But I never got around to explaining this to E.T. because Under-the-hill started class and asked everyone to pass their assignments forward. Quickly I whispered to E.T., asking which assignment that was. But Under-the-hill caught me talking and said, "Miss Paxton, where's your assignment?" So then the entire class grew quiet and stared at me, which made me search for the nearest place to hide. I could tell I even had Luke's attention because I knew what his stare felt like.
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Mumbling, I admitted I'd forgotten about the assignment and Under-the-hill went into a ten-minute lecture on forgetfulness. All the while, I sunk deeper and deeper into my chair.
That should've been the end of my horror. I certainly thought it served as an overly just punishment. But no. Under-the-hill had to call me up to his desk to stay after class as well.
People glanced at me as they shuffled out. I waited till my row was clear before I approached his desk, but not everyone was gone. Luke was still across the room, gathering his supplies. I swore he was dawdling on purpose to hear me get ripped into. But I just wanted the speech to get underway and over with, so I ignored Carter's presence. Under-the-hill sighed wearily when he looked up at me. He slid off his glasses and rubbed his nose. "Miss Paxton, need I remind you what your grade is in this class?" I shuffled the pile of books in my arms because they suddenly felt heavy. "No."
"This class is primarily for seniors. I've let a few juniors join only because I thought they were ready. Now I had my doubts about you but you're usually a hard worker..." I gritted my teeth and silently cursed E.T. for pressuring me into taking this stupid course with him. He'd been all gung-ho for trigonometry and he'd begged me to take it too. I saw Luke across the room, finally rising from his chair and I glared, but he managed to keep his gaze from mine. The coward.
"...I seriously recommend you seek a tutor." 67
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My head swiveled back to Under-the-hill. "What?" A tutor? The man was calling me stupid? In front of Luke?
I felt my face heat.
"No, that's OK," I said. "I can do better. I don't need a tutor. Really."
Under-the-hill eyed me critically. "I don't think you understand what I'm saying, Miss Paxton." He stared me down. I stared back. And then he dropped the bomb. "Get a tutor, or I drop you from the class." My lips fell apart as I gaped at him. He couldn't do that. Dropped from a class? What would I do? I needed a math credit, and I'd be too far behind to enter another class. I'd have to take two math courses next year.
No way.
"But, Mr. Under-the...I mean, Underhill—" At my slip, his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. "My decision is final, Miss Paxton."
My mouth worked but no words came out. I wanted to scream. Why would he do this to me? It was beyond torture. I didn't go to other people for help. I always did my own work. Then I thought of E.T. and calmed immediately. E.T. didn't know how to tutor. He always sped ahead and never could slow down to explain why he was doing what he did. That was why I never studied with him. But I could spend an hour with him and tell Under-the-hill I was being tutored. Then I'd just work harder and improve my grades on my own. I was about to nod and say, "OK, I'll find someone to help me," when an all-too-familiar voice behind me broke in.
"I'll give her a hand."
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I whipped around so fast it made Luke jump back a step. The rest of the class had cleared out. Only the three of us—
Under-the-hill, Luke, and I—remained in the room.
"Ah, Mr. Carter." Under-the-hill sat forward, slipped his glasses back on and flipped through his grade book. After checking Luke's scores, he nodded. "Yes. I think that would work out quite well. Miss Paxton?" He glanced at me. I had the refusal on the tip of my tongue but the awful teacher didn't even give me a chance to refuse. He simply said, "Settle on a time to meet with Mr. Carter, would you?" I stared at him. Then I looked up at Luke. This was a joke, right?
"I could come to your house right after school today," Luke offered.
My eyes bugged. Right after school? Today?
No!
"That sounds great," Under-the-hill answered for me as he rose. He patted me on the back as if sending me on my way. I glared at Luke. He smiled, flaunting his arrogant dimple, then turned and strolled out of the room, whistling. I was left there, sputtering and going into the shock of a lifetime. But neither Luke nor Under-the-hill seemed to notice or care. I was stuck. Luke Carter was going to be my trigonometry tutor. And I didn't have any say-so about it.
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69
The Stillburrow Crush
by Linda Kage
Chapter Six
"You're mad, aren't you?"
I slammed the door behind me and glared up at Luke as I flung my book bag to the floor next to his. "Let's just get this over with."
He stood in the middle of my living room, and as thrilling as it felt to see him there, I was still furious with him. I had no idea what had possessed him into volunteering to be my tutor. Maybe he thought he could use it as some kind of leverage to get me to write a paper for him. I didn't know for sure. All I knew was that at that moment I wasn't willing to write a single word for him.
Still, he looked good. His dark hair stood out noticeably against the light tones in my mother's ivory living room. I watched him turn and stare at my home. What he saw was a pristine room. The couch was a bit faded, but every cushion, pillow, and ruffle sat in its proper place. There were no papers or magazines in sight—only a dusted coffee table with a single candle in the center. On a bookcase by the television, novels and videocassettes lined the shelves in order from largest to smallest. There were no smudges on any glass surface and there were dark and light lines on the carpet from a recent vacuuming.
Mom had wanted to redecorate the year before, but Dad said it was a waste of good money. Mom ran to my Great Aunt Kay to complain. So Aunt Kay decided to buy herself new furniture, and she said she would let us have her old 70
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cream-colored set. It was a step up for us, but Mom still wasn't satisfied. Dad budged a little though and let her paint the walls.
"Whoa," Luke said. He ran his hand over a corner table and then examined his fingers. They came away clean and free of dust.
"I know." I stood next to him, temporarily forgetting my irritation. "I told my mom she would make millions if she ever started her own cleaning service."
"She would," he agreed. "I know my mom would hire her instantly. She's not very happy with the cleaning lady we have now."
Leave it to him to mention his family could afford a cleaning service.
"Thanks a lot."
Luke turned to stare at me. He seemed surprised to hear my tone of voice. "What?"
I looked away and started for the kitchen. "Nothing." He followed me. I could feel him right behind me. "No. That was definitely something. What'd I say?" I spun around so quickly he had to pull up short to keep from plowing into me. The distance between us was close enough I had to move back a step to stay mad. Otherwise, I would've melted right there at his feet.