Chapter 11 TYLER IS BEGGING

STELLA’s POV

“You’re going to tutor Tyler Lewis?” Vince eyes widened with excitement behind those thick glasses he was wearing.

“Vince, be quiet. That’s what Mr. Clark told me.” I answered, pulling the sleeve of his shirt.

“You know this year is going to be the best year of your life. You will get to know him better. Who knows, you are really meant for each other.” Vince wiggled his brows playfully and I laughed. “I’m so happy for you, Stella.”

“What are you talking about, Vince? I won’t accept the tutoring. And how could you tell that we’re meant for each other? He would only notice me to bully, not as a girl. I’m not his type. I can’t even compete with Maxine’s beauty and popularity.”

“You’re beautiful, Stella. Especially your eyes. If only you remove those glasses and wear contacts.” Vince assessed me from head to toe. “If you’ll just get rid of this curly big hair and trim your thick eyebrows, then dress in a sexy dress and heels, you’re more beautiful than Maxine.”

“Ha-ha. That’s very flattering.”

“I’m serious, Stella. I’ll bring you to the salon where my cousin was working and we’ll start working on your hair. Have a cut and straightened it.” Vince touched my fake hair and I smacked his hands away.

“Please, don’t touch it.” I snapped.

“Wait, there’s a red hair coming out—“

“Vince!” I pushed him away from me. “I said, don’t touch my hair!”

“Stella…” he was shocked with my sudden outburst and I suddenly felt guilty. I don’t want to find anyone about my secret personality.

“I’m sorry, Vince. I just don’t like other people to touch my hair.” I looked down and took a glance at the time on my wrist watch. “I’ll go to the library. You want to come with me?”

“I’ll follow later. I have to pass this project first to Mr. Grey.” Vince said waving a three-page paper with an essay written on it. I nodded and tapped his shoulder as I walked away from him.

I was in the fourth level of the ladder trying to get a Physics book at the upper shelf in the library when I saw in the corner of my eye that Tyler was looking around and grabbed a random book from the N section. I ignored him and reached for the book that I needed when I felt his presence from below the ladder.

“Do you mind putting this back for me?” Tyler asked, looking up at me, holding out the book he grabbed from the lower shelf.

I looked down in surprised and I narrowed my eyes at him. I looked at the cover of the book and shook my head.

“That’s Natural Sciences, it’s back there with the N’s, not up here with the P’s.” I snapped at him as I climbed down from the ladder. Why can’t he just ask me to tutor him? I knew that’s what he needed from me.

I rolled my eyes when he scratched his nape and shoved the book in a random place. I continued climbing down the ladder and I yelped when suddenly my right foot slipped from the last step and the next thing I knew was my body falling down on the floor. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the impact but someone caught me.

It was Tyler.

Everything seemed to freeze. My heart beat fast when our gazes met and I felt his warm hands that caught my body. I closed my eyes when his face came closer to me but that moment faded right away. I was back to reality when I heard him cough awkwardly.

“Get away from me!” I told him, covering the embarrassment I felt and my face that was surely turned bright red right now.

“Excuse me?” Tyler rasped. “I just saved you from falling and that’s all you’re going to say to me?”

“Oh, well, thank you Mister! Did I ask you to save me?” I turned around and pulled out the book he shoved in the O section and returned back to the N section. “It’s not that hard, right?” I said as I placed the book back to where it belonged.

“Okay, fine. Listen here, S-stella, right?” he stuttered. “I need your help.”

I looked back at him and raised an eyebrow. So, it’s Stella now, not nerd. “Help?” Oh, I think he was talking about the tutoring now. I crossed my arms on my chest and listened to him.

“Mr. Clark said, I could ask you to tutor me.” I didn’t reply. “Well, I’m really failing and I couldn’t play football and I hope you can help me.”

“So, you’re asking me to tutor you?” I asked, watching him blush as he hung his head low.

“Yes.”

“No.” I turned to walk away and left him dumbfounded. I smirked when I felt him following me.

“What?” he asked. “Wait up! Stella!” he rushed to me and grabbed my arm and I felt the electricity that ran through me.

I knew he felt it too because he released me immediately.

“But Mr. Clark said that you were my best option.” He argued.

“Too bad you’ll have to find someone else because I’m not interested.”

“You know, Stella. If this is about the thing I did for you back then. I mean, the bullying thing. I’m sorry, okay.” He explained. “I need a higher average to get into college and to play again in football, and your tutoring is going to help me, please?”

“Woah, the rich, popular and handsome boy can’t get into college with his grades. Looks like you’ll need to turn to what every rich guy does in this position.”

“Wait, are you telling me that I’m handsome?” he smirked and I could feel my cheeks flushed. “And what would you like me to do? Let’s say, yeah I’m rich, so, you’re suggesting me to bribe my way into college and to play football?” he chuckled. “That was so low, Stella. You know, I didn’t think you could actually suggest something bad like that, really.”

My eyes widened. “I didn’t say you have to bribe! What I’m telling you is—“

“I really don’t understand why you don’t want to help me.” he cut me off. “Most girls would die for this moment. To be with me and to teach me.” he gave me his signature smirk.

I raised an eyebrow and showed him a bored expression on my face. “Well, Mr. Lewis. I’m sorry I’m not like most girls you are talking about. I don’t spend my time tending to spoiled guys who expect me to do their work for them. Find someone else! Goodbye, Mr. conceited, spoiled rich, asshole!”

“Wait--!” I turned the corner before he could defend himself.

I exhaled heavily when I saw that he didn’t follow me this time. Oh, thank God. A little effort of him begging to me wasn’t that hard, right? I hugged the book closer to my chest and walked back to my class with a smile on my face.