What?" I picked up my cereal bowl to drink the milk.

"It's just your shoulders. I thought you meant somewhere else. I doubt he means harm, isn't it a boy thing to do that?" My mother looked relieved as she made her way into the kitchen.

"You're not listening to me! I don't like when he touches me, he does it every day Mom!" I stood up from the table, clutching the bowl in my hands.

"I am listening to you! I just think you're worried over nothing. Anthony is a delightful and kind man, he would never hurt you. Do you really think your father and I would hire someone who would be inappropriate?" She asked.

I tossed my bowl into the sink and took a deep breath, trying hard to calm down. "Yeah, you're right. Nevermind."

My mother's face relaxed as she reached her hand out and placed it on my shoulder. I frowned, why did I even bother to tell her anything? Now she would probably be worried the whole trip.

"Don't worry about me. I was just annoyed, Anthony's fine." I mumbled.

My mother nodded, "You know I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you, right?"

"Yeah, nothing's wrong. So, uh, when are you leaving?" I asked.

She smiled, I think she was glad for the subject change. "We leave the twenty third and come back December eighth."

I thought about the dates mentally, "So you're gonna be gone during Thanksgiving break? I thought we were going to visit Grandma this year."

Thanksgiving break lasted from the twenty second to the twenty ninth at my school. My parents and I always visited my grandma who lived in San Francisco and had dinner with her, it's always been a great time for me every year and now we aren't doing it?

"Well, I told your grandma that you have some important things to take care of here. Maybe you can go visit her when you go on winter break."  My mother said.