The Tutor || Luke Hemmings (l.h)

10

Luke

As I watched slyly as she gave Mr. Randall the blue index card, I started to scoot away from the classroom and towards a different hallway. The hallway was empty, since there were only ten minutes or so left of this period.

I heard footsteps and it wasn't just any footsteps, they were heels. I can notice whose heels they belonged to from a mile away. I didn't even want to bother turning around and seeing who it was. Their heels and gum chewing was loud enough. My pace quickened as they became louder.

"Luke!" the voice shouted.

I didn't freeze, I kept moving as if I didn't hear her. I didn't want to hear her, but my ears had no choice. When I turned down another hallway, I looked back to see if she was close. Her heels were still loud, but her calls became louder.

Running, I stopped in a new hallway that I didn't have classes in. Lockers were lined up on the walls as I leaned on one to catch my breath. I regained oxygen for a minute or two, but looked up to find Angie running towards me. The bell rang and stopped her from running. I took this as an advantage and ran to my next class. She wasn't going to ruin my day already when I just started it.

I stopped running and just walked at my regular pace when I saw Calum standing outside a closed classroom door, talking to Stacy. I was about to greet him from a few feet away until I heard their conversation.

"Yeah, but I don't know. Doesn't he have Angie, his girlfriend?" Stacy asked.

"Don't you see it? He doesn't even care about Angie. He has eyes for Iv-"

"Hey guys," now, I hear Ivy's voice in this conversation.

They were obviously talking about me, me having eyes for Ivy? What the fuck? Do they think that? Is it what I'm showing?

Taking a deep breath, I walked towards their group and placed my elbow on Calum's shoulder. I smiled at them all, them being creeped out that I actually smiled. If they want to think I have eyes for Ivy, let's play a little game.

"Hey Ivy," I smiled bigger.

She scrunched her eyebrows but smiled awkwardly, probably wandering why I just directed the greet to her. I would too, its rude. Calum and Stacy were also smiling awkwardly as I took a glance at them. I fixed my position and stood straighter while folding my arms across my chest.

"You look stressed, are you okay?" I asked, with real concern.

She did look stress, she looked tense. She didn't look like this in the library or any other day. Her face was somewhat red and her knuckles were white.

She nodded, "yeah, fine."

Lies.

I looked at her weirdly and then focused on Calum for a second. He was looking into the distance and thinking of whatever he possibly is. Stacy was looking at her feet while holding her books to her chest.

"Ok.. well I'll see you in our next class Calum, I forgot my textbook in my locker.." I just lied like Ivy just lied to me. I had all my textbooks in my bag and I also had Ivy's as well.

He nodded as I turned around and walked to a different direction than my locker. But Ivy had to walk this way, and I don't want her to be stressed. I didn't want her to lie to me either about not being okay.

I waited a few minutes on somebody's locker for Ivy. She didn't expect me to wait for her. I didn't even expect me to wait for her. She passed me, but I grabbed her shoulders and twisted her around.

"Tell me if you're really okay," I demanded, looking directly in her eyes.

She tensed up more and looked at the ground. "I told you- I'm fine."