Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Tell you about it? What are you working on right now? You didn’t happen to bring a book, did you?”
“I’m not sure,” I shrug, “and does it look like I brought a book?”
She rolls her pretty blue eyes. “Ugh. What classes are you taking?”
“Math.”
“What kind of math?”
“The one with numbers.” I smirk.
I’m taking first year calculus. I’m not that dumb, but I like playing with her. Plus, I don’t really want to do math right now. I just want to stay here a little longer, figure her out, and get to know her.
“How am I supposed to tutor you if I don’t know what you need help with?”
“Well, since I already paid for your time, why don’t we just get to know each other tonight. That way, when we have our first actual tutoring session, it will be less awkward.”
I sit down next to her, and she scoots her butt all the way back until she hits the wall. I do the same and scoot back until I’m next to her. Our backs pressed up against the wall, an open space between us.
“Tell me about you. Where are you from?”
She wraps the blanket around her body a little tighter, not answering right away. After a while, I think she isn’t going to answer, but then she does. “Small town, about an hour south of here.”
“Why did you come to North Woods? With your grades, you probably could have gotten in anywhere.”
“It’s the only school that was within driving distance, and that I got a scholarship from.”
“Why does that matter? Are you scared of flying?”
“I don’t have money for airfare, and if I would have moved across the country, I’d never be able to visit my family.”
“Oh,” I probably should have guessed that. “I’m kind of the opposite of you.”
“You mean you have money for a plane ticket?” she says sarcastically.
“Well, that… but I mean that I wanted to go somewhere far away, so I didn’t have to visit with my family, but I didn’t get that lucky. I’m from here, my father wanted me to go to school in our hometown. I didn’t really have a choice.” That’s the honest truth.
I could’ve gone anywhere I wanted, but if I wanted my father’s support, money, and help, I had to go to North Woods. Those were his words, not mine. Still, I don’t want to waste what little time I have with Blair talking about my shitty childhood with a drunk father.
“What do you do for fun?”
Blair shrugs. “Read, do homework.”
She can’t be serious. I almost laugh, then I remember who I’m talking to. What am I thinking? This is the same chick who claims that nine-thirty is late.
“Okay, so you don’t watch any TV?” Maybe there is a show we both like to watch.
“Do you see a TV in here?” Sarcasm coats her words.
I look around the room. One half is completely empty while the other–her half– is almost as bare. There are no pictures or posters on the wall, no decorations or anything that says this is her room. The simple wooden desk in the corner of the room grabs my attention. There are a lot of books stacked on top of it. And I do mean a lot, to the point I’d be worried that the piles might tip over at any moment.
Her bed, the one we are both sitting on, is neatly made. Light pink pillows and soft sheets, even though they do look old and washed out.
“So, no roommate?” I question while knowing the answer, and secretly hoping she will elaborate or at least ask me a question in return.
“I had one, but she moved in with her boyfriend.” Blair keeps her answer short.
Honestly, I’m running out of things to ask. I feel like there isn’t anything we can talk about, and she certainly isn’t interested in me, at least not in the way most women are, which involves far less clothing and even less talking. Shit, this might be harder than I thought. I have absolutely nothing in common with this girl.
“Don’t you want to know what I do for fun?”
Turning to face me, she gives me a serious look. “I already know what you do for fun.”
“If you’re implying that I screw and play football for fun, you’re wrong. Those are basic necessities. I’m required to do them.” I give her an impish grin.
She rolls her eyes, and I think I’d much rather see her like this than any other way. There is a fire inside her, and I know the second we collide, we’ll burn and smolder together. It’s getting there that’s going to be hard.
“Screwing is not a necessity.” She shakes her head. “You’re a pig, you know that, right?”
“Says the virgin,” I tease. “Only a virgin would assume sex isn’t a necessity.”