The Escort

The first half of the walk home was painfully awkward. We moved in silence, eyes fixed on the sidewalk ahead. I had been tutoring Matty for a few terms by now, and we never had an issue finding things to talk about. But the dynamic felt different. I was no longer the upperclassman helping guide him through academic challenges; I was someone to be taken care of. I didn’t like that.

After we left campus, I quietly offered, “You know you don’t have to do this, right? I’ll be fine. I’m already feeling way better.”

He laughed and shook his head. “No deal. I would never be able to forgive myself if I found out you’d passed out in the street on the way home. It’s seriously not a big deal.” He smiled in my direction and continued, “Besides, you owe me a gen chem session before my test. Don’t think you’re getting off the hook, I can’t afford to let my GPA drop if I’m going to keep my scholarship.”