Dirty Curve by Meagan Brandy
CHAPTER 5
Meyer
In a rush, I blindly tie my hair back, grab the cereal bowl off the floor and drop it in the sink—Cornflakes, dinner of champions.
“You all right over there, girl?” Bianca teases. “I know you’re always channeling your inner Barry Allen, but you’ve been looking at the clock every five seconds with a whole new kind of dread, more than the usual.”
I swallow past the itchiness creeping up my throat and smile. “I hate last-minute sessions. I like to have everything ready so we can jump right in and waste no time, but I don’t even have time to go to the tutoring center or athletic department to print what I need. I’ll have to split my screens, look at things one at a time, and that’s annoying.”
“I hear you.” She yawns.
“Bailey ate about an hour ago, and she’s been down for about twenty minutes now.”
“Are you still running the humidifier even though she’s better?”
“Only through the night, so don’t worry about it. I’ll turn it on later.” I tug my sweater over a tank top, not bothering to change out of my leggings. “Thanks for getting here so fast.”
“Of course, I was planning on coming over before work anyway.”
“You sure you won’t be too tired later?”
“Not as tired as you. Besides, they’re lucky I’m coming in to help them close when I just got moved to mornings.” She shrugs. “So, who is it tonight? Quarterback? Point Guard?”
“I wish,” I mumble. “Pitcher.”
Her brows jump. “Ah, the tall, tan, tasty-looking Tobias Cruz?”
I turn, frowning at my fuzzy boots as I slip them on, and quickly retie my hair on the top of my head. “That would be him.”
“Does every college athlete suck at school, or what?” She drops back on the couch bed I never had a chance to fold up this morning, and I follow.
“Not even close.”
“So why do they so desperately call on you, dear friend?”
“Because I have something they all want and can’t get enough of ...” I play along, and Bianca and I look to each other.
She wags her brows while I tap at my temple.
“Ugh, of course!” She teasingly groans, nudging my leg with hers. “A genius swimming in a pool of powdered protein.”
“Blended, not stirred,” I add with a low laugh, shrugging against the cushion. “Honestly, I never have too much of a problem with my students. Some do struggle pretty bad, so I help them find ways to connect. Then there’re the ones who use me for a second eye on papers and things. It’s always a mix, but for every bag of apples I’m thrown, there’s always one with a rotten core.”
“I met Tobias a couple times when I was with Cooper.” She fake vomits at the mention of her ex. “It wasn’t enough to have an opinion outside of the boy is fine, but are we thinking Avix U’s PlayboyPitcher is rotten at his core?”
A choppy sigh escapes, and I push myself to my feet, shoving my laptop into my bag. As I zip it up, my phone vibrates from its place on the charger.
I don’t have to look at the screen to know who the message is from, but I do so as I pick it up.
Student T. Cruz: I’m here, Tutor Girl. Prompt enough for you?
I stare at the name I’ve programmed him under, trying to keep my frown hidden as I look at Bianca. “I have no idea what to think.”
“Well.” Bianca laughs. “I guess you’re fated to find out.”
Am I?