Page 4 of You Broke Me First

"Why don't you start by showing me what chapters of the book you'll be tested on?" I smiled, shoving the textbook towards him.

"Chapters one through four," he said without looking at the book. He leaned back in his chair with his legs spread and eyes locked on me. Pulling the textbook back, I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to remain calm.

Get it together, Addy.

"And are you struggling with all four chapters?" I nervously clicked my pen.

"Yes," he said. "I bombed both tests. Luckily, she will let me retake them since I'm working with you."

"Okay," I said. "Let's start with chapter one."

We started with chapter one, and surprisingly, he was brilliant, and I admired how incredibly hard he worked. I'd worked with a lot of football players and never had one so determined to learn. Before I knew it, we had been sitting shoulder to shoulder for almost three hours.

"I don't get it," I said. He raised his eyebrows. "Why am I tutoring you? You pick stuff up quickly."

"Because I have Ms. Hanford." He groaned. "And she doesn't teach but expects us to learn from textbooks, and I don't learn that way."

"Not many people do." I laughed. "You wouldn't believe how many students I tutor for her classes."

"Wow," he said, glancing at his watch. "I didn't realize how long we've been here. I have to go."

"Yeah," I said, gathering my things. "I have to go, too." I didn't have to go. I would rather stay here with him all night than go home. He stood, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"It's Friday night," he said. "You got big plans?"

"Uh, yeah," I stuttered. "No, I mean. I'm not sure yet." I didn't have plans. I never had plans.

"There's a party tonight at Bentley's house," he said. "You should come."

My smile faded. I'd never been invited to a party, and I was sure he was only asking me now to be nice. Nonetheless, it was nice to be asked.

"Thanks," I said. "Maybe."

"So, tomorrow?" he asked. I looked up, raising my brows.Tomorrow?I racked my brain, trying to remember what tomorrow was. "What time do you want to meet for tutoring tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Saturday." I smiled, shoving a textbook back on the shelf behind me. "I don't usually tutor on Saturday." He opened his mouth to argue or smooth talk me, but I stopped him. "Tomorrow evening, I'm free." Spending time with Maddox away from school was a dream come true.

He smirked."Your house?"

"No," I snapped, my head shooting up. "Not my house."

"Okay." He nodded. "How about I pick you up around 6:00 p.m., and we can study at my house." The library wouldn't be open that late, so his house would have to do.

"Okay," I agreed, pulling my phone out of my bag to text Karly, my best friend, to pick me up.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"No," I shook my head, not bothering to look up from my phone. "And tomorrow, you can pick me up at the diner. I'll be ready by six." He nodded, snatching my phone out of my hand. "Hey." He hit a few buttons, and then his phone buzzed.

"I added my number," he said, handing my phone back. "Text me if anything changes." I nodded, staring down at my phone. Maddox Parker just gave me his number. "See you tomorrow, Addy."

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of my name on his lips.

THREE

MADDOX

"Oh fuck," Maddy cried out. My hand slapped over her mouth to muffle her screams. I loved it when they were loud, but we were at a party, and I was fucking her against the side of the house just feet away from our classmates. I wouldn't typically care, but I didn't want any video evidence of this encounter.

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