Private Lessons
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Chaotic Soul
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2,4M
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35
Riley Adams is what high schoolers would call a nerd: booksmart and shy, with zero fashion sense. Tristan Harris is the exact opposite: captain of the football team, and the hottest guy in school by far. To say they donβt get along is putting it mildlyβ¦ But then Riley starts offering private lessons to make some quick cash. Sure, they might despise each other, but itβs a thin line between love and hate.
Lucy's Mall Haul
RILEY
βGod, stop that racket!β I groaned, eyes still closed.
I reached out to silence my annoying phone, but it slipped from my grasp and hit the floor with a thud.
βJust great.β
I flung the covers off in frustration and picked up my phone from the floor. A small crack marred the top left corner, and my best friendβs name flashed on the screen.
βLucy! Itβs Sunday!β I practically shouted into the phone. I hated being woken up, especially on a Sunday.
βMorning to you too, sunshine!β she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
I rolled my eyes. βThis better be important,β I yawned, flopping back onto my bed and brushing my chestnut brown hair from my face.
βSchool starts tomorrow, and weβre officially seniors. We need to shop, Ri.β
βYou mean you need to shop,β I corrected her, trying to burrow back under the covers.
βRiley Adams, get out of bed. Iβll be there in fifteen minutes to haul your lazy ass to the mall.β She hung up before I could respond.
I adored Lucy, but she could drive me nuts.
After a fair amount of sulking, I dragged myself out of bed and took a quick shower.
I pulled on my ripped jeans and my favorite Gryffindor hoodie, then tossed my hair up in a bun before heading downstairs. My dad was on the couch, engrossed in the newspaper.
βWow, youβre up early. It is Sunday, isnβt it?β he asked, adjusting his glasses to double-check the date on the paper.
βLucyβs dragging me shopping,β I complained, grabbing a bowl and a box of cereal from the kitchen shelves.
βBut thatβs good, right? You could use some new clothes.β He reached for his wallet to give me some money.
βIβm not buying anything for myself, Dad. And whatβs wrong with my clothes?β I pouted, glancing down at my hoodie and jeans.
βNothing, sweetheart, but if you want new clothes, ask me for money. Donβt hesitate.β He gave me a warm smile.
I sighed, carrying my bowl of cereal over to him. βI know, Dad, but Iβm fine.β
βAlright, then. Iβm off to the store for dinner supplies. Lock up before you leave, okay?β He kissed my forehead and stood to leave.
βOkay.β
It was just me and my dad. My mom wasnβt around.
She and my dad divorced when I was five. She left him for another man. We didnβt keep in touch with her, and she didnβt try to reach out to us.
My dad was a carpenter. His pay was decent, but not always enough, so I worked part-time at a library near school.
Dad didnβt like me juggling work and school, but Iβd convinced him.
I could be pretty stubborn.
We managed to pay the bills, but I worried about college. I was an average student, so scholarships were out of the question.
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
βComing!β I called, setting my half-eaten cereal on the coffee table and rushing to answer the door.
I opened it to find my best and only friend, Lucy Wilson.
She was my polar opposite.
Beautiful. Smart. Wealthy.
Every guy in school was smitten with her. Sometimes, I wondered why she hung out with a nobody like me.
She never flaunted her wealth, unlike other rich girls. That was one of the reasons I liked her. Weβd been friends since first grade.
βReady to go?β she asked cheerfully, jingling her car keys in front of my face.
I locked the door behind me. βYeah, but why shouldnβt I kill you right now?β
βBecause you love me, babe.β She winked and climbed into her car. I slid into the passenger seat.
βI hate you, Wilson. You owe me,β I grumbled, sinking into the seat. Soon we were on our way.
βQuit complaining, Ri. Itβll be fun.β
βFun for you. Boring for me.β
βLetβs get you some new clothes, too. Something hot and sexy. Itβs senior year, Ri, and youβre still a virgin,β she whispered the last part.
I scowled. βDo I look like I care?β I shrugged.
She ignored me. βBut I care, and as your best friend, itβs my duty to make sure you get a boyfriend this year. You are so getting laid before we go to college.β
Easy for her to say. She was dating Andrew Simmon. He was on the swim team, and he was perfect. Theyβd been together for nearly a year.
βI have more important things to worry about, Lu,β I said quietly.
She sighed heavily. βI told you, my parents are willing to pay for your college, babe. You can pay them back whenever.β
I shook my head firmly. βNo way! Iβve told you a million times, Iβm not okay with it. I can find a way to earn extra money and save for college.β
I stared out the window.
βYouβre so stubborn,β she muttered.
But I was already lost in thought.
***
βWhat about this one?β Lucy asked, emerging from the dressing room in a purple skirt.
βEww! No way,β I grimaced. She shot me a dirty look.
Weβd been at this for hours. In the end, she bought the dress sheβd picked out first.
βWhoβs on the other end of that text?β I asked, my stomach growling as we made our way to McDonaldβs.
βAndrew. Heβs back from his trip, and I canβt wait to see him,β she replied, her voice filled with excitement. I couldnβt help but smile at her enthusiasm. They were adorable together.
The idea of having a boyfriend did intrigue me from time to time. I wasnβt a total bore. Iβd been on a date or two, but they hadnβt exactly been successful.
I wasnβt the kind of girl guys typically fell for. I was the nerdy type, always in hoodies and loose-fitting clothes. But honestly, I was okay with that.
I wanted a guy to like me for me. I didnβt want to change who I was just to snag a boyfriend.
βHey, Adams! Still canβt afford to shop at the mall?β
The voice was familiar and grating. I turned around to see a face that was annoyingly perfectβa face I absolutely despised.
Tristan-freaking-Harris!
Football team captain.
Popular.
Good-looking.
Irritating.
Smug.
Insufferably arrogant.
I detested him with every fiber of my being. Our feud started back in seventh grade when he began tormenting me for no apparent reason. It had only escalated since then.
All the popular guys needed someone to pick onβto flaunt their supposed coolnessβand it seemed I was Tristanβs chosen victim.
βBack off, Tristan. Leave her alone,β Lucy snapped at him. But he just laughed with his buddies as they continued to approach us.
βAlways a joy, Adams. Canβt wait to tease you at school tomorrow.β He smirked, and I flipped him the bird as he sauntered past, his idiotic friends in tow.
βGod, I canβt stand that jerk,β I muttered.
Lucy draped an arm around my shoulders. βDonβt let him get to you, babe. Just one more year.β
βYeah. Letβs head home. Iβm not hungry anymore,β I said, my mood deflated. I tugged her toward the exit.
