Doesn't even believe in me?
That sounded ridiculous. I wanted to argue, but my eyes kept darting to the door, terrified someone would catch us.
When the exam booklet landed in front of me with a dull thud, I jerked my head toward Hayden. He had already slipped his own pen back into his uniform, face as unreadable as ever.
"I'm just going to help you get into Class Elite," he said flatly, "and whatever happens after that—you're on your own."
My head tilted. Get into Class Elite and then I'm on my own? It was one thing to enter that class, another to defend my spot. I didn't want to cheat my way through the entire year.
"…Then what about the Friday quizzes?" I whispered.
"I don't care. Figure it out on your own."
"But you're my tutor—"
"And you talk too much. It's annoying. I don't like annoying people."
My mouth fell open. "But—"
"Shut up," he cut in coolly, "or I'll tape your mouth shut."
I groaned in frustration, puffing my cheeks out like a sulking child. He rose, straightening his back as he walked out with an expression too calm for someone who just committed academic suicide on my behalf. For a second, I thought maybe I'm not the bad seed here. Maybe he is.
Still, it was strange. He came back. He helped. Maybe… maybe all hope wasn't lost. Maybe he didn't hate me as much as I thought. After all, you don't risk expulsion for someone you despise. Right?
When I was done, I dragged myself to Class F—yes, the lowest of the low. My school didn't even try to hide its disgust for us!
The classrooms were smaller, older, and my homeroom teacher stood there in his ridiculous Hello Kitty slippers, sipping from a mug like he'd given up on life.
"Sit anywhere," he mumbled, not caring that I was late.
The rest of the class was loud—paper airplanes, gum sticking contests, someone playing music off their phone. But the moment I walked in, silence fell. Dozens of eyes snapped toward me.
I stiffened, lifted my chin, and walked to my desk at the back by the window; my favorite seat. From there, I could see the gardener, Pookie, as I called him. Who never wore a shirt while working. His muscles usually made the boring days bearable.
But today, I didn't even get to sit properly before Abigail slid her chair close, her voice hushed and urgent. "I heard you're entering Class Elite."
"Oh my gosh—" her seatmate leaned in with a squeal, "is it true Hayden tutored you?"
"It's true! I saw them in the library!" the girl behind us added with too much excitement.
Three pairs of eager eyes burned holes into me.
"I'm so jealous," the seatmate groaned, pressing a dramatic hand to her chest. "I'd kill just to breathe the same air he does, let alone have him talk to me."
"Are the rumors true?" the girl behind me demanded. "They say Hayden wouldn't just tutor anyone unless…" She leaned closer, her eyes narrowing, before she winked. "Unless you gave him something in return."
The three girls giggled, covering their mouths, throwing glances at me like I was hiding some scandalous secret.
I blinked. I had no clue what they were implying, but if the rumor was that Principal Brown forced Hayden to tutor me… then yes, technically, that part was true.