Dancing, Love, and tutoring?

Chapter 2

In a hurry, I start speed walking to the cafeteria. It is already 20 minutes into lunch with only 12 minutes left.  Hopefully, I will be able to get something to eat otherwise I am going to lose it. My day has already been bad enough with Ashton making a pass at me, getting practice suspension, and joining the Tutor Program against my will, so missing lunch would just be the fricken cherry on top of a horrible day. Finally, I see the open double doors to the cafeteria and I sigh happily. It is like I have  died and am seeing the golden gates of heaven.

I nonchalantly walk into the noisy cafeteria, taking in the smell of school pizza and hot dogs. I look around and as always, no one is paying attention to me, just how I like it. Or so I think.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see two ice blue-green eyes staring directly at me, giving me the chills. I quickly walk up to the lunch line and grab the biggest slice of pepperoni pizza I can find, throwing it on my tray. I kindly pay the elderly lunch lady behind the cash register and start walking to my table, still feeling the presence of his eyes on me.

Once I reach my table in the back of the cafeteria, I flop down in a chair diagonal from my best friend Icy, who is also a fellow dancer. Icy is a beautiful girl with long black hair and chocolate brown eyes. Unlike me though, she is a graceful ballerina who practices in the afternoon like everyone else except the art students and me. We have been friends since 6th grade and tell each other everything from boys to sex. Icy and I have our whole lives planned out together. Graduate from Grant’s, move into an apartment together, go to Hope College, and get married on the same day. That was the plan since 7th grade and I hope that’s how it was going to stay.

“Hey Lydie Bear, where the heck have you been? I’ve been here alone for the past 20 minutes.” Pouts Icy as she picks up her fork to eat her salad.

I sigh, not wanting to talk about it and say, “In Mr. Forester’s room.  He put me on practice suspension, so I can’t dance AND he signed me up for the stupid Tutor Program.”

Icy practically spits out her salad and chokes out “What?! That’s terrible, Lydia!! When are you going to practice? The Hope talent scout dude is coming in less than four months and if you’re not ready, you won’t be with me in college!!”

I pat her hand reassuringly and say” Take it easy, Icy! We are going to Hope College together, no matter what. But, I don’t know how I’m going to practice when I have to tutor from 2:30 to fricken 4:00. The kid I’m tutoring is, apparently, a complete dumb ass who doesn’t do anything in any of his classes, so that means I could be tutoring him past 4:00. This sucks so much, Ice. “

“Who is this kid anyways? I don’t know anyone who is that big of a loser.” Icy says in between bites of salad.

“Asher Moore. I have never met him in my entire life, but I already hate him. And when I meet him today, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind! I thought my life was stressful enough with Ashton trying to like rape me, but now this Asher guy is keeping me from dancing because he is an idiot!” I practically shout.

Icy’s eyes grow wide and she says, “I know who that is!!! He was in my Biology class sophomore year. Yeah, good luck tutoring him, Lydia. He never did any of his work and always got practice suspension, but what good does that do when he is an art student and can practice drawing whenever he wants.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and say,” Well, this is going to be a very interesting session. I’ll sit there trying to teach him algebra while he fucking finger paints!”

Icy covers my mouth with her small hand and whispers, “Shhh, Lydie. You’re practically shouting.  Everyone is staring…”

I look around and see everyones eyes on me with Icy’s hand covering my mouth. I swat her hand away and cover my face with my hair, trying to hide as I take a bite of my cold pepperoni pizza.

Once everyone looks away, I quietly say “Well that was humiliating. My day has gone from bad, to worse, to downright awful. I wish I could just disappear.”

Icy frowns at me and says, “I don’t want you to disappear, Lydia. I’d be lonely without my best friend. On the bright side, it’s Friday! After you’re done tutoring, you should come sleepover my house and we can watch a movie! I’m thinking “A Cinderella Story” marathon?”

I giggle and say, “That sounds great, Icy! I’ll come straight to your house after I’m done tutoring the demon spawn.”

“Perfect!” Icy squeals as the bell began to ring.

Icy and I say our goodbyes and I begin walking to my 3rd period class, when all of a sudden I bump into someone’s hard, muscular chest. Thinking it's Ashton; I look up ready to yell and freeze when I see two ice blue- green eyes looking down at me.

“Walk much?” says the art boy from English class, picking my bag up off the floor that I didn’t even notice I dropped.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention and…” I stop mumbling when he tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear, his hand lightly brushing against my cheek, sending chills up my spine.

“Hey, I know you. You’re the girl from English who was blushing!” teases art boy.

“Was not!” I snap back.

“Whatever you say, Practice Suspension girl.” With that, he walks around me and down the hall until I can’t see him anymore.

I start blushing and slap my cheek trying to stop it. What’s his problem? Staring at me in the cafeteria and bumping into me in the hall. I hoist my heavy bag onto my shoulder and continue walking down the hallway, still flustered from his hand brushing against my cheek.

At last, the third period bell rang and I throw my History notebook into my bag. History is the longest, boringest class I have and I surprisingly manage not to fall asleep in it. It's 2:20 and that means I have to go to the Library in 10 minutes to tutor this Asher guy. I'm not looking forward having to sit face to face with my dream killer for 2 ½ hours and help him with his work so he can graduate.

I figure since I was going to Icy’s house straight after tutoring I should text my Mom so she doesn’t worry. I pull my Iphone out of my pocket and scroll down to my mother’s number.

Me: Hey Madre. Goin 2 Icy’s & spendin the night. C u 2morro. <3 Lydia

Madre: Okay Sweetie, Have fun & be safe. <3 Mom

I smile at my mom’s message to me. She is always so chill and doesn’t care what I do as long as I don’t come home in a cop car. She is more of a best friend than a mother to me, but she can be strict when she needs to be.

I slowly start walking to the Library, trying to waste as much time as possible so I don’t have to stay long. I check the time on my phone once I get to the Library door. 2:31. Damn, time isn’t on my side today. I take a deep breath and walk into the Library, practically dragging my feet.

The Library is pretty huge compared to other schools. It has two floors and is covered with wall to wall shelves of books. In the corner, there are 3 rows of Mac computers, which were all empty right now. About 8 tables are scattered around the room, 7 of them which are also empty. The only table occupied is the one by the window where a boy wis sitting, doodling in his notebook.

Something about him and what he is doing looks way too familiar to me, but I brush it off and walk over to him. Once I approach the table, I place my bag on the floor next to the leg of the table and sit down in the empty chair.

“You must be Asher Moore. Hi, I’m Lydia Cooper and I guess I am your new tutor.” I say, trying to act polite when in reality I want to scream and yell at him.

He looks up at me and I instantly go into some sort of shock causing me not to move. He gives me a half grin and his ice blue- green eyes twinkle in the light.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Practice suspension girl or should I say Lydia.” Asher says, putting his arms behind his head.

No way was this real. Art boy from English is….. Asher?!