Steph's POV:

So I am late to my tutoring session. What else is new?

Miss Kensigner said to go to the library and I would find my tutor there but I somehow got distracted first with Marcus and then with watching Kayla and Aaron doing their cute couple thing while Quinn and I teased them, so now I'm late.

In a way its good I guess. Maybe whoever this mystery tutor is would have left by now. Then I would just tell my dad and Miss Kensigner that their plan had failed.

I push open the door to the practically empty library whistling a tune, but the sound dies on my lips the instant I spot the only person who is seated in the library.

"What are you doing here?", I practically yell. For a moment, I remember that we are in a library, but I am too pissed off to care about the "whisper in the library" posters pasted on the wall.

Keon raises an eyebrow at me.

"Well Stephanie, I happen to be a tutor and I am waiting the student that I'll be helping who also happens to be late"

I can't help but grit my teeth. I hate it when people call me Stephanie but when its him, I absolutely loathe it.

"Well, I'm here to meet my tutor", I start but instantly break off, a horrific thought beginning to loom in my head.

"No", I shake my head. "There is no way that you are my tutor"

"Seeing as I'm the only tutor here and you're the only one in need of tutoring, it's most likely that I am"

"But I don't want you as my tutor", I practically spit out.

Keon folds his arms and glares at me. "Trust me you're not the only one unhappy about the situation."

From the looks on his face, he feels exactly the way I feel.

Bad enough that I need academic help.

But getting that help from Keon Jacob, the stuck-up judgmental genius who also happens to be my close friends twin and a total jerk is going to totally break me.

I'm sure Miss Kensigner planned this. Or sone force must be against me because there is no reason why of all the smart kids in Meadowbrook, I get stuck with the most arrogant and irritating of them all.

"Are you planning on taking a seat or do you plan to glare at me until this session is over", he asks, folding his arms and looking up at me. "You're already late so you might as well allow the session to begin"

I glare at him some more, but I do sit down.

"From what I heard, you require more assistance in literature than anything else. Can I look at your literature notes and the story that you're reading this week?"

For a moment, I don't process what he says, but then I shake my head. "I'm not with it"

He pauses, his grey eyes showing a hint of exasperation?

"Of course you aren't", he mutters under his breath, and I feel my face heat up in annoyance.

"Hey listen here..."

"Look, I've been waiting for more than half an hour for you, and you show up late and empty-handed. We're here to study, and this kind of tardiness and lack of materials isn't helping."

I want to argue, but I don't. because he is right.

He brings out a novel from his bag and tosses it to me.

"Use that for today only because next time, I expect you to come with your own", he scolds as if I am a child.

I resist the urge to slap him as I pick up the book.

This is going to be a long term.

👓👓👓

"So, do you have any understanding of the text so far?", Keon says after about thirty minutes. I look up from the book that I am supposed to be reading and shake my head.

"No clue", I shrug, snapping the book shut with a shrug. I notice Keon give a frown of disapproval as he brushes his hair back. It's a hot gesture actually... yes, I can admit that some of the things Keon does are hot.

"Did you even read the book before now?", he asks in exasperation.

In all honesty, I didn't even know we were meant to be reading Romeo and Juliet till a few minutes ago, so at least he's taught me something, though I have no intention of telling him that. I don't need to give him more reasons to go all smug on me.

I fish into my pocket for a snickers bar and unwrap it, taking out a huge bite.

"I watched the Romeo and Juliet movie", I finally answer. "The one with that hot actor – Leonardo Dicaprio". I nod proudly as I chew on the chocolate bar while Keon grits his teeth in frustration. He takes of his glasses and cleans them, giving me a brief view of his grey eyes before the glasses come back again.

"Have you by any chance attempted to even skim the book in front of you?", Keon asks, his tone quiet but tight.

I look at the book in front of me with an almost unrecognizable cover and I shake my head, looking up to match Keon's stare with one of my own.

"No, I haven't. Looks like you've got your work cut out for you huh?", I cock my head over to the side, reading his expressions. His face is impassive, but his eyes are lit with a whirlwind of emotions that I cannot understand. And for a moment, I want to see what he will do, what emotions the hot calm and proper nerd can bring out.

Keon takes in a deep breath and his eyes become as impassive as his face. He clears his throat and I look up suddenly, certain that he caught me staring, my face going red.

"We cannot commence work until you can actually succeed in getting started on the book so we'll adjourn this study session for the time being. What you will be required to do is to read the prologue of the book and write down any five different literary devices that you see in the book. Understood?"

I roll my eyes as I push the chair away from the table and begin to stand, grabbing the book on the table and my bag from the floor.

"I'm guessing I can't watch the movie to help me out?", I ask sarcastically.

Keon's eyes skim over me with dislike and I feel like he might flip the table over, but just as quickly as before, all emotion drains out of his eyes until I can't be sure if I imagined it or not.

He stretches out his hand and I frown.

"Just because you're my tutor does not put us on friendship terms, okay?", I clarify. "I'm not on a handshake basis with you Google"

"Bold of you to assume I want to be on a friendship with someone like you", the quiet cold voice replies. "I want my book back."

I feel my face get hot as I look down and... yep, his book is in my hand. Curse my impulse to pick up things around me. I drop the book without a word and push ot towards him before salvaging whatever dignity I have left and walking right towards the door head held high.

"Oh and Stephanie?", I hear the British accented voice behind me, and I turn around.

"What?", I snap.

"Don't be late next time"

👓👓👓

I manage to make my way to my car before I fish out my phone. I want to call Kayla, but I also feel like Quinn should be apart of this. My fingers hover above both names, but then, I just decide to make a group chat with both of them in it and then things will be much easier.

I name the group 'Charlie's Angels' after the popular show and make a video call. Within seconds Kayla and Quinn's faces pop up on my phone screen.

"Hey Kay", they both say simultaneously and I smile.

"Hey"

"How did the tutoring session go?", Kayla asks.

"And who is your tutor anyway", Quinn questions.

I take in a deep breath. "It's Keon"

There is silence for a while and I almost think the call has disconnected, but the there is an outburst from the other end.

"KEON?! He agreed to tutor YOU?!"

"Did he say anything inappropriate? I promise if he so much as makes ONE comment I will personally..."

"Woah calm down there", I laugh at the idea of small quiet Quinn even talking back at her tall distant brother.

"I think we need to meet up. Pizza and drinks?", I suggest.

"Um... my dad is having a meeting with some university scouts and I don't think he wants us in being loud and all."

I nod at that. Kayla's dad is super chill so anytime he wants peace and quiet, we ensure he has it. However, we can't go to my house. After the fiasco with the tutor, my dad and I will be in too bad a mood to do anything but argue.

And what an argument. I cannot believe he spoke to my teacher and ended up getting me a tutor. How dare...

"What about my house?", Quinn's quiet voice interjects my thoughts.

I ponder that. Quinn's house means being close to Keon, but on the other hand, we get to meet up. Besides a lonely nerd like Keon will probably lock himself in his room or something so it's a win right.

"Fine Quinn, I'll be at your place soon. Kayla?"

"Give me forty five minutes to get changed out of this uniform"

"It's a date".

👓👓👓

Abput an hour later, I am standing on Quinn's doorstep and ringing the doorbell, two boxes firmly in my hands. There's a scuffle from outside before the door is opened by Quinn, Kayla standing at her side.

"I ordered some pizza on the way", I  say holding up the boxes as they step aside to let me in, Kayla's face a tapestry of joy at the sight of the pizza. She is dressed in a black tank top and leggings, while Quinn is still wearing the same sweater she was wearing in school, though now she is wearing sweatpants instead of the normal school skirt. I feel right in place with my pink Barbie t-shirt and red skirt.

"I hope your parents won't mind?", I ask as we shuffle into the house and up the stairs. "Maybe we should meet them?"

"They won't mind", Quinn reassures in her quiet voice. "Dad is out of the country and mom is on the set right now"

I want to ask more, but right at that moment, Quinn opens the door to her room and... wow. 

I hear Kayla gasp beside me as we take in Quinn's amazing bedroom, which is closer to a library than anything else. There is a big bed pushed against the wall, and a mirror with various skincare products on it. A purple rug is on the floor, but that isn't what snags my attention.

Two of the four walls are lined from the top to the bottom with shelves stuffed with books. I move closer to read the titles on them and realize that they are mostly romance or fantasy books.

"I like to read", Quinn whispers awkwardly as she sees our dropped jaws.

"Yeah no kidding", Kayla whispers in awe.

"Do you have any audiobooks?", I ask, unable to imagine being able to sit down long enough to even begin reading any book, no matter how interesting it might seem.

Quinn shakes her head. "I'm not really into audiobooks"

"Well, let's focus on the main reason why we're her", Kayla finally manages to pull herself away from the books. "Steph, how was your lesson with Keon?"

And so I begin a highly exaggerated tale of the lesson with me and Keon, sure to add a lot of stuff that definitely didn't happen. Why? Because I am beginning to realize that I might have been the one at fault. And from the way Kayla and Quinn are looking at me, they can tell too.

Ugh... why do I always have to be the bad guy?