I'm not a popular girl | ✔️

One - Tutoring

Zoë

The familiar ring of the welcome bell to the neighborhood Starbucks rang out as people walked in and out of the coffee shop, smiles on their faces and piping hot coffees in their hands as they went home to end the day.

It was a Thursday night and the sun was slowly beginning to set over the Pacific Ocean, light glittering off of the majestic blue. Boys with deep tans and smirks ran to the ocean with surfboards tucked under their arms and surfboard leashes attached to their ankles. Girl's wore expensive sunglasses and sipped their drinks as they walked along the boardwalk with their friends, gossip most likely escaping from their perfectly glossed lips.

Zoë Flynn sat in a booth by a window in Starbucks, her phone up to her ear and eyes staring at the girls outside wishfully.

"So, are you going to the Homecoming game in a couple weeks?" Amber Nielsen, Zoë's best friend, asked in a cheerful tone.

Zoë sighed. "Probably not. You know football is not my thing. What's so fun about watching boys fight over a ball anyways? I still don't get what the big deal is."

"Oh, come on! Take a break and actually have fun for once in your life. Not everything is study, college, future, jobs, Yale. Live in the moment, Zo!" She paused to take a breath. "And football is fun! Plus it's huge to the school and I thought you said you wanted to be social this year."

She had Zoë there.

"I know but-"

"Nope!" Amber interrupted with a loud sigh. "No arguing. You are going to come with me, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming. Got it?"

Zoë repressed another sigh. "Got it."

"Good." Zoë could practically hear Amber's smile. "Has Mr. Hottie showed up yet?"

She laughed loudly and immediately covered her lips as other customers gave her the evil eye. "He is not 'Mr. Hottie,' Amber. More like Mr. Annoying or Mr. Full-of-Himself. I can't wait until he graduates and I don't have to deal with him anymore."

Amber giggled. "You know you'll miss him!"

"Hardly! I'll probably cheer the loudest when he graduates." She leaned back in her seat into the plush cushions, brushing a strand of her caramel brown hair over her shoulder and out of her face. "Only one more school year to go."

The bell rang out again and a tall boy with a natural tan, toned muscles, a black swim suit, white shirt, and a black backpack slung over his shoulder walked inside. His eyes glanced around the shop until they landed on her, his eyes immediately hardening as he sighed and started toward her.

"Gotta go, Ambi," Zoë muttered and hung up before placing her phone upside down on the table.

"Carden."

"Zoë," he responded in his semi-deep voice, sitting down across from her and pulling out a thick, deep red book with the title Greek Mythology 101 scrawled across it in loopy cursive. "How long are we gonna be here? The guys are going surfing and I wanna go join them ASAP."

She pulled out her own book and notes. "Long enough that you should get yourself a cup of coffee."

He groaned loudly, running his hand through his dark brown hair. "Seriously?!"