Page 55 of Tutoring Mr. Hotshot

“I don’t really know. My phone is being weird. I called, and it just goes to voicemail. My texts aren’t even going through.”

Her eyes go wide.

“Um, well, that might be a different reason. Can I see your phone?” She extends her hand over the desk.

Stepping forward, I drop the device in her palm. “It’s unlocked. Look away. I don’t have anything to hide.”

“That’s surprising. From my experience, most college guys have photo albums full of dick pics.”

I shrug. “No need to take pictures of myself. If I want to show it to someone, I’ll meet them and ask.”

Yaz coughs in an attempt to cover her laugh. It does nothing to diminish her smile. She pulls out her phone too, as if she’s comparing them.

As she looks over the devices, I try not to lose my cool. She’s not in a panic yet, which means I shouldn’t be either. It’s only when she frowns and gives me a pitying look that I feel the edges of my calm stutter.

“So, unfortunately, it looks like he might have blocked you. My texts went through fine.”

She turns the screen of her phone my way, showing that they are indeed working. I blink at the device as I let her words settle.

“Blocked? Why would he block me?”

“I have no clue. Did something happen between you two? Did you maybe upset him somehow?”

Grabbing my phone back from her brings a cold chill over me. “Not that I know of. We were fine earlier this morning. I’m… I’m confused.”

Her eyes are soft as she tells me, “I’ve known Rodney for a long time. He’s a logical guy. Whatever is going on, he has a reason. Maybe give him time to come to you?”

I nod, though I don’t mean it. There’s no world in which I let my little genius think bad of me. Especially not when I haven’t done anything.

I’ve been at practice. That’s it. How could I have angered him to the point of him erasing me from his life?

“Thanks, Yaz. I’m going to head out.” I wave and leave in a rush.

I know what I have to do next. Pulling up my contacts, I call the one person who I know can help me. If only because she’ll know the best way to reach out to him.

It rings once before I’m greeted with angry Spanish.

“Ma? It’s me, Andry.”

“Si! I know who it is. And I know what you’ve done. How could you? I thought you would be good for him!”

Pausing my steps, I brace myself for this conversation. Seems like Yaz is right. I’ve unknowingly done something to upset Rodney. Even his ma knows, which isn’t boding well for me.

“What did I do, Ma? Tell me so I can fix it.”

She’s quiet on the other end of the line. It’s frustrating to wait, but I refuse to interrupt whatever she’s plotting. I trust her even if she hates me now.

“Come to the house. Aries is here. We all need to talk.”

The line disconnects before I can ask more questions. Since I don’t have any other plans for the afternoon, I call a rideshare to come pick me up. I’d walk the whole way if it wouldn’t leave me too winded to talk after.

At Rodney’s house, Ma opens the door before I make it up the porch. Her eyes eat up every inch of my form, from my bags to the lost look in my eyes. She nods once, waving me in past her.

It’s there I see the other problem I have to face.

Aries.

The angry big brother.

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