Chapter Twenty-Seven
Layla
Holy smokes, can he cook. It’s so good I keep embarrassing myself by letting out loud moans. He glances over every once in a while. My cheeks are completely on fire.
This is bad. He probably thinks there is something seriously wrong with me. At least my stomach isn’t growling anymore. I’m also ashamed about my behavior earlier. He didn’t have to make me a plate and sneak it up into my room for me, but he did and I’m not sure why. Maybe he just did it so he can prove he’s a great cook, which, okay, sold.
Whatever the reason, I don’t care. I wish he’d stop looking over my work though. Usually Juliet checks it. Well, I haven’t had her looking at it lately since R. Still, I’m not comfortable with Tyler looking it over. He hasn’t flat out said I’m a total dipshit or anything. I just don’t want him looking at it and questioning why numbers and letters are all crazy.
Sure, I could tell him the truth, like I usually do when someone asks, but then it’s always followed by that same look. Which is like aww poor you or uh huh that just means you’re stupid, honey.
I finish the last bite of food then stare at the empty plate for a little longer. Tyler clears his throat, drawing my attention to him. “So, you wanna take a crack at this stuff?”
“Um … okay.” Why isn’t he looking at me like I’m a total dumbass? Even Adam used to give me those looks.
I walk over and sit down next to him. I stare at my paper filled with numbers and words and take a deep breath to calm my mind.
“You okay?” he asks in a gentle tone.
“Yeah, I just … It takes me a minute to, uh, read through a problem.”
He smiles. “Want some help?”
“No. I, um … got it.”
He sighs. “Layla, it’s okay to ask for help. I’m willing to do it.”
“I know. I just don’t want you to think I’m stupid.”
“I don’t.” he nudges me. “Come on. I’ll just read off what each problem is supposed to say and you do the math. Cool?”
I smile. “Okay.”
Maybe I’m wrong and people like R do really exist: kind, patient, and willing to help. Tyler didn’t say he’d work through the whole problem, just that he’d read them off so I got the right things down. First time Adam tried to help me with math he called me an airhead, then he said, “I got this babe,” and did all the problems for me. That’s nice I guess, but at the same time it made me feel stupid. I know math. I just got confused on the numbers.
“So great job on the first problem, you got that down perfect,” Tyler says. “Problem two is supposed to be one X plus five Y, quotations, eight minus seven, quotations three equals six, quotations seven X minus four Y quotations.”
I copy down the problem he reads off and start to work it out. Then we continue through the next set of problems. In no time, I’m finished with Math and we move on to the notes he typed up.
Ten minutes into it, though, he glances down at his phone and says, “Shit. Sorry, I have to go. We can work on some of this tomorrow. I mean, if you want to.”
“Okay. That sounds like a plan.”
“Sweet. I’ll just take this with me so you don’t get in anymore trouble.” He grabs the plate and leaves my room. My heart pitter-patters against my chest as he closes the door behind him.
What the heck is happening to me?
Rachel doesn’t come by my locker in the morning. I think she knows better. She doesn’t sit by me in lunch. Not that I care. My sister and her boyfriend do though. So does Adaline, but she mostly gives Mark dirty looks.
“So, you and Tyler hooking up?” Mark asks.
Juliet elbows him in the side and Mark grunts. “What?”
“Don’t answer that sis,” she says.
“Wait, you and Tyler Richardson?” Adaline says.
“No. No. No. He just wanted to hand me some notes I missed in Bio 2. Nothing more,” I say. There are enough rumors in this school about me I don’t need to add to them.
Mark doesn’t look convinced. Adaline does because she knows about my problem.
“That’s nice. He seems like a good guy, even if he likes to goof off half the time,” Adaline says. “I think that’s something that runs in all male DNA though.”
My sister smiles. “I think you’re right.”
“This is unfair. Three girls against a dude,” he says with a scowl.
“Oh, get over yourself,” Adaline snaps.
He grumbles something but I can’t really make it out.
Lunch is very quiet after that. Tyler and I see each other in the halls but he seems to be avoiding me too. I guess our moment of a truce ended as soon as he walked out of my room. I can’t dwell on it. It’s not like we were really meant to be friends anyway, right?
My phone buzzes in my hand.
R: I have this theory that some of our teachers r actually aliens.
Me: Really? Like your science teacher?
R: Nah. He’s 2 boring 2 b an alien. I’m thinking my history teacher might b 1. She zones out all the time. Mid-sentence. Then she’ll b like Huh. Where was I?
He apparently has Mrs. Webber. She totally does zone out mid-sentence. I giggle as I walk to my next class. I round a corner and wham! Adam collides into me. “What are you … Layla. Huh, never thought you’d be so absentminded walking the halls.”
“I was … um … never mind.”
“Texting. Wow. You. The I hate texting queen. Who are you talking to?”
I draw my phone close to me. “No one.”
He tries to pluck it from my hands but I kick him in the shin. “Leave me alone!”
“You ran into me!”
I shove him and move around his limp form. I look back to make sure he isn’t following and run down the hall. Arms wrap around my waist and a deep voice says, “Whoa, Princess. Let’s not make it two for two.”
I blink up at Tyler. Fiery heat blossoms across my face. He smiles and it’s slightly dazzling. How come I never noticed that before? Someone passing us in the hall whistles as if we’re making a huge scene or something. It’s enough to snap my attention back and pull out of his tight embrace.
“Sorry. Um. I. Ahum … I was just … getting to class.”
“I see that. Little tip: you should watch where you’re going.” He winks and then moves past me. Breath I didn’t even realize I was holding slips out as I watch him leave.
I text R before waltzing into my last period class.
Me: LOL. I have a teacher kind of like that.
R: I just reached my class. Talk 2 u after my practice is that cool?
Me: I can’t. I have a meeting after my practice. I’ll text you when I’m out is that okay?
I step into class even though I’d rather talk to him.