Page 23 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

“Let’s just say my mom doesn’t approve of my—” I pause. “—life choices.”

“You mean because you’re taking care of your dad’s kids?”

I’m surprised he knows about that.

The only people who know about Sierra and Oli are the girls, Finn, Xavier, and Theo. He must’ve asked around about me because I don’t exactly go around telling random jocks about my dad’s tragic passing.

“Not my dad’s kids. Mysiblings,” I correct him.

“From what I heard, your mom hated his guts. How come you don’t?”

Nosy much?

My heart hurts a pinch. “She hates him for leaving her, but he was always a good dad to me.”

“Wait, so he left her, but he was still a part of your life?”

I nod. “Of course.”

I don’t know much about TJ. I mean, aside from the fact that he lives with his sister in a bad part of town, but he sounded surprised to hear that just because you leave your partner doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to walk out on your kids.

“What about you? What’s your story?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer right away, doubt stamped across his face. Then he grabs the textbook on my coffee table. “We should get to work.”

I consider pushing him for answers but end up dropping it. I don’t need to know. I’m just here to tutor him.

“You’re right.” I take the book from his hand and flip to the first math problem I’ve selected.

“I need a break,”I declare two and a half hours later. I didn’t think tutoring TJ would be easy, but man, I also didn’t think it would bethishard. I can’t get him to focus and stay focused for the life of me.

And it’s not because he doesn’t understand what I’m saying. When he does pay attention, he catches on quickly. He just seems preoccupied most of the time. Whatever has got him so distracted must be something important.

I head for the kitchen with TJ on my tail. “Can I get you something to drink? I have some lemonade in the fridge.”

I made it when I was meal prepping for my siblings’ lunches this week, along with a few casseroles and homemade pizza.

I was trying to be polite, but TJ must not give a flying shit about politeness because he doesn’t even answer.

“TJ?” I press.

His head snaps up. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said, do you want some lemonade?”

“Sure, yeah,” he says absentmindedly.

Is this how it’s always going to be? Me bending over backward to keep his attention?

I stop dead, turning to look at him. “Okay, what’s going on?”

He raises an eyebrow at me as though he has no idea what I’m talking about.

“You’ve been distracted since we started. It’s like I’m talking to a wall,” I call him out. “Just tell me if this is how it’s always going to be because there’s no way this is going to work if you’re not putting in any effort.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. My head’s not in it today.”

“What is it?”

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