Page 8 of I Don't Need Your Romance

He didn’t bring his textbook and he didn’t write down any notes during chem class—or any of his classes. I’ve tutored some difficult students before, but none like Damian. The fact that he didn’t even try to learn anything today makes me feel both annoyed and sympathetic. Annoyed because he’s either lazy or rebellious, and sympathetic because I can’t help but sense that there’s something else going on. That he’s not just being rude for the heck of it.

But whatever the case, I do what I’m good at—helping students understand the material. He seems to listen, but I really have no idea if he’s understanding any of it because he’s not saying much. He doesn’t even nod.

While trying to go over what we covered in math, he finally speaks. “Were you tutoring someone before I arrived?”

I pause at the equation as my brows fly up. “Why are you asking me that?”

“Did you just abandon him or her because Beatrice asked you to?”

“I seriously cringe when you call your mom by her name.”

“Are you going to answer the question?”

I tap my pencil against my math textbook. “Are you trying to distract me from the work? Because we’re not leaving here until we cover everything you learned today. Even if it takes us all night.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “That’s bull.”

I raise my shoulders. “I don’t lie.”

He rolls his eyes. “Sure you do. Everyone lies, even goody-two-shoes like you.”

“Don’t call me that! And I so do not.”

“Did you abandon the student you were tutoring because my mother pushed me before them?”

“Look, Damian, your mom wanted to make sure she chose the best tutor for you and—”

He scoffs. “Sure she did.”

“Do you not like her or something?”

“I’m not her greatest fan. Let me guess. You worship the ground she walks on. Typical.”

I glare at him. “I don’t worship the ground anyone walks on. And for your information, I’m not the biggest fan of Harrington either. I mean, I respect her as a principal and am grateful she lets me attend here on scholarship, but…”

He leans close. “But what?”

I want to say that she could care more about her students than her image. Take Carly, for example. The only reason she’s here on scholarship is because there was this huge backlash after she fired her dad along with other employees from one of the businesses she owns. To make things right, she offered everyone their job back and she offered Carly a scholarship to her academy. Carly has never felt like Harrington likes her. I guess she feels like a charity case. Her grades have improved in the last few weeks, which I’m super proud of, but she still feels like she doesn’t belong.

But I can’t tell this to Harrington’s son. What if it makes its way to her? I have no idea if they have a good relationship or not. I mean, it seems like they have a terrible one, but what do I know?

“Never mind,” I say. “Can we focus on the work?”

He grunts and doesn’t say anything.

The next hour is pretty brutal. Damian doesn’t make much of an effort to learn what I’m trying to teach him. He still doesn’t say anything or wear a readable expression, so I have no idea if he gets what I’m saying or is completely lost. It’s like he doesn’t care one way or the other. It seems like he just wants to get this over with.

I don’t want to get too annoyed with him because I don’t want to tick off his mom. I’m on my way to becomingvaledictorian when I graduate in two years, and the last thing I need is to mess it all up because I can’t handle her son. He’s just a boy, right? I can handle boys.

Yeah, right. I’ve barely talked to any boys my age all my life. I’ve always been the dorky girl who spent all her free time reading. I didn’t have any friends in elementary school or middle school and turned to books for comfort. But that changed in ninth grade when I met Raven and Carly. They didn’t care how much I loved to read or that I have this tendency to look at everything as a romance trope, which I know can annoy people. But my friends accepted me just as I am, and I’ll always be grateful to them.

We befriended Addie a few months ago, and the four of us have been inseparable ever since. I never imagined I would one day have such amazing friends. Sometimes, I feel like the happiest person in the world, despite the loss my family has experienced.

“You just stopped,” he says.

I blink and glance at him. “Hmm?”

“Why did you stop talking? Are we finally done with this crap?”