Chapter3

#Chapter3

I was sitting at home reading 'To kill a Mockingbird'. I heard the doorbell and unfortunately, there was no one else in the house.

Mom had gone to the supermarket across the block and Lavy, my younger sister, went to her friend's house. So, I had to see who was on the door.

At First, I thought it could be Ray but he said he will pick me at 5 and it is only three now!

As I opened the door I saw Mike standing on the porch of my house.

Ohh damn

I completely forgot! Aunt Telsa, our neighbour, asked me to help Mike in Mathematics. Mike was her only family. Her husband left her when Mike was six, and she never married anyone else even though it's been nine years now.

/"Hey! Soaf./" Mike said, a lazy smile on his lips. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

/"Hey, Mike! Come in./" I said as I gestured him.

He was looking upset as he entered the dining room. We sat and I started teaching him. It looked as if he isn't listening to me. He was lost in his thoughts.

/"Mike...Mike. What happened?/"

/"Umm...nothing/" He replied, but I could definitely tell something was wrong with him.

/"You know you can always tell me. Right?/" I said, giving him an encouraging nod.

/"Soaf...I failed my test again./" He said looking down and sighed.

/"It's alright Mike. It was only a test c'mon we'll work hard now. Okay?/" I tried to comfort him.

/"No that's not the thing, Soaf. I can't do this now...mom is already working so hard so that we can afford a good school for me. You know our financial condition right? I don't want to hurt her, I'm good at nothing. No sports, no extracurricular and studies were the last hope for me. You see?

/"I -I just want to help her. In any possible way, I can./" He replied, tears brimming his eyes. Then, he closed his eyes to calm himself and took a deep breath.

So much for a fifteen-year-old.

/"It's fine Mike. You are willing to work hard, right? So nothing can stop you and everyone has failed once or more in life anyway. Without failure, success has no meaning. These tests cannot decide who you want to be. Alright. Moreover, we will be working hard on the subject. So don't worry okay./" I tried to convince him. I gave him a tight smile. I cannot let him give up easily. I know what he is capable of and he deserves so much better than the shit he gets at school.

You need to make it work, Soaf. You have to help him out of this!

/"How is everything at school, huh?/" I tried to change the topic so he could feel better.

/"Well, everything is pretty fine./" He replied, his eyes gazing at the table.

/"Is Lavy still being a snob?/" I asked. Since Lavy and Mike shared most of their classes together, they knew each other very well. Besides the fact that they cannot stand each other's presence. Even for a short period of time.

/"You have no idea. I don't know what I did but she behaves like a bitch to me at school. Always/" He said, scrunching up his nose in disguise.

/"She's not like that Mike. Not at home. She's a really good person/" I said.

/"And beautiful too,/" Mike said. A small smile playing on his lips. I gazed up at him and saw him lost in his own thoughts. His eyes gleaming. All the stress on his face disappeared suddenly. His features looked relax.

/"You know she has a really bitchy attitude at school but still volunteers for peer tutoring. She's a member of Students Union! Even though she's just 15! She's like the 'it girl' of freshmen year./" He finished (finally!).

Dammit

Mike is crushing over Lavy.

/"You're totally smitten,/" I said giving him a chuckle.

/"What do you mean?/" He replied. Confused.

/"I mean how can you not realize that you're crushing after L-/"

/"NO! Don't even finish that sentence, Soaf. I'm not. Okay? NO. I told you she's a bitch anyway./"

/"You also told me she's beautiful. And she is the 'It girl'./" I said. Emphasizing 'It girl'.

/"Ughh. Everyone at school thinks that way, Soaf. It's nothing new. Besides, she has a boyfriend./" He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

What?

How come I don't know anything about this?

/"She does?/" I asked.

/"Yeah. It's pretty obvious. She is kind of Popular. /"

****

I heard the doorbell. I stood up and asked Mike to start practicing the questions meanwhile I attend whoever is at the door.

I opened the door and came face to face with popular blockhead a.k.a Raymond.

/"Hey princess! Umm...looking good./" He said as his eyes roamed from head to toe.

Yeah, Thanks!

I really look great in my minion pajamas and unwashed hair.

/"Nice joke/" I glared at him.

/"I suppose you are not ready yet. It's fine I can wait./" He said shaking his head slowly.

Ohh, please. How about you wait here FOREVER?

/"Ummm...no..yes...uhhh come in I'll tell you./"

He entered the house and I told him about Mike. That's what I'm supposed to do, I think. I can't leave mike like this.

The weird part is Raymond asked me if he could help mike too. I went into the kitchen to get some snacks. As I came out I saw Raymond actually helping Mike in maths.

/"Soaf, he is really good at explaining things. Really!/" Mike said with his expressions full of excitement.

I smiled at Ray, he was smirking at me!

JERK

Mike went at seven. Raymond and I chatted for a while and then I walked up to his car with him. He had an Audi. No wonder he is rich.

/"It was really fun with you princess./"

He said while his gentle eyes were gazing into mine.

/"Thank you Ray and I'm sorry I spoiled it all today,/" I replied guiltily.

/"No, Soaf. Instead, you made the day. /"

Oh boy that smile

His eyes were still gazing mine. I could feel the electrifying sensations going down my spine.

/"Bye Soaf./" He said as while ruffling my hairs which were already a mess. I swatted his hand away glaring at him.

/"Goodbye Ray./" Words came out of my mouth in a whisper as I watched his car going into the darkness.