The Boy Next Door

Chapter Two: Tutoring

We just got to Jason's apartment and I'm not really surprised that
it's actually clean. He's such a neat freak, well I am too but still
that's odd for a guy.

I give Miranda, my older cousin who I live with, a quick text that I'm
going to be out late because I'm going to tutor Jason.

"Actually Celia, one of the reasons I asked you to come over was
because I need you to tutor me for our midterms," He says to me with a
nervous laugh.

No wonder. I guess I'll just do it for old times sake but this will be
the last time. He just brings me too much trouble, it's not like he
cares for me anyways.

"I knew there was a reason why you started talking to me all of a
sudden. I'll do it but this will be the last time I'm doing any
favours for you," I say as I put down my school bag on his couch.

I look up at him and see a pained expression, but it quickly vanishes.
What's that all about?

"Yeah well.... I'll start making dinner, does pasta sound good?"He
says as he quickly turns and walks towards the kitchen.

"Anything is fine."
_________

It's already midnight and Jason and I were finally just finished
History, which was a pain to teach. He didn't seem to get it. Well, it
wasn't as bad as when I was teaching him Physics.

"Jason, it's kinda getting late. I think I need to go home now," I
say, yawning a bit.

"Oh yeah, sorry for keeping you here this late. I'll walk you
home,"Jason says finally noticing the time. He pushes up his glasses a
bit and rubs his eyes. That's another thing, you see Jason actually
has really bad eyesight but he refuses to wear his glasses outside and
just wears his contacts.

"No, you don't need to. It's just next door anyway," I reply as I
pack up my books into my bag.

"Then I'll just watch you out," he says to me with that adorable
smile of his. Damn, I need to sort my thoughts out.

"Okay then," I say back, knowing with his stubbornness, he wouldn't
take no for an answer. It's odd how that I know him this well.

We make our way out of his room and through the fairly large
apartment. I give a "Hi" to Jude, Jason's older brother who was
sitting at the kitchen table still working. Jason actually lives with
him because his parents don't trust Jude with living alone so they
sent Jason so they can keep an eye on each other.

We go out into the hall and he watches me walk to my door which is.
literally a few meters away from his.

"Goodnight Celia,"He whispers loudly to me.

"Night Jason," I whisper back with a small smile, before entering my apartment.

I take a very quick shower and change into my pajamas and I slip into
bed, not bothering to wake Miranda who was asleep in her room already.

Just as my eye slowly close, sleep consuming me, I hear my phone ring.
I look to see who's calling and see it's Jason.

"Hello? Jason? What's up?" I say, picking up the call.

"Celia, sorry but I just need to know. Can you tutor me again
tomorrow?" He says. His voice sounds different over the phone. It
sounds deeper, maybe because it's past midnight already.

"Sure but don't you have training?"I ask, utterly confused by the
fact he is going to skip training again.

"Yeah but I can't go." He says to me in a firm voice.

"Why not?" I continue to ask, genuinely curious and concerned.

"I just can't. Okay?" he snaps back.

"Okay fine. Don't have to be so mad about it. I didn't know there was
something wrong with being concerned," I reply back a bit angrily.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'll tell you why tomorrow," He
says, guilt clear in his voice.

"Okay, but you don't have to if you don't want to.I'm not forcing
you." I say back to him.

"No. I think I need to tell you."

"Alright then."

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure."

I'm just about to end the call when I hear Jason say, "Celia, wait."

"Why? What?" I ask confused and wanting nothing more than to sleep.

"Did you just say that you were concerned for me?" He asks teasingly.

"Shut up, Jason." I say back realizing that I did say that when I got mad.

That early morning, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

_________

There are two more weeks before midterms and tonight, I would be
tutoring Jason again. He is also supposedly going to tell me something
today. I wonder what.

School passes in a blur and before I know it I hear the bell ring,
signaling the end of class today. I say a quick "Goodbye" to Alice,
my friend and lab partner and leave for school.

I make it back home in an hour, seeing as I passed by this book shop
on my way home and this book caught my eye. I open the door and see my
cousin, Miranda sitting on the couch.

"You got off work early?" I ask, surprised that she was already home this early, it was only 5.

"Yeah, my boss said I've been working very hard lately and that I
deserved a break," Miranda says as she puts another spoon full of ice
cream into her mouth while watching another re-run of How I Met Your
Mother.

"We're you've been though? Don't you get off school at like 4?" She
asks me, her attention still on the TV and her mouth full of ice
cream.

"Passed by the book shop on my way home. Bought a new book," I say as
I stand in front of the TV, purposely blocking her view.

"Hey! I'm trying to watch over here." She says while swatting me
aside to get her view back.

"Fine, fine, I'll stop. By the way I'm tutoring Jason again tonight."
I state while moving out of her way and into my room.

"As long as you guys don't do anything above PG-13 I'm good."

I give her a pointed look and laugh sarcastically.