3
In his first class on Thursday, Will didn’t have a chance to even take out his books before Jack turned to him. They sat together in English, and Jack was Will’s partner. Will was glad Jack hadn’t gotten someone else to sit with him like Amanda had in maths.
“Were you in trouble yesterday?” Jack asked with a concerned expression. Amanda must have told him about how Will had been held back in maths tutoring. “Was it the assignment?” Jack’s concerned expression turned to one of guilt. Jack knew how bad Will was at mathsand knew without his help his assignments generally received a failing grade.
Will turned to face Jack, signing and speaking at the same time. “I’m not in trouble. And the new tutor didn’t seem bothered by the assignment. He wanted to talk about my grades and tell me about a change to the way I’ll be graded from now on. I won’t be getting the chance to redo tests anymore.”
Jack scratched his chin and signed, “Sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Will shrugged. “I should be able to manage maths on my own. Are you busy this week?”
Jack shook his head quickly. “We can study. Actually, Amanda and Birch wanted to join us. If that’s okay?”
Amanda and Birch in his house? Amanda was one thing. But Birch? “Um…”
Before he could stumble over an excuse, Miss Sparrow, their English teacher, came in. Miss Sparrow was hands down Will’s favourite teacher. Probably because English was his favourite subject, and she was so cool. She didn’t think she should make students read things she didn’t find interesting. And Miss Sparrow had a taste for adventure rather than the usual student texts. When they’d read Foster last year, Miss Sparrow had straight-up told them that she didn’t really want to read lengthy essays on a book she found dull and that they should make them short and sweet.
*
While Miss Sparrow’s interruption had saved Will from having to come up with a reason Birch and Amanda couldn’t come over to study on the spot, he quickly learned that didn’t mean Jack was letting it go. By the end of school, Jack was still on his case about Amanda and Birch coming over for their study session. Will wished Jack had given up after his first objection. Their study sessions were the only time that Will and Jack were alone together, and he didn’t want it to become another group thing. Unfortunately, Jack didn’t feel the same way.
Will was surprised to see Cassie leaning against his car as he and Jack walked toward the parking lot. She’d taken off the woollen grey school jumper and wore an oversized green camo hoodie instead. It matched her army boots.
The buses were all lined up outside the school gates. “You’ll miss your bus,” Will pointed out to Jack.
“It will be fun,” Jack promised. “We can bring snacks and movies, and I promise we’ll clean up after ourselves.”
Will swallowed his annoyance. Jack had never asked for anyone else to join their study session before. “If you want to meet up for movies, can’t we do that a different day?” he asked. “You know I need those days to do homework.”
That seemed to catch Jack out. “Okay, no movies. But—”
“Your bus will leave you behind.” Will physically caught Jack’s shoulders and steered him away from his car. Because he was turning Jack away from his face, and lips, had made sure to sign as he said, “Text me later.”
Cassie raised an eyebrow as Will got closer. “What was that about?”
Will shrugged. “Study.” He scanned the parking lot around them. There were only teacher’s cars left, like most days. No sign of Dune’s Toyota. “Were you left behind?”
“Dune told me you go grocery shopping on Thursday,” Cassie said. “Mind if I join you?”
It was true, Will did go shopping on Thursday. The food they provided in the cafeteria was so greasy it made Will nauseous to even consider eating it, so every Monday he bought enough food to make himself lunches for the week. But he didn’t remember ever talking to Dune about it, or anyone. So how did Dune know? “I don’t mind,” Will finally said. “I go to the Aldi in Castlecourt though.” It was the next town over. They lived in the middle of nowhere, and it was the only grocery store that stocked enough that Will could eat a variety of foods below his calorie restriction. The vegetable selection at the little petrol station next to the pub? Not so good.
“Great,” Cassie said, beaming as she got into the passenger seat. “It’s so tidy in here,” she complimented. “Way nicer than Dune’s car. He always leaves his training gear on the back seat.”
Will was careful about keeping his car clean. He was the only one of his friends with a car, which meant he always had passengers. He smiled at the compliment. “I’d take Dune’s Toyota over this cardboard box any day of the week, gear bag and all.”
They chatted, and Will was relaxed when they pulled up at the grocery store. He winced, however, as they stepped into the store. A headache came on suddenly, no doubt the result of missing lunch—he was still avoiding meeting Birch, so he’d dodged Jack when it came to break time—and the fluorescent light was harsh on his eyes.
Cassie grabbed a cart and they started walking down the first isle. The shopping centre was mostly empty, though because it was late in the day Will had to do some careful searching to find fruit and veg that wasn’t bruised or beaten out of shape.
“I talked to Birch at lunch,” Cassie said, pushing the trolley as Will loaded up his food. “He seems cool.”
“Right.” Why was everyone suddenly obsessed with this guy?
“He’s getting along with Amanda and Jack. Is he going to be part of your friend group now?”
“I guess so,” Will said with a shrug. Since second year, his closest friends had been Jack and Amanda, and they always gravitated toward each other in classes or group projects. He got along with other people—the guys on the soccer team, for example—but he wasn’t close enough with anyone to make plans outside of group activities. The thought thattheir trio was gaining another member made him anxious.
“Okay…” Cassie seemed to catch on that he didn’t want to talk about Birch. “How about O’Connor?”
“Is he joining my friend group? I’ll have to ask.” Will surveyed his collection. It was a mixture of vegetables and fruits, things that Will could eat without feeling guilty about afterward.
Cassie smiled. “I’m going to run and get my ice cream. I’ll meet you at the till.”
Will took control of the shopping trolley. He turned down the off-licence section on his way to the checkout and came across a familiar face. O’Connor was there examining a bottle of wine, bent forward so that his dark ebony curls fell across his forehead. He was wearing another plain black shirt like he’d had on during study yesterday, the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Outside of the classroom, he didn’t look like a tutor at all. Maybe a college student? A sporty one. Will’s gaze snagged on his muscular shoulders, seeing the definition, the smooth lines…
O’Connor spotted him as he turned to put his wine into the shopping cart. “Will,” he greeted.
“Hello, sir,” Will replied. He scanned O’Connor’s basket. His suspicion that his tutor was more like a college student was confirmed when he saw its contents: frozen pizza, pasta, chocolate bars, and several packets of crisps.
“Please tell me your mom or dad are making you buy that,” O'Connor remarked, examining Will’s trolley.
“If that makes you feel better.” He chuckled.
O’Connor looked amused, but also a little embarrassed. “Teenagers are meant to only eat junk food.” He seemed to realise that’s all his own basket contained. Defensively, he added, “Icook, but I haven’t figured out the new place yet. And the cooker is…” he trailed off, an embarrassed smile curving his lips. “Fine, I’ll just admit it. I’m a terrible role model.”
Will tried not to let his amusement show “I don’t think tutors have to follow the same rules as teachers.”
“Are you getting something to drink as well?” Cassie asked. She came around the corner of the isle to Will’s left and tossed a tub of ice cream into the basket. Only when she moved to steer the cart did she spot O’Connor. “Oh.” She straightened. “Mr O’Connor, hello.”
O’Connor’s gaze darted between the two. Will held back the impulse to tell him that he and Cassie were just friends. That wouldbe a weird thing to tell one’s tutor.
With an apologetic smile, O’Connor said, “You’ll have to excuse me. I haven’t gotten around to remembering everyone’s names yet.”
“Cassie,” she replied.
There was a pause, and Will didn’t want to linger around until it became awkward. “We’ll leave you to it, sir. Good luck sorting out the cooker.”
“I’ll see you both at study tomorrow.” O’Connor waved them off, going back to examining the wine.
Will and Cassie both checked him out as they walked away and shared a knowing look. “Do you think he’d go for a student?” Cassie whispered.
“Shall I go ask?” Will whispered back.
*
Leah and his mom were cooking when Will got back, and the sports commentary he heard buzzing from the living room told him where his dad was.
“Where have you been?” his mom asked crossly. “School was over almost two hours ago.”
Startled, Will struggled to answer right away. He held up his shopping bag. “I was getting stuff for lunch. Did something happen?”
His mom was the smallest in their family, in both height and build. She was the one Will had inherited his blonde hair from, though his was lighter than hers, and she had silver streaks mixed in now. Despite her small stature, she made Will nervous when she got angry. Her narrow features had a knack for making her look intimidating when she was angry. Like now, for example.
“I told you we had a guest coming over today.” She gave Will the look he usually got before being grounded.
Will racked his memory. “You did? I don’t think so, Mom. Maybe you only told Leah?”
“Leah is the one who told me about the guest!” His mom tossed her apron onto the kitchen table. “You’re just as bad as your father.” Her footsteps echoed as she stormed up the stairs.
Will turned wide-eyed to Leah. “What’s wrong with her?”
Leah folded the apron and placed it in a drawer. “She and Dad had a fight earlier,” she said over her shoulder, seeming less concerned with her mother than with the creases in her black dress, which she tried to straighten. It was Leah’s date dress.
“Who’s the guest?” Will asked as he put away the groceries.
Leah opened the cutlery drawer and set the table for five. “A friend of mine from college is coming to dinner. I’ve told you about him before, haven’t I? He’ll be here soon, go change.”
Will went upstairs to his bedroom and dumped his school bag on the ground next to his desk. Leah had hung up his maroon dress shirt on the back of his door. It was one of those shirts that clung close to the body, and Will typically opted for larger sweatshirts, or else polo shirts with thick fabric. Crisp linen was less forgiving on him. Balancing on his heels, he analysed how he felt. He hadn’t worked out today, but he’d exercised a lot the past two weeks. Plus, he hadn’t eaten lunch, and his stomach felt nice and flat.
He put on the shirt and rolled up the sleeves before going back downstairs with his lunch box. From the hall, he could hear raised voices shouting to be heard over the sports commentary on the TV. Will stopped to pull the living room door shut, which dulled the sound of his parents argument.
There was a knock at the front door.
Checking the hall, Will waited to see if Leah would get it. There was a second knock. Leah had disappeared, and his parents were fighting. The guest was looking casually at a bottle of wine when Will opened the door, but his dark eyes widened when he looked up.
Will leaned against the door frame. “Be honest, sir. Are you stalking me?”