Chapter One
Sophie
I’ve tutored many people in my life, but never the principal’s son.
When I was called to Principal Harrington’s office a few minutes ago, on aSundayafternoon, I knew something was up. Like, couldn’t this have waited until Monday when we’re actually in school? But as soon as I enter her office and see him sitting there, I realize my fate is sealed. My principal wants me to tutor the new bad boy of the school.
Okay, okay, I don’t exactly know if he’s a bad boy or not. I guess I’m making assumptions based on his behavior and clothes. But wouldn’t anyone come to the same conclusion? He sits on a chair facing her desk with his arms crossed angrily over his chest and has an epic scowl on his face. And he’s wearing a leather jacket, a black shirt, and black jeans. His jet-black hair is a little disheveled, like he doesn’t give a darn about anything, and he’s glaring at the principal—his mother—every two seconds.
This isn’t the first time I’m laying eyes on him. He was at our high school dance yesterday, and he was just sitting at one of the tables and playing with his phone, not looking at anyone or socializing with his future classmates. One of my best friends, Addie Hayes, told me that her grandfather told her that he’s Principal Harrington’s son and that he’s going to attend our school, Harrington Bay Academy, which is a boarding school located in upstate New York. I, along with two of my best friends, am here on scholarship.
I guess I should have anticipated the possibility that she would ask me to tutor the new student. I mean, it’s no secret that I’m one of the best students in my grade and have an awesometrack record of turning some of the weakest students into some of the strongest ones. But to tutor a guy who looks like he wants to punch every person who so much as glances at him funny? I don’t need that in my life.
“Sophie, hello,” Principal Harrington greets when she sees me standing in the doorway. She’s sitting at her desk with her hands clasped. “I hope I didn’t take you away from a fun activity.”
“No, it’s cool,” I lie. I was in the middle of reading an amazing romantic scene in my current romantasy. The male main character, this really hot merman, burst out of the ocean and leapt onto a pirate ship where the female main character was kidnapped. He turned into a human as soon as his tail hit the ship and wrapped his hands around the captain of the pirates’ throat, slamming him into the wall of the ship and demanding he release the womanpronto. After the captain nodded to the pirate holding her captive to let her go, the merman yanked her into his arms and dove into the water. And just as I was about to turn the page, I got a notification from the school app that the principal wanted to see me.
Hello! How could she take me away from my book when I have no idea what happened to the woman—Laura? Like, how could she breathe down there? Did the merman turn her into a mermaid? Ineedto know what happened.
“Please sit down.” Harrington motions to the chair next to the guy.
He still sits there in the same stance and doesn’t even glance at me. There are so many negative vibes shooting at me from him that I feel like I might topple over.
Once I’m seated, the principal gestures at the guy. “This is Damian Harrington. He’s a new student here. He’s also my son. Damian, this is Sophie Reed. She’ll be your tutor.”
The guy’s hazel eyes flit in my direction. I’m about to smile and say “Hey,” but he tears his gaze away and glares at his mom. “It’s DamianLawrence,” he mutters.
When I peer at the principal, I notice how she purses her lips, but she doesn’t say anything to him. Instead, she puts on a smile and focuses her attention on me. “Sophie, I would like Damian to be up to speed as soon as possible. Let’s just say his previous school is not at the same academic level as Harrington Bay Academy.”
Damian grunts.
The principal continues, “I asked you both to meet with me today because I want you to get together tomorrow after school, and every day after that. I don’t want Damian to fall behind. I know you can help him catch up in record time, Sophie. And I’d also like you to stay on as his tutor after he catches up as well, just to make sure he doesn’t slip. Sometimes, all Damian needs is a little push.”
He gives her another glare. There is so much tension in this room right now, I think I might suffocate. So I quickly say, “Of course, Principal Harrington. Damian will be popping out straight As before he even knows his way around the school.”
The guy grunts again while Harrington says with a relieved smile, “Great. I knew I could count on you, Sophie. Please enjoy the rest of the day. Damian, stay behind.”
I get up from my seat and leave the office, my heart racing a bit. Am I nervous? I guess so. I’ve never tutored someone like Damian before. The guy reeks trouble, and Sophie Reed doesnotdo trouble.
“Are you always such a goody-goody?” a voice says from behind me.
I nearly jump to the roof as I spin around. Damian stands there, still with that scowl. Pressing my hand to my now-galloping heart, I mutter, “I thought your mom told you to stay behind.”
“You think I do everything Beatrice tells me?”
“Beatrice?” He calls his mom by her first name?
“I don’t need a tutor, Miss Perfect.” He knocks his shoulder into mine as he storms away.
“Ouch,” I grumble as I rub my shoulder.
What the heck just happened?
“Jerk,” I mumble as I leave the office building and head to the girls’ dorm. But then I stop in my tracks and glance over my shoulder. Should I march back in there and tell the principal that I’d rather choose my health and safety over her son? She wouldn’t, like, revoke my scholarship and kick me out of the school, would she? Her family founded the town and the school, so she kind of owns everyone here. I’ve never had issues with any other student before, so maybe she would understand and cut me some slack?
But we’re talking about hersonhere. I don’t think she’d let me give up that easily. With a sigh, I turn back around and continue my trek to the girls’ dorm.
The thing that sucks most about this? The guy is really good-looking. If he would remove that scowl from his face, he could look like a movie star. I bet all the girls here would flock to him. But that doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care how cute a guy is if he’s a jerk. And since I’ve already established that Damian Harrington is a mega jerk, he’s the ugliest person in the world.
