The Tutor // HS

3

I didn't think the night could go any worse until I was told I had to go up to the infamous Harry Styles's room, everyone knows what that leads to. We went up the creaky stairs to his bedroom, I just followed him like a lost puppy and I had no clue what was about to happen. As I entered his room I just stood at the entrance, totally shocked to see it was the opposite to what I had expected. He had typical navy blue walls but it was full of instruments, mainly guitars, which I had heard nothing about, so I presumed no one knew. He had a little desk in the corner which was full of papers and music sheets that suddenly just made me want to listen to him play all night long. But, the thing that made my heart melt was the pictures of him and his Mam plastered all over the room.

"So you gonna teach me then", he grumbled, throwing his bags on to the floor as if nothing mattered before patting the space next to him on his bed, to order me to sit down, I suppose. I unwillingly sat down beside him as he was slumped against the wall, "What do you want to know then? I am not too certain on everything myself but I will try my best", I was saying it as if I had all the confidence I could get, I could not let him know how intimidated I felt. He looked up at me and stared me in they eyes and just said "Everything", a total change in his mood, but I had feeling he meant more than just maths. I broke the stare, diverting my eyes to an infant picture of him and his Mam to try hide the fact I had a huge lump in my throat and was a nervous wreck. He broke the silence, "I was only 4 when that photo was taken," he must have saw me staring, "but I remember it like it was just yesterday. The sun was shining all day long as we both played on the park and on the beach while stuffing our faces with ice-cream," he stifled a quiet laugh and I smiled at the thought of his memory, I could see him remembering it from the slight twinkle in his eye. "It seems as if you both had a great day, she seems like a very lovely lady from just the way you talk about her, as if she is your everything," I tried to bring his attention back to me as he seemed to get lost in his world of memories. "She was a lovely lady, the best I had ever met," he then looked up and made eye contact with me again, "she died only 6 months later, the result of a drunk driver. I was waiting for her to return from work just so I could tell her about my day but instead I was greeted with the news". I didn't know what to say, there was nothing I could say as I just looked apologetically at him, how could I say anything about a woman I had never knew to a boy who had just learnt who I was. "I am so sorry-", but he cut me off before I could continue, "All everyone says is sorry but I don't understand why, they aren't the disgusting man that ran my Mam over with no desire in turning back to save her priceless life, are they!" his voice was raising and I had to just calm him down before something he regretted happened. "I have never heard anything of this before, not even from around school," if someone knew his Mam had died everyone would know, he had no secrets, or so I thought. "You are the only person I have ever told from school, if I told anyone else it'd be around the whole school but I feel as I can trust you Jessica, can I?" Why did he trust me, I am pretty certain he had never heard of me before then and now he is telling his biggest secret to me, making himself as vulnerable as possible. "Of course you can trust me," I smiled, " but my question is why because before today you didn't know who I was or that I even existed?" I just sat there waiting, not sure if he had an answer that wouldn't hurt my feelings but before I could look away, he gently grabbed my cheek and said, "I have always known who you are," before kissing me until I thought I couldn't breathe. We pulled away breathless and before I could ask what had just happened he said with a smile, "You have always had my attention."