Page 35 of Tutored By the Smart Girl

Evie collapses in my arms.

Will sets his cup on the countertop and darts through the crowd gathered in the kitchen. “What’s up? She okay?”

“It’s not good,” Susie says as she bites her thumbnail.

When we were dating, Evie liked to party. Sometimes she would drink too much, get a little crazy, and I’d take her back to her dorm to sleep it off. The worry on Susie’s face makes me even more concerned.

Will nods towards the stairway. “Let’s get her upstairs. I have a pull-out couch in the second bedroom.”

I lift Evie in my arms and make my way toward the staircase.

“First door on the right,” Will calls.

I make my way up the stairs with Evie in my arms.

13

Adison

If I look at one more formula, one more page of my handwritten notes, I swear my head will explode.

I check my phone. No texts from Rush and it’s still early.

I feel a little bad for dissing the party. I’m more than ready for my mid-term exams.

Is there such a thing as studying too much?

I close my textbook and set it aside along with my notebook. I ditch my sweatpants and T-shirt for some skinny jeans and a low-cut black shirt.

I open the door and head out into the cool evening. I walk to Will’s duplex. It’s a beautiful evening to be outside and his new place is easily within walking distance of my dorm.

I arrive at the duplex on Foster Avenue and a crowd of students are in lawn chairs on the driveway. Citronella candles burn and put a citrus aroma in the air along with a soft glow.

“Hey, Adison,” one of the partygoers greets.

I squint. “Oh hi.”

I don’t recognize the girl who greets me, which isn’t unusual these days. Since I’ve been with Rush, I’ve sort of become apart of him, so to speak. Everyone knows Rush, which means everyone knows me in a sense.

I make my way onto the front porch and peer through the window. The small living room is filled with people. I open the front door and step into the foyer as I scan the living room for any sign of Rush.

I suck in a breath. My vision blurs as blink back the tears building.

This can’t be. This cannot be happening.

My boyfriend makes his way through the living room carrying Evie in his arms. Her face pushed into his muscular chest.

What the hell?

I can’t speak. I can’t move. My body heats up, a fire lights in my gut and it radiates up to my throat.

He hits the stairway with Evie in his arms. He’s taking his ex-girlfriend upstairs while I stand in the foyer. I feel like an idiot–– only a pawn in some stupid game.

He’s obviously still seeing Evie behind my back. He’s never gotten over her. Maybe he’s been lying this whole time.

I can’t breathe. I turn around, scurry through the screen door, and make my way down Foster Avenue as tears stream down my face. When I’m far enough away from the party and know no one will hear me, I let out a sob.

Disappointed again. You’d think I’d learned my lesson with my father, all men are alike. Only looking out for themselves. My heart is like a piece of paper that’s been torn into a thousand pieces.

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