Chapter 4

"Bloom." I turned around to see Zac. I was putting my things in my locker when he walked up to me—an annoyed look on his face. I was surprised to see him come up to me at school. I didn't know if me being his tutor made us friends. "Miller." I quirked an eyebrow. I was slightly intrigued. "You could have texted me, you know. Let me know that you got home safe and weren't drugged and kidnapped by your Uber driver." His expression was impassive, his voice cold. I blinked, almost wanting to laugh. Was he serious? Was he—worried about me? "I don't have your number—how was I supposed to text you? You didn't tell me to." Zac ran a hand down his face, evidently frustrated. "You have my number." "No, I do not." I gave him a confused look. "I put it in your phone—when you were at my house." Annoyance seeped through his voice. I blinked. I was taken aback by how weird he was acting. "Was I supposed to somehow just know that?" Zac groaned, shaking his head. "You should have told me you got home safe." He was very frustrated. I didn't know why he was being so moody. I didn't have a chance to say anything. As soon as I opened my mouth, he already turned and walked away from me. What? "What—was that?" Bea narrowed her eyes at me as her and Jade approached me. I sighed, shutting my locker. "I don't know. He's being a moody little girl again." Bea stared at me through constricted eyes. "Since when do you talk to him? What do you mean again?" Oh. Right. I hadn't told them that it was Zac I was tutoring. "About that—" I laughed sheepishly as we started walking down the hallway. "The kid I have to tutor in chemistry—it's Zac." "Hold on." Jade halted in her tracks, turning to face me. She placed her hands on my shoulders, looking at me with wide eyes. "You are tutoring Zac Miller? McHottie soccer star bad boy, Zac Miller—and you didn't tell us?" I rolled my eyes, pushing her off me. "It's not a big deal." We all walked into class and took our seats. Bea scoffed. "Yes, it is. He's an asshole." "He's not that bad." I mumbled as I pulled out my notebook. "Not all the time—at least." Bea rolled her eyes. "So—you guys are friends now?" I shrugged in response. I looked at her with a dull expression. It really wasn't a big deal. "I don't know if I would consider us friends—but yeah, we've talked a bit. I went to his house and tutored him yesterday." Jade hollered a laugh when she saw the look of distaste on Bea's face. "He is an asshole." Bea repeated firmly. "He's moody as hell and annoying," I nodded. "But he's not that bad—not all the time, B." I started writing down the notes that were on the board, not finding this conversation nearly as relevant as Bea did. "What was it like?" Jade asked, leaning closer to me. "Tutoring him? Being alone in his bedroom with him?" I paused, looking at Jade in disbelief. "It was—fine. He's just—I don't know. Sometimes he's normal, sometimes he's almost nice, sometimes he arrogant and flirty—and sometimes he turns into a brick wall and is ice cold. I don't understand him." "Why don't you tell Mister Carlton you changed your mind and don't want to tutor him?" Bea inquired tiredly. I sighed deeply. "I can't do that—I can't tell Mister Carlton I won't tutor Zac because he annoys me. He's going to think I'm selfish and stubborn." "So—then lie. Tell him you have other things to do after school—you have no free time to give Zac." I offered Bea a reassuring smile. "It's fine, Bea. Firstly—I can't lie. I'm also not going to be childish and bail on helping Zac because I'm afraid mister popular bad boy is going to be an asshole to the nerd." I scoffed, shaking my head as I resumed writing my notes. "You might be smart—but you're not a nerd, Jas." Jade smiled. "You're dating one of the McHottie soccer stars and everyone thinks you're a sweet girl." I laughed in disbelief, rolling my eyes. "It doesn't matter, people still don't like me. They don't think Evan is in my league—nor do they like that someone like me is dating someone like him." I shrugged. This wasn't entirely news to me. It was just the way it was. "Nobody thinks I'm good enough for a guy like Evan. God knows what he even sees in me." "Oh, don't you start with this sappy insecure bullshit." Bea groaned, placing her head down on her desk. "You are a babe," she grumbled. "Don't talk about yourself like you're not important, Jasmine." "I'm—I'm not." I muttered quietly, keeping my eyes trained on my notes. My face was flushed. "Mister Miller—so nice of you to join us." The teacher spoke, drawing the class's attention to the front of the room. Zac walked into class late, shooting the teacher an arrogant grin. He headed to his seat at the back of the classroom. Except he stopped—when he got to the middle left side of the room, where I was sitting with my friends. He met my gaze, grinning before he took the seat in front of me. He turned the chair around, sitting down so he was facing me. His frustration from this morning seems to have vanished. Moody, moody man. Bea and Jade both gaped at me, confused and stunned. I looked at Zac, raising my eyebrows. "Miller." I acknowledged him before looking back down at my notebook. Bea's eyes were narrowed as if saying "what the hell". Jade was just grinning excitedly like a madwoman. I could feel his gaze on me. He just continued peering at me. I looked up. "What do you want, Miller?" I was slightly annoyed. This morning he was sour and frustrated, irritated at me. Now, he was walking into class with a wide grin as if I were holding candy for him to take. He licked his lips. Amusement danced across his eyes. "Are you going to tutor me tonight?" I looked back down at my paper, jotting down more notes. "You showed up to class. Pay attention and you may not need a tutor." Zac bit back a laugh. "That's not fun. Are you suggesting I walk out of class and don't return—so you can tutor me?" I looked at him again, gaping. "What—no, idiot! I'm telling you to sit here and pay attention." "But I want you to tutor me." He spoke like a little child. I narrowed my eyes at him. What game was he playing? "Really? You seemed fairly annoyed at me this morning." Zac rolled his eyes, brushing me off. "I needed—a morning blowjob, relax." Once again, arrogant and cocky Zac had returned. My nose scrunched in distaste. "I do not want to know about that." "About my morning blowjobs?" "Shut up!" I exasperated quietly, not wanting to draw attention. I waved my hand in the air as if swatting him away. "Turn around. Leave me alone." Zac's eyes grew darker. "I don't think you should tell me what to do, Bloom." He smirked, his voice low and deep. A chill ran down my spine. God, he is evil. I quirked an eyebrow. I was not scared of him—not anymore. "Are you going to stop me?" "I might." He spoke with such nonchalance, I could have shivered. I matched his manner. "Try me." "Oh, God!" Bea yelled, loudly. Everyone turned to look at us. "Beatrice," the teacher called on her. "Would you mind using an indoor voice?" "Indoor voice? What is this—elementary school?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. The teacher simply sighed, getting back to reading the novel he held in his hand. Bea leaned closer to Jade, Zac and I. "The sexual tension is killing me. Please shut the fuck up." She spoke quieter but with the same disgust in her voice. Unlike me the first time I met Zac, Bea didn't hold back. She always said whatever she wanted to and wasn't scared of anyone else's reaction. Zac laughed deeply before turning around. He pulled out his phone and started playing a game—not paying attention to the actual work to be done, as usual. Jade leaned in, close to me. She spoke quietly so Zac wouldn't overhear. "Tell me this isn't a ship?" She was ginning giddily. I stared at her with wide, horrified eyes. "I have a boyfriend!" I whisper-yelled. "Please—" Jade scoffed. "Even I would give Zac a morning blowjob." From the small laugh that escaped Zac's lips, he had heard what Jade said—which only caused her cheeks to go bright red. Bea—on the other hand, was softly slamming her head against the desk to exaggerate how much she wanted to throw up in this moment. "Be my guest." I turned back to finish writing my notes.