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“My name is Rachel,” she corrected. As if I cared. I knew her name. I just wanted to tick her off because I couldn’t yell at her.
“Sorry. Rachel. If you excuse me, I need to speak to Ralph about something.”
“You’ve still got my number, right?” she cooed as I walked away from our table. “I can still help with anything else you might need.” I rolled my eyes because that number was going to be deleted from my phone the minute I got back to the house. Why did Derek, my old tutor, have to graduate? He knew nothing about football, and unless he was good at hiding it, he wasn’t interested in getting in my pants. The perfect combination. He was the best tutor I’d ever had, and trying to replace him was proving impossible.
As I walked through the library with purpose, I could hear the sharp whispers of my name before silence when I turned my attention to the voices. It was never surprising to me when they’d suddenly shut their traps and gawk as I walked by. They always did that. Acted like I was some kind of celebrity when, in reality, I was just a guy that got caught on video throwing a ball down a football field. They had no idea that I envied them because they could string a coherent sentence together.
I politely waved at the people staring, hoping that would make them realize I was a person, and not a zoo animal, as I made my way to Ralph.
Then I saw him at his desk. Strait-laced with black-rimmed glasses, he was the most unassuming man I’d ever met. He gave me Clark Kent vibes when I first met him, which made me think I could trust him.
“Ralph,” I said threateningly, even though he couldn’t hear me. My blood was boiling as I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists at the man that had become my enemy in the last few minutes. He threw his head back, laughing and joking with a couple of hockey players, while I was standing there, ready to pull my hair out because he couldn’t find me a tutor that wasn’t trying to sleep with me. It was ridiculous, and I was pissed.
As I made my way over, the players dispersed, leaving me with Ralph and his perfectly quaffed hair. When he saw me, he flashed a bright smile. “Tanner, my man. How’s it going?” He held his hand out, offering me a high five, but I didn’t take it. Kinsey, the Teaching Assistant on one of my courses, told me this guy was the best tutor co-ordinator on campus, and so far, he was a dud. He frowned when he took in my face. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I held back on being too aggressive with him because I still needed his help, but inside I was fuming and there was only so much teeth gritting that I could do before I exploded. “We need to talk,” I said as calmly as I could. If I wasn’t so angry, I’d be impressed with my restraint.
He looked around, surprised. “Haven’t you met Rachel yet? I thought she’d finally put a smile on your face.” He wiggled his eyebrows, flashing me his teeth again. I clenched my fists, holding back from smacking him across the face.
“I’ve met her, and I’m far from smiling,” I replied bluntly.
He dropped his hand, finally resolute in the fact I wasn’t going to give him a high-five. “Oh no. It didn’t end well?”
I chuckled sarcastically, glaring at him with disbelief. “Can you please explain to me why you sent her my way when there’s a very real probability that I’ve written better essays than her and I’ve failed at least two of my courses this semester.”
“That’s a little harsh. She told me her expertise was Biology 101. Heard you might need a little help in that department.” He winked, and I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t bother correcting him. Aiden, my roommate and owner of our house, may have started a rumour about me being a virgin to throw me off my game, and although I never had much time to rack up the experience, I was most certainlynota virgin. Ralph threw his head back and howled in laughter at my reaction, because he still wasn’t taking me seriously.
“Ralph.” I took a deep breath. I restrained from hitting him across the face because that wouldn’t look good on my record, but it was so tempting. “This isn’t funny. The only reason I came to you was because Derek and Kinsey told me you could get me the best tutors on campus. So far, all I’ve gotten are three girls trying to get my number and two guys who wanted advice on how to join the football team as walk-ons.”
“Oh, really?”
“Don’t act surprised. You’re the one that set them up, and yet not one of them has been right for me. SomethingIcould have told you just looking at them.”
Ralph groaned and his face went red in embarrassment as he let out an obnoxious breath. “I, uh, I guess you’re right. I’m sorry.” He shook his head, waving off my concern. “It’s just Rachel gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I thought you wouldn’t mind her company.”
“What did she offer?” I raised my brow in question.
“Cash.”
“Money? You took money off her?” He nodded, taking in a sharp breath when he realized just how annoyed I was. “Did you take money off the other ones too?” His non-answer was enough. “You’ve been making money off me?”
He raised his hands, his lips lifting in a sarcastic smile. “What can I say? I’m a cheap date, and you’re a hot commodity around here. I’ve been told you’ve got this intense, brooding thing going on.” He rolled his eyes, as if he was annoyed by the description. “And you’re apparently really hard to get a hold of. When people found out I had an in, my inbox nearly exploded with offers.”
“Well, if you don’t help get my grade up to at least a C average, the commodity you’re selling is going to go down the toilet because I’m never going to see any playing time.” Oh, the things I’d do to him if I wasn’t on a football scholarship. Crushing his skull with my bare hands seemed more like something Aiden would do, but I could see the use for it now.
But then I remembered where we were.
The library was quiet. No doubt people could hear this conversation, and as I looked around, I saw everyone watching us now. I didn’t like making a scene unless it was on the football field, and I’d rather not get any more negative publicity.
“You know what?” I said, looking back at Ralph. He was watching me sympathetically, but it was too late for that. It wasn’t his fault I was in this mess. It was my own, and I needed to figure this shit out. I waved Ralph off. “Let’s just forget it. I’ll find a tutor on my own.” Even if it meant I had to go online and pay an extortionate fee to some random person on the internet, I would find a tutor that would help me.
“Wait!” Ralph grabbed my shoulder, pulling on the wisps of my overgrown blonde hair. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just… Well, Rachel’s hot. I thought you’d be thanking me. Most guys would be happy for the hookup.”
“I’m not most guys. I came to you looking for a tutor and you essentially pimped me out to some girl. Isn’t that illegal?”
He looked at the ceiling, thinking about it for a minute. “You know, I hadn’t thought about it like that before, but now that you mention it, it does kind of sound like that, doesn’t it?”
I shook my head. It wasn’t enough. I was done with him. I turned back around because I was getting nowhere with this guy. Like clockwork, he stopped me. “Tanner. I’m sorry, okay. I won’t do it again. I promise.”
