The Captain’s Tutor

Thea

The first time I laid eyes on Evan Anderson, I knew he was trouble. Not the loud, reckless kind but the kind that smiled like he knew something you didn’t. The kind that made your skin prickle for reasons you couldn’t explain. It was in his eyes, mischievous and reckless. And that smirk of his, God, I hated that smirk.

Evan Anderson was everything this school worshipped; he is popular and admired. Teachers liked him, students flocked around him, and as the captain of the football team, he might as well have owned the place. Tall, sharp features, olive skin that glitters in the sun. Blue eyes that girls wrote poetry about. Wavy hair that always looked effortlessly perfect, but I didn’t see the appeal. I could name at least five boys who looked just like him, but somehow, Evan stood out, and that irritated me more than I cared to admit.

It wasn’t a secret that we didn’t get along. We avoided each other like the plague, and I preferred it that way. As far as I was concerned, he existed in a completely different world from mine. And I was perfectly fine keeping it that way. Until…

“He’s failing math." I blinked, staring at Ms. Debby from across her desk.

“If he wants to make the national football team and get into a good college, he needs to pass,” she continued. I folded my arms slowly.

“Okay, and what does that have to do with me?” I asked, my eyebrows raised. She sighed.

“Thea, you’re our best student. You’ve won multiple academic awards. You’re the only one who can tutor him,” she says, but I stare at her, unamused.

“Get someone else to do it, Ms. Debby. Landon is excellent at math. I’m sure he’d be happy to help,” I say to her, giving her an option.

“We tried that,” she said, sliding a file toward me. I hesitated before opening it and immediately wished I hadn’t. My eyes widened like saucers as I looked at Evan's grades. Each semester was worse than the last. His grades weren’t just bad; they were catastrophic.

“He’s been failing since freshman year. Landon tried, but Evan is difficult,” she said as I closed the file.

“I’m sure he won’t listen to me either. This is a terrible idea,” I said flatly. Ms. Debby leaned forward, her voice softening.

“Think about what you stand to gain,” she says, but I don't respond.

“Academic recognition, extra credit, and a strong recommendation letter from the principal himself,” she said, and that made me think.

“Westbridge is your dream college, isn’t it?” She asked. I nodded slowly. Ms. Debby knew she had put me in the corner like she wanted. My chest tightened slightly.

“One recommendation could make the difference, Thea. Your record is already impressive, but this?” She said with a smile.

“This would make it exceptional,” she continued. I hated how convincing she sounded. Westbridge wasn’t just my dream school. It was the plan and the goal, everything I had been working hard for. I have been doing everything I could to get a perfect record, and this could help. But at what cost? I exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“I can’t believe you are thinking about this, Thea. All you need to do is endure Evan for the rest of the senior year and get a good recommendation. After high school, this would all be history,” she says, her voice full of hope and expectations. Ms. Debby was right, and I hated it. This was a good deal to ignore. I sighed. A recommendation from Principal Smith, I would get the scholarship in a heartbeat. I sighed, rubbing my hands down my face.

“Fine,” I muttered.

“I’ll try. But if he refuses to cooperate, I’m done,” I said strictly. Relief flooded her face as a wide smile sat on her face.

“Thank you, Thea, for considering it. I am sure Evan would cooperate with you,” she says, and I put on a tight smile.

“You can leave for your class now,” she continued. I nodded stiffly and stood, grabbing my bag. What had I just agreed to? The further I walked from Ms. Debby's office, the more I realized how she had manipulated me into agreeing. By the time I reached my locker, regret had already settled in. This was the third week of senior year. I had a plan: stay invisible, keep my grades perfect, and graduate without distractions. Now Evan was part of that plan. I let my forehead rest briefly against the locker door cursing myself out.

“Great,” I muttered. “Just great.”

“What are you doing?” The high-pitched voice said, and I flinched, nearly dropping my bag. I turned to find Bridget and Mia staring at me.

“Why would you scare me like that?” I snapped, calming my racing heart.

“We’ve been calling your name; you were completely out of it,” Bridget said. I sighed.

“You’re not going to believe this,” I mumbled, telling them what just occurred. They gasped.

“No way,” Bridget breathed.

“And you agreed?” Mia added, eyes wide.

“I didn’t think it through,” I groaned, hating myself more for agreeing.

“I mean, tutor him? Evan? He’s arrogant, annoying, and a stupid jerk. I can’t bear to be in the same space with him, and now I have to trade my evenings and possibly weekends for him. This is exasperating!” I exclaimed. Bridget and Mia looked back at me with wide eyes, and I was confused by their reaction.

“Wow,” came the voice that I recognized anywhere, even in my sleep. I froze, and slowly, I turned. Evan stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, his usual expression unreadable. His friends lingered behind him. Of course he heard everything.

“I didn’t know you hated me that much,” he said calmly. I rolled my eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me in a total mess.

“What do you want?” I snapped. His gaze lingered on me for a second too long.

“You’re my tutor now; you might want to watch your attitude, nerd,” he snapped. I ignored him, opening my locker and dropping my bag. I took the books that I needed, shutting my locker harder than necessary.

“Meet me in the library during lunch. We’ll set a schedule for this tutor,” I said sharply. He raised his eyebrows.

“And don’t waste my time,” I continued. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then I walked past him, heading to class. I could feel his eyes on me the entire way down the hallway. Heavy and unsettling. And for the first time since agreeing to this ridiculous arrangement, an impossible thought slipped into my head. This wasn’t going to end well. Not for him. And definitely not for me.