CHAPTER EIGHT: TUTOR-THING

Oli and I finished the lunch. I was just eating there silently, ignoring the couple in front of me.

Together, we walk to our dorm; we both don't have classes anymore. I can't wait for tomorrow; it’s the only day we can visit Zhena,

"You're so quiet..." Oli suddenly comments.

I sigh and glance at him, "Yeah, sorry. I'm just so tired". He and starts talking again,

"I know both you and Zhena don't like Xian for me," he suddenly said. I look at him in full surprise.

We both stop walking and stare into each other's eyes. This time, I cannot lie to him. He grabs both my hands and he squeezes them, "Lara, Xian is changing...I can see it. He promised not to scam me, he promised me that he would love me...Don't you wanna see me happy?"

"Oli..." I slowly murmured, "We want you to be happy but not with him..." I gently explained,

"But he is my happiness," he said in a very low voice.

I stare at him and sighs,

"I don't know much about you and Xian. But, Oli...you just can't trust someone like him. Xian is known to be a freaking scammer...Oli, he's just using you for your money" I hissed.

He looks down and slowly nods his head.

"I know," he answered, looking down as though he’s ashamed to face me.

"So, why are you still with him?" I ask, trying desperately not to shout at him.

Oli is a softie. I can see that by the way he treats Zhena and me. He easily gets attached to anyone who’s nice to him. I can prove that cos I've seen him many times being so soft with various boys who bother to talk to him.

"Because he's the only one who accepts me, he made me feel special," he explains.

I feel sorry for Oli; I understand where his sadness comes from...But he has to stop being like this, before it gets even worse.

"Oli, that's just because of your money. He will pretend to like you and love you because he knows that he can get something from you”, I explain.

He doesn’t respond.He just sighs and gives me a forced phony smile.

"That's okay, I can give him money, even after death," he mutters, before passing by me. I was left shocked and speechless; still staring blankly at the place where he’d been standing.

"Oli!" I called after him. But he didn't look back. Instead, he ran away.

I was about to catch up with him, but I decided not to. Maybe Oli needs some time alone to think. I’ll talk to him later.

I sigh and sit on the nearest bench. I park my books beside me, and look up to the sky. I close my eyes, reflecting on how tiring my day had been.

Even though it's just three subjects over just half a day, it's still tiring because I am uninterested in those subjects. I massage both of my temples gently; my head is aching, thinking of both Zhena and Oli, who are both feeling unwell.

I sigh and slowly open my eyes, and there I see beautiful clouds. I suddenly remembered my sister, Doris. A bitter, resigned smile forms on my lips. How I miss her, and my family.

I can't call them now, for I know they have classes. Dad is probably at home, in the house, cleaning the yard or feeding the animals. But I can't talk to him, either. He would just get worried. And I can't add his lectures to my thoughts. I’ve had enough for today.

I can't call my mom either. She’s busy as hell. I could seldom see her in the house, what chance if I call her?

I took my phone and scrolled through the Facegram. It's my first visit since I deactivated it when I turned eighteen. But now I am turning twenty, and this is the first time to open my account again.

When I opened it, my phone goes crazy because of continuous notifications and messages I had received over the months and years. I roll my eyes and turn the data off, quickly packing up my things.

I guess I should probably get back to our dorm and take a rest. I will work for my video presentations later after taking a good nap.

As I walk, students are staring at me, and talking to each other as I pass by them. What the hell are they looking at? I can't figure it out.

Suddenly, a random guy stops in front of me...He's holding a ball…a basketball ball.

I look up to see who it is. He’s blonde; his eyes are blue and he has long eyelashes. He also has freckles on his cheeks; that made me wonder if he's an American or maybe Irish.

"Hey, hot chick", he said and winked at me. Curious, I look behind me, hoping to find who he was talking to, cos I wasn't convinced that he was talking to me.

"Hey! I meant, you!" he yells. I turn to look at him again, and end up staring at him blankly. I clenched my hand, the one that is holding a book. I feel that everyone is looking at me.

Who wouldn't look? It's like a whole basketball team is in front of me. I didn't respond to the guy. The ball that he threw just now was caught by someone; and it’s a brunette guy.

"You're so gorgeous" he comments. I gulp and avert my gaze, desperately trying not to make eye-contact with him.

"Th-thanks..." I shoot back, "if you don't mind...I have to go for now," I whimper in a very low and kinda nervous voice.

"Hey, not yet, hot chick." he said, calmly. I raise my eyebrows and looks around. The cheer leaders are now glaring at me. Maybe they’re mad because their crush focused on me—I don't know!

"Uhhm, please, excuse me" I pleaded, trying not to stutter the words that fell out from my mouth.

"My name is Dylan”

I stare at him, I gulp once again, and slowly nod my head, forcing a smile,

"Hey, Dylan ...n-nice to meet you,"

"Wanna go grab some coffee with me?" he asks.

I shake my head, trying my best to decline his offer.

"Well, I’d love to”, I said, “But I still have loads of works to do,"

"Well, it can wait"

"Er, no. I have to pass this today," I quickly responded. Now I hear him chuckling,

"Girl, no one ever declined a coffee date with me," he said, smirking.

"Well, it looks like I'm the first one, I guess" I answered, trying to play it cool.

His facial expression quickly changed cos his teammates laughed at what I’d just said.

Before he could reply, someone suddenly interrupts. "Excuse me, what is happening here?"

I turn around and I feel grateful to see the Dean.

"Dean Ilya!" I exclaimed. She looks at me, surprised that I am here. She turns her gaze to the guys in front of me.

"Are they harassing you?" she asks.

I gulp and steal a glance at Dylan who looked back at me with a Don't-you-dare look.

I shake my head

"No, I was asking them where I can find you," I lied,

She raised both eyebrows and fiddled with her eye glasses,

"Oh, you need something?" she asks.

I nod and glance at Dylan once again.

"Alright, you may come to my office by three pm, I can't entertain for now because we have a very important meeting for the upcoming acquaintance party," she explains, I nod my head and walk with her,

When we walked past by those guys, Dean Ilya then stopped and faced me,

"I have heard from your father that you sometimes have panic attacks due to social anxiety. Is that true?" she asks, but in a very low voice, I look down and nod, slowly.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that,"

"That's okay, I guess I'll get used to it. You see, the stare of the crowd makes me anxious,"

"Don't be anxious about that, darling. They are just staring at you because, in fact, you are really gorgeous. Even I, with, dare I say, an eye for beauty, can say that you're…well, frankly…absolutely gorgeous. So I’m not at all surprised to see Dylan being interested in you" she said, jokingly, grinning at me. I just smile.

Dean Ilya and I continued walking and each of us go our separate ways on reaching the end of the pathway. I enter the dorm building and she continues to her office.

On entering the building, I quickly take the elevator to the floor where our dorm is located. As I wait for the elevator door to open, I take my gummy candy from my bag and begin nibbling at it.

Finally, the elevator door opens and I exit quickly, eating a gummy candy and holding a book. I was just about to open our dorm door when the one next door suddenly flew open.

I was neither shocked nor surprised; I just stared at the door blankly, waiting for someone to appear. I stopped chewing, stepped back, and waited.

By now, two minutes had passed, but no one came out. Curious, I slowly reached for the door knob and suddenly, jumps out in front of me.

Jumping in surprise, I dropped the book, and the gummy that I was eating, my hands going to my chest, in surprise.

He's being jerk again.

"Hahahahah!" he laughs, I glare at him and roll my eyes.

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to scare you," he said, laughing.

I mimick his childish antics and roll my eyes once again. I pick up my books and I’m shocked when he suddenly picks up my half-eaten gummy and puts it in his mouth.

"That’s so gross!" I exclaimed. He laughed once again and helped me pick up the books,

"Shall we?" he suddenly asks.

I raise my brows and stare at him, quizzically.

“Shall we, what?" I ask, angrily

"Geez, Lara. The tutor-thing!" he hissed.

That made me think. I really had forgotten about that thing. I slapped my own forehead in self-punishment.I sigh and nod my head.

"Fine, let's do it," I said, feeling rather hopeless.

-to be continued...