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“Why? Do you not understand it?” Willa hadn’t gone to school to be a teacher or anything, but she had an eidetic memory and retained all the knowledge she’d learned over the years from taking free courses and listening to lectures. They’dnever award her a diploma or degree, but at least she was still learning, which was what she loved most.
The last thing she wanted was to fail Tyson because she was incapable of teaching him.
“I don’t want to be here, that’s why.”
She kept silent, feeling like he had more to say.
“This is all my father’s idea. He thinks an education is the key to the future. Nothing I say gets through to him,” he said.
“I’m sure he just loves you.”
He groaned. “He’s abandoning our heritage whereas I want to embrace it.”
“Education is always a good thing,” she said.
Tyson shook his head. “I hate being here. I hate the students, the teachers, everything.”
She was glad he was finally talking and getting things off his chest. “And me?” she asked.
He sat up straighter, looking her dead in the eyes. “No, not you.”
Willa smiled, she couldn’t help it. She knew there was something good in him. All he needed was a listening ear and someone who genuinely cared. When she’d been in grade school, even the teachers would snicker when fat jokes were directed at her. All that bullying still messed with her head to this day.
“I’m glad,” she said. “I want to help you. The first year can be a rough transition.”
“It’s more than that. Do you think you could talk to my father? Convince him to allow me to return home?”
She didn’t want to be put in the middle of this family conflict. His father’s orders were rigid and his pockets large. He’d spend anything necessary for his son to succeed and graduate from business school. For some reason, he was putting that responsibility on her shoulders since he lived so far away.Willa was just a part-time tutor, not a social worker or miracle worker.
“You know him more than I do, Tyson. He’s dead set on seeing you succeed.”
He stood up. “Maybe if I get suspended again, he’ll listen.”
“Stop,” she said. “I’ll give him a call.”
Their hour-long lesson ended early. She walked home, a small basement apartment near the campus. It was convenient and cheap, so she couldn’t complain. There were still a few hours until the lecture, so she sat down on her sofa and stared at the number on her phone. She didn’t want to make this call but also didn’t want Tyson to wreak havoc on the campus because he didn’t get his way.
“Hello, can I please speak with Xander Blackhawk?”
“You’re speaking with him.”
Willa bit her lip. His voice was deep and authoritative, making her nervous about everything she was about to say. “This is your son’s tutor, Willa Young. First of all, our session wasn’t the full hour today, so you only have to pay half.”
“That’s fine. I’ll pay the regular rate. Why was it cut short?”
She took a breath. “Your son hates it here. He wants to go home. He’s not interested in an education and seems hell-bent on causing trouble until he gets his way.”
There was silence on the other line. Her heart raced.
Tyson was eighteen, so there wasn’t much his parents could do to force him into learning.
“He’s not quitting,” Xander said matter-of-factly, no room for compromise in his tone. “An education is the key to the future. Those who don’t adapt will be left behind.”
She remembered what Tyson said about his father. It all seemed true.
“I’m not sure what I can do to help. He’s quite determined to fail.”
He groaned, a deep, masculine sound. “I’ll drive down to the school tomorrow morning. This bullshit will be put to rest and he’ll continue with his business degree.”
