The Tutor || S.M.

Chapter 2 || "Something That I'll Never Forget"

As I sit at my desk, hunched over the packet Mrs. Hernandez gave us for homework, I feel my headache growing stronger and stronger with each passing second. The longer I stare at the problems, the less they make sense. No matter how hard I try, I can't figure any of the problems out. I feel as though I'm reading a foreign language; even the simplest concepts are lost on me.

Just as my brain feels like it's about to explode, a soft knock at my door pulls me away from the work in front of me. I look up, and my younger sister is standing at the door.

"What?" I ask.

"Mom told me to tell you that dinner is ready." she says.

"Okay, thanks Ava. Tell her I'll be down in a second." I reply, and she nods. The door shuts behind her, and I let out a long sigh. I put my pencil down and close my binder, tossing it onto my bed. I know that there's no way I'll be able to finish the work on my own, so I may as well to try and get Julia to help me with it tomorrow at lunch.

"Helaina! Get down here now! Dinner is ready!" my mom calls up the stairs.

"Okay! I said I'm coming!" I scream back, jumping up out of my chair. I walk down the stairs and make my way into the dining room, where my family is seated at the table. I slide into my usual seat next to my younger brother, Lucas, and glare across the table at Ava.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" she asks innocently.

"I told you to tell Mom that I would be down in a second and you ignored me." I snap, and she smirks at me.

"Guess I forgot." she lies, and I roll my eyes. Ever since Ava turned thirteen, she's started talking back more and acting more rebellious.

"Yeah, sure." I mumble. Before she has the chance to shoot back a snarky remark, Mom walks in and the room quiets down.

"Where's Dad?" Lucas asks.

"He's working a late shift tonight at the hospital." Mom replies, handing him his plate of food. "He shouldn't be home until three in the morning, so don't bother waiting up for him." Beside me, I notice Lucas' mood change a bit. The optimistic look on his face falters, and he looks down at his plate of grilled chicken and starts eating.

We sit in silence for a minute, before Mom comes back in with the rest of our food. As she places the food down on the table, Lucas looks up from his plate.

"Mom, can I have money to go to the mall tomorrow night with Jacob and Ryan?" Lucas asks once the four of us are all sitting down. Mom sighs and shakes her head slightly.

"I guess, but you really need to start looking for a job soon Luke." she says, and he groans. "It's getting close to summer, and if you wait too long, there's not going to be any places left hiring."

"Helaina didn't get one until a few months ago, so why do I need one already?" he complains, and I shoot him a look.

"Can you not bring me into this?" I ask, and he ignores me.

"I'm only a freshman; no one I know has a job yet. I don't even think they would hire me anywhere because I'm still too young." he says.

"If you want to keep going out with your friends on the weekend, I suggest that you get a job so you can keep doing so. Your father and I aren't going to provide you with money forever." Mom reminds him. There's silence for a few moments before she asks, "What time are you going out tomorrow?"

"I don't know, probably six." he replies.

Mom nods, before turning to look at me.