Page 70 of I Don't Need Your Romance

Sophie nods. “Okay, sure. No problem. I’m happy to help.” She smiles at me again. I would return it, but I don’t want my mother to know we’re friends because she’ll take that away from me, too.

“Great. Do either of you have any questions?”

I sit up. “Yeah, can we leave?”

Ignoring me, she turns to my tutor. “Anything, Sophie?”

“I don’t think so. But I just want to say that you should be proud of Damian. He’s been working really hard and he’s determined. He’s very smart and he puts so much into everything he does.”

“Yes, he’s very bright. He just chooses not to embrace that part of himself. And I’m proud of all he has accomplished.”

It’s shocking that she’s admitting she’s proud of me. Mom hasn’t said anything to me since I moved here. But maybe she’s pretending to be proud so she doesn’t look like a heartless witch to Sophie? Or is she truly proud of me?

“Keep up the good work,” she continues. “I’ll check in with you in a few weeks. Please enjoy your lunch.”

We leave her office and go to the dining hall. After we grab food from the buffet tables, she goes to her friends and I plop down at the table I’ve been sitting at since day one. It’s only me and this other guy who apparently no one wants to sit with. Something about his dad doing some bad deals and he’s been ostracized? Don’t really know and don’t really care.

I sketch as I eat my food. And when I feel someone watching me, I lift my head to find my tutor’s eyes on me. She quickly yanks them away before meeting my gaze again. She motions for me to join her and her friends. They have stopped eating and chatting and are watching me, too.

I appreciate it, but I’d rather be alone. And I don’t want to impose on them, especially with my negative attitude. I’ll just ruin the vibe. I shake my head at her. She nods in understanding and turns back to chat with her friends.

***

“You never told me how your date went,” I say to Sophie as we’re doing quiet work. She’s doing her math homework and I’m answering questions on chem that she put together. So far, I think I’m all right. “Meant to ask you all day.” But things got weird in chem class.

She shrugs. “Was okay.”

“Just okay?”

She buries her face in her hands. “Oh my gosh! It was the most amazing thing in the world.”

My lips turn up into a smile. “Yeah?”

“Yes! He was so sweet and we talked about books and movies. He took me to pizza and then ice cream. And he sent me a good night text last night and a good morning this morning.” She reaches for her phone. “But he hasn’t said anything since.”

“He’s probably busy with school.”

“Yeah, probably.”

At that second, her phone beeps. I find myself leaning forward to know if it’s him.

“That’s Raven asking if she can borrow my notes later.”

“He’ll text you. He just doesn’t want to seem too eager.”

“I wish he wouldn’t feel that way. I’m okay with him being eager because I’m so eager to hang out with him again.”

I smile. “That’s good.”

She beams.

As we continue our work, I can’t stop my thoughts from traveling to Sophie. I keep seeing her and that guy together, and this weird feeling enters my stomach. I don’t know what it is. I’ve never felt that way before. It makes me a little nauseous.

“Did you finish?” she asks.

I blink. “Hmm? Oh, not yet.”

“Okay, but please finish. We have a lot to cover today.”