Alexander Green
I woke up extra early today, trying to get ready and look extra good. It's Wednesday, so I'll be able to go to Violet's after my classes. I can see her room. I'm so excited. I need to make sure to look my best to impress her.
I went shower and made sure to keep an extra cologne in my backpack if I ever smell—although I did read on the internet that women hate when a man's cologne is extra strong, so I'll make sure to tone down on that. My father probably isn't home right now. He's on his daily bar hangout, so he won't be able to disturb me until nighttime. He stays there 9-5 every day like it's his job. Sometimes even longer. Now, if you just replaced the fact of what was doing there, then he would probably be an amazing worker. Maybe even get a cheap award and be named Employee of the Month.
I shave and then put on my best hoodie and jeans. While going down, I quickly steal a little protein bar and start walking to school. It takes me around 5-10 minutes to walk to school. I would've applied for a driver's license, but I didn't have the time to do it with all the things going on in football, home, and my job. Trust me, I want a license to be able to have my own freedom and to be able to go wherever I want without someone having to take hours to get there.
I get to the building where I have math and look around to find the beautiful pairs of blue eyes and dark brown hair.
A smile immediately lights up my face when I see her near the lockers, laughing with her friends over something.
She looks beautiful.
Her blue eyes almost close from smiling and laughing so hard, her lips so wide.
Just then, Knox comes up to her and kisses her on the cheek, mumbling something into her ear. She nods and they walk together to class.
Jealousy and rage both course through me at the same time.
Man, I really am pathetic. What am I doing? She's dating someone.
Sighing, I walk over to my locker near Kyle's.
"Hey! How's my bestest friend doing?"
"Just peachy," I say sarcastically.
He frowns, "Aw man. I'm sorry. I heard about Jeremy. I know you loved him. Maybe even more than a friend," he says sympathetically, patting my shoulder. "Just know I'll be here if you ever need to vent."
"What! No!" I say, jumping back, out of my daze. "You know I'm not like that."
"Yeah yeah. Seriously, though. What happened?" He asks, his face turning serious.
"Nothing. I just realized how stupid I am, pining over a taken girl."
"So it's final, huh?"
"No. She never said anything. I don't think she would even know I exist if it weren't for this whole tutoring thing."
"But that's not true. Everyone knows you. She obviously would, too."
"But they don't know me. She doesn't know me," I say, frustrated.
"Then let her know you. Give her the chance. Maybe you might even learn a little about her. You never know."
"Why do you have to be so smart yet dumb at the same time?" I say, groaning.
"It's just my magic," he answers, shrugging his shoulders.
I laugh as we walk to math together. I walk in the class to see the bitter sight of Violet laughing at something Knox says. She looks over to me as I walk in and gives me a slight smile that sends my heart racing.
She's just a nice person. She probably smiles to every single person. You're not special.
But I have to try to make me special to her.
"So," I say, turning back to face Violet, "are we having our first session today, tutor?"
"Sure," she says with a forced smile.
"Now don't act so excited," I joke, hoping—no, desperate— to get one of those beautiful smiles, maybe even a laugh from her.
"Okay," she says awkwardly. I'll make her warm up to me.
"I'll meet you after school and we can walk home together. That okay with you? And your boyfriend?" I ask, adding on the last part when I look over to Knox and see him frowning.
"What is this tutoring thing? And why with him of all people?" Knox asks in disgust, looking down at me as if I'm a little piece of dirt at the bottom of his fancy new shoes.
"You got a problem with me?" I ask.
"Nope. Not one."
"That's great. Now mind you own business. Violet, honey, can you text me your dorm number and building later?"
"Um, sure," she says skeptically, looking between us like we'll jump up any second and start throwing fists. I guess she isn't wrong.
"Perfect," I say with a slight smile on my face, turning back to face the board as Mrs. McLaughlin starts talking. Of course, I don't pay attention, thinking about what I'm going to say to her when we leave together. I can't wait.
After I leave my last class of the day, I wait outside of Violet's, hoping to catch her.
I spy inside the room to see her packing notebook into her backpack and laughing at something her friend said.
She spots me as she walks out of the door and giving me a slight smile that makes my heart flutter.
"Hey, hon," I say casually, walking with her outside.
"Hi Xander. How was your day?" She asks.
"It was good. Better now that I'm with you."
"Good to know," she says. She looks up into my eyes with a smile lighting up her whole face. I just want to kiss her.
She has a boyfriend, Xander. Boyfriend.
"So, I'll see you later?" I ask, desperately trying to avoid the thoughts flowing through my mind right now.
She starts walking away, towards her friends as she nods her head in approval.
I get to Violet's dorm and knock on the door. She opens it and lets me walk in.
Violet asks, "Do you want anything to eat? Drink?"
"Just water. Thanks."
"Sure." She grabs two bottles of cold water from her mini-fridge and I take them both from her hands and set them on her desk..
Her room is decently large with a desk on the floor of the room. She has many music posters along her side featuring artists like Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Conan Gray on them. A big bookshelf is near her bed, surrounding and almost falling off her shelves. On top of the desk, with a bunk-bed style, is her bed. She has a closet near the door.
"Wow. I love your room. What do you mean by messy, though?" I ask. The only thing I see that is messy is the desk covered in many energy drink cans, the seat filled with clothes, and an unmade bed.
"Just don't look in the closet," she advises. "Well, do you want to sit on the floor or the bed?"
"Umm. I don't care. The bed," I say.
"Okay," she quickly makes the bed and takes away some extra clothes and books.
"Do you like books?"
"No. I just like wasting my money on things I won't ever use," she says sarcastically.
"Ha ha," I let out a dry laugh. "So funny. I'm just dying of laughter."
"My grandmother would agree," she says then looks at me with wide, panicked eyes. "Jokes. I tend to make things go too far. I really need to work on that," she says the last part more to herself than me.
"Don't worry. I'm all in for a little bit of dark humor every now and then. In fact, tell me more. Maybe make it last around, I don't know, an hour?" I suggest.
"Nice try. Sit down and take ur textbook out," she says, suddenly serious.
"Aw dang it. Worth a shot," I joke.
She gives me 20 problems to practice on about what we learned in class today as she does her own homework.
Halfway through my work I let out a deep sigh.
No reaction.
I sigh again, even louder this time.
No reaction.
Just as I take a deep intake of breath, getting ready to let it out, she faces me and says, "What do you want? Are you done?"
"Almost. I was just wondering if you wanted to get some ice cream."
"We don't have any here."
"Oh. That's too bad. I guess we'll have to go and take a trip to the nearest shop to get more."
"No. Do your work," she's quick to shut down my thoughts.
"But I'm hungry," I whined.
"Should've asked for something when I offered," she sang.
"I'm asking now. Can we go get ice cream?"
She sighs, "After you finish the rest of your problems."
"Thank you." I said and finished up the questions as fast as I could. "Done!" I exclaimed, acting like an eager child.
"Really? That was fast. Maybe I should offer to give you ice cream all the time."
"Now now, honey. Don't tempt me with a good time," I say, giving her a lazy grin.
Violet smiles wide as she checks my work. "You got almost everything right. You messed up on just one thing. Great job, Xander!"
I smile. "Thank you. Can we get ice cream now?"
"Sure."
I order a medium vanilla ice cream with caramel and cherries. Violet doesn't order anything, which I'm still on about. "Are you sure you don't want anything. I mean, it's ice cream. Who in the world doesn't want ice cream?"
"Me. I just don't feel like eating right now. I ate a big lunch." I know that isn't true. I was looking—okay, staring— at her all throughout lunch and saw she didn't eat anything. Not a bite. Not while jerk Knox took all her food like always and didn't even question the fact that he left his fucking girlfriend with nothing to eat. Some man he is.
I could be way better...
"I have to go to the bathroom, but I'll be right back," I say, walking away as Violet nods her head.
When I get back, I see she's waiting outside with the food in her hands.
"Why did the lady say that it was already payed?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Oh, I paid for it," she said like it was no big deal.
"What? How much did it cost?" I ask fishing out my wallet from my pocket.
"It's not a big deal. If I didn't want to pay, I wouldn't have."
"How much?" I repeat, ignoring her comment.
"Really, it doesn't matter," she says, waving her hand around.
I walk into the shop and look at the price of the chocolate ice cream (7 dollars) with a caramel and cherry topping (1 dollar and 50 cents).
I walk out, grabbing ten dollars out of my wallet.
"What are you doing?" She asks, confused.
I grab her hand and put the money in her hand and gently closing her fingers around it so that it's trapped in there. I walk away towards the car as she stands there dumbstruck.
"Stupid arrogant bossy son of a—" she mutters running up to me.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," she answers quietly. "Why do you have to have such freakishly long legs? I have to almost sprint to catch up to you."
I laugh at that as I slow down a little to allow her to catch up.
The rest of the day was pure bliss. I was sad when I had to leave her room after the hour was up, but I spent the whole evening and night thinking back to what happened just a few hours ago. I can't wait to do this again on Saturday and the days ahead.