Page 8 of Tutoring Mr. Hotshot

My bag sits heavy at my hip, the satchel stuffed full of notebooks and graded papers for my professor. I did some assignments for him in exchange for him giving me early access to his research as he works through it. It's not a requirement that he let me in, but I'm willing to bribe and do what's necessary to get real-time updates. By the time it's published in a journal, I'll be ahead of the game with my own research.

The thought of getting yet another PhD comes to me, and I freeze before heading up to steps of the library. Do I want another degree or am I simply avoiding the inevitable? What happens when there's nothing left to learn? Do I get a job, or do I mooch off my brother for the rest of my life?

Aries has said more than once that he's willing to pay for anything and everything that I want. I don't have to work a day in my life if I don't want to.

But part of me does.

I want to be normal. Even thinking the word has my eyes rolling.

I'll never be normal in the sense that everyone else sees, but I could have a traditional job role maybe.Possibly.

Okay, the chances are slim. I could still entertain the notion for the sake of doing so.

I take the steps quickly, not really paying attention to where I’m going since this is routine. As luck would have it, today isn’t so routine because I run into a wall not even two seconds later.

Why is the wall moving?

Walls don’t move.

I step back, because I know that the doors are still further back and again, walls do not move.

When I straighten my glasses, I see I've actually run into a person, not the building. My jaw drops when I see just how big this guy is. His shoulders are massive, and he’s way above my head. Possibly seven inches or so taller than me. Maybe more.

And his jaw looks as if it was carved from marble. Pale skin contrasts with onyx black hair. It curls in all different directions, telling the world with a single glance that they won’t be tamed. His piercing eyes stare down at me. I spot a scar peeking through his hair too. It doesn’t take away from how hot the guy is either. If it weren't for the obvious RBF, I would think that he hates me.

“I'm sorry,” I tell him quickly. “I wasn't paying attention.”

He doesn't respond. Moving closer, he bridges the space I created when I was trying to get my bearings.

"You're sorry," he repeats, his voice slightly accented.

Who is this guy? Where did he come from?

I take in his appearance again. From head to toe he is the total package. A real dream. Like my fantasies come to life.

But then I spot something that makes everything in me freeze.

It's the logo for the hockey team. And it's on a duffel bag hanging on his hip. This must be the new guy Liam mentioned the other day when he was giving me shit.

That makes this guy unattainable.

Not that I could have had him before. He's definitely on the list of people to avoid now. If he doesn't know who I am already, he will, as soon as the others’ taunts reach him.

I step back again and shake my head. “I'm sorry,” I say, then rush around him to head into the library.

When I get to the door, I turn back for one more glance. I only want to see him, to put the picture in my mind since I know he'll never be mine. Instead of him walking away, I'm left with his stare. It holds me captive for a second before I can break free.

He's no longer blankly observing me. Instead, he looks confused. Like he doesn't understand why I apologized.

If he weren't on the hockey team, I might have gone up and explained. I might have asked him where he's from and told him why I was apologizing.

But I can't risk it.

I can't befriend someone who will eventually hate me. Someone who will eventually tease me as much as the others.

Being close to him would only fuel the crush already attempting to bloom.

I step into the library and let go of the entire interaction. It's time to restart. My first step is focusing on what's important: My research and finishing my degree.

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