Chapter 3 No More Being a Simp

When school ended, the students excitedly poured out of the classroom. “Fox, since you got me a drink earlier, want to come over to my house and play some games?” Peterson invited. His house was a popular hangout for the boys because it had loads of video games. “No thanks, Peterson. Studying is more important. I’m heading to the library,” Fox said nonchalantly. Peterson responded with an elbow jab, bidding his good buddy farewell. Fox walked to the library, found a quiet corner, and sat down. Maybe it was because life had given him a second chance, but he felt incredibly clear-headed. Questions that used to baffle him now seemed straightforward. Basic problems were no issue, but the tougher ones still gave him trouble. “I’ve fallen too far behind. If I study alone, it’ll be inefficient.” “Better ask someone for help.” Fox quickly found a solution. A typical student might stubbornly struggle alone, but as an adult soul, asking for help was perfectly normal. In school, you could fake understanding, but in the real world, that would be disastrous. He looked around, finding the library surprisingly empty. But he still spotted a target. “Hey, can I ask you some questions?” Fox approached a girl, speaking softly. She wore glasses, her hair was messy, and her bangs almost covered her eyes. “Fox?” The girl spoke softly. “You know me?” Fox was surprised. “Ask me anything you don’t understand.” She put down the thick book she was holding, her voice gentle. Fox glanced at the book title, “Guns, Germs, and Steel.” Was this really a high school student’s reading material? Without overthinking, he presented his problems. In the quiet library, it was just the two of them. Time passed, and the sky darkened. “The library is closing soon. You should head home. I’ll explain it at your house,” she said, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. Fox noticed her deep blue eyes under the bangs. Her features were pleasant and soft. Not stunning at first glance, but the more you looked, the more appealing she became. Still a high school student, but with a bit more maturity in college, she’d be quite beautiful. “What’s your name?” Fox asked, grateful for her help. “Jennifer Dawn. I’ll wait for you at your place,” she said, gathering her things and leaving. “If you’re coming to my house, why don’t I just give you a ride? I have a bike,” Fox suggested. “Is it safe?” Jennifer hesitated. “I can ride slowly, or you can sit on the back, and I’ll push it,” Fox offered with a cheerful smile. “That sounds good,” Jennifer agreed. So, Jennifer sat on the bike’s back seat, and Fox steadily pushed it. As they left the school gate, they saw Jenny. Jenny had been waiting for a while. To her, Fox must be angry; otherwise, he wouldn’t be ignoring her. So, she needed to do something to win him back quickly. She had already come up with a perfect plan. “Fox, over here! Help me, please.” “I sprained my ankle. Can you take me home on your bike?” Jenny thought her plan was flawless. Wasn’t Fox mad? This would make him happy. As Fox approached, she spoke up. “Sorry, it’s already full,” Fox said, pointing to the girl on the back seat. Jenny then noticed the girl with glasses and long bangs. “What? But my ankle…” Jenny pretended to look in pain. “You can ask Rocco for help. I have things to do,” Fox said, ignoring Jenny and leaving. Jenny was furious. Who was this girl? Wasn’t Fox supposed to like her? “Fox, you’ll regret this!” Jenny shouted at Fox’s back. Fox continued pushing the bike towards home. “Do you think I was a bit harsh?” Fox asked Jennifer. “She didn’t really sprain her ankle.” Jennifer sat calmly, even pulling out a book, “Gone with the Wind.” Fox smiled, not saying much. Back home, his parents hadn’t returned from work yet. He and Jennifer sat down to study. His mind was clear, and Jennifer’s explanations were excellent. She ate cookies casually while explaining, making the difficult problems easy to understand. Fox absorbed all the knowledge, feeling he had gained a lot. “Do you need a ride home?” It was getting late. “No, my home is close, and the neighborhood is safe,” Jennifer declined. “Thank you for your guidance. It was really helpful.” “Thanks for the cookies, they were good,” Jennifer said, waving goodbye. Watching Jennifer leave, Fox turned his focus back to solidifying what he’d learned. As he turned to go inside, he felt a shadow fall over him. A large hand patted his shoulder. “Fox, bringing a girl home, huh?” A rough voice said. Fox felt a wave of warmth, turning to see a familiar face. “Dad, haha, we were just studying.” His young father stood there, and Fox felt his eyes well up. “Hey, I was just joking. Are you about to cry?” “It’s okay, dating in high school is normal. You’re about to graduate, I support you.” “But, be responsible, okay?” Though Fox didn’t actually cry, his sad expression made his father notice something was wrong. “Fox? What’s up?” “Nothing, I just feel everything is so good, better than ever.” Fox said emotionally. “Silly boy.” His dad ruffled his hair playfully.