Strangely Comforting (boyxboy)

Chapter 9

When I figured that I had done the best that I could've possibly done, I trudged my way to the front of the room to hand my exam to the professor. As I came to the front of the room, someone else decided to hand in theirs as well.

Shit. They were going to hear my score.

I turned around to see who I would be embarrassing myself in front of today and widened my eyes as Xander came up behind me, smirking.

"How'd you do?" he whispered, knowing full-well that I had no idea there was an exam.

"Fuck off," I whispered quietly so the professor couldn't hear.

Professor Bennings slid my paper through the machine and it came back with my score written on the top. My professor looked at me, evidently disappointed in my results. I prepared myself for the worst.

"Thirty one," he told me in a hushed voice. Though, it didn't stop Xander from hearing as I heard him snort behind me. I angrily walked past Xander, intentionally bumping into his shoulder as I walked past him. I quickly grabbed my belongings from my desk and walked back to the front of the room.

It happened to be the exact timing of when the professor was telling Xander his results. The professor's face displayed a look of pride as he smiled at Xander. I slowed my walk to hear what he scored, figuring it couldn't have been that great.

"Ninety-seven."

I stopped in my tracks as I gaped at Xander who proudly smiled back at the professor before walking past me. He grabbed his backpack and caught up with me.

"Thirty one?" he asked as we exited the classroom. "What did you even do? Write your name, class, and date?"

I tried to quicken my pace to get away from Xander but he picked up his pace as well in order to match mine.

"Just fuck off, really," I snapped. "I don't need you rubbing your fucking ninety seven in my face."

"I wasn't going to," he said.

"I don't believe you," I replied. "You're too arrogant not to."

"Arrogant?" he asked. "That's the word you choose to call someone who was going to offer to help you study next time?"

I stopped walking. "What?"

"Your semester grade is going to suffer from this exam, you know. You have to make up for it on the rest of them," Xander explained. "I was going to offer to help out but I suddenly don't feel like it."

"Whatever," I mumbled. "Drey tutors me anyways."

"Drey is going to lose his number one rank in the class."

"What?" I asked, looking up at him as he was a few inches taller than me.

"You don't know who's ranked second?" he asked.

"No, I've only ever heard who's ranked first," I said. "Who is it?"

Xander looked around us before leaning in close to me and whispering in my ear. "It's me."

I just stared at him. "You're lying."

"I don't want to hear that from someone who just beyond failed their exam," Xander shot back. "You all think I'm an upperclassman, but my credits classify me as a sophomore, same as you. Same as Drey. He's going to need all the time he can get to study if he wants to keep his place. You think he's going to make time for you? You must be out of your mind."

"Shit, this class is my worst subject. Damn it, why do you even want to rank first?" I asked, annoyed.

"If there's a chance I can be, I'm going to take it," Xander said. "I guess someone who's rank is far below that of mine wouldn't understand. Moving up one place for you is insignificant."

"You know, you're incredibly rude," I said and turned the corner, heading back to my dorm. "And you continually wonder why I insist on calling you a rude bastard."

"You're the only one who sees this 'rude bastard' side of mine," Xander replied, grinning. "I believe you said something similar to me yesterday."

"I guess unpleasantness radiates when we're together," I concluded.

"We can change that, you know," Xander said.

I stopped walking again. "I'm not sure I want to."

"Why?" he inquired.

"I just don't see myself getting along with you anytime soon," I said.

"Well jeez, if you're going to have a shitty attitude, I'm not sure why I would even bother with you," Xander said.

"I couldn't tell you," I replied.

Xander stepped to the side, angling his body towards the parking lot. "I'm gonna get back home, then," he told me, pulling out his keys.

I simply nodded my head as he broke eye contact with me and turned away. He took a few steps towards his car and I suddenly opened my impulsive mouth.

"Hey," I said. Xander slowly turned around, giving me a questioning look.

"Hope whoever is sick at home gets better soon," I told him and quickly turned away without waiting for a response.

"Jasper," I heard a deep voice say, causing my body to automatically turn around. Xander stopped, his hand on the door handle to his car, and leaned against it.

"Give me your number."

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"I'm thinking that I suddenly feel like tutoring you again," Xander answered, a sly grin appearing on his face.

My eyes widened, but as much as I wanted to decline, I knew what was best for my studies, and ultimately decided to do the most wretched thing I've had to do in my entire life.

I gave my phone number to Xander Peyton.

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