Reunited

“Intro to Algebra?” Kathryn shook her head. Brett Falcone was an asshole to the nth degree, but she’d never thought he was stupid. Not a genius, to be sure, but failing Intro to Algebra? Something else was at work here. “I didn’t know seniors could take that class. Isn’t it a Freshman class?”

“Not for us dummies.”

“All right, enough of that talk. It’s counter-productive.”

He laughed. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means if you keep telling yourself you’re a dummy, you’ll become one. So shut up already.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her.

“Ha-ha. Okay, where are you having the problem?”

“First, let me ask you a question.”

“Sorry. I’m the tutor here. I ask the questions.”

“No, I’m the student. I’m the one with questions.”

He had a point. She blew a strand of hair out of her face. “What’s your question?”

“Why did you agree to tutor me?”

“That’s not a mathematical question, Brett.”

“No. But I’d like to know.”

She huffed. “Fine. If I answer that, I get to ask you a question.”

“Fair enough. So why?”

“Mr. Phillips made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“What offer?”

“None of your business. I answered your question, now you answer mine.”

“You didn’t answer mine.”

“Oh yes, I did. It was a perfectly acceptable answer to the question as posed. Next time, ask a more specific question.” She couldn’t help a slight smile. “Now, why did you insist on me for a tutor?”

“You’re the smartest person I know.”

“You haven’t said two words to me in four years. How do you know I’m the smartest?”

“You’ve always been the smartest, Kath. Since we were little kids.” His lips curved into a churlish grin. “And there’s another reason.”

“Which is?”

“You’re a fox.”

Kathryn caught her chin before it dropped to the floor. A fox? This from Brett Falcone, the boy who’d tormented her for being an ugly nerd? Granted, once the braces had come off and she’d gotten contact lenses, her looks had improved. Her mother told her she was beautiful, but she was her mother, for God’s sake. No one else had.

“I’d much rather look at you for an hour than one of those other nerds.”

Heat crept up her neck. Damn! She didn’t want him to see that his words affected her. This was Bre

tt Falcone, the boy who’d made her life miserable, the boy who’d made her cry. What did she care if he found her attractive now? He was probably lying anyway. He wasn’t a nice person.