The Heartless Frankenstein (XIV Series #2)

Chapter Thirteen

High School Sweethearts I

“Yes, Ms. Olivia. I’m already here. I’m about to meet them. I’ll let you know how it goes after the session.” When Ms. Olivia bid goodbye, I hung up and proceeded inside the café that they instructed me to be the meeting place.

All heads turned to me which made me a little uncomfortable. I’ve never been to this shop. Maybe because it’s meant for high school students to use as a hangout place. From a table over the corner of the café, I could see three kiddos from a corner table. If I were to use common sense, I’d take these were the high schoolers that I’m supposed to tutor. None of the tables had the same number of people so I can only hope that my assumptions are correct.

Before I could even approach the group of students I thought I would teach, a lady walked up to me and asked, “Are you Achelois Gwynn Bartel?”

I gulped at the sound of the horrifying mention of my full ridiculous name. I turned to face her and flashed a small, respectful smile. “Yes, ma’am.” I replied unsurely. She looked like a business woman so I just said ma’am.

“I’m Cho Heejin. I’m the director of the program you’re taking part of today and the next four Saturdays. Shall we?” She raised her hands up to gesture me to follow her so I did.

I gulped.

This lady was too sophisticatedly intimidating for my liking. I feel threatened. I mean, I even felt the need to push my breasts out because I could see her flattering curves beneath her overly fitted dress. I’d be lying if I said I would do this when I get older but still, a person like her motivates me to become a better player.

The lady led us to the table I was about to approach a few minutes ago, where the three kiddos sat. “These are the students.” She began to introduce. “Joey Carter. Lim Chaeryeong and Kexin Wu. Everyone, she is your tutor for the month, Achelois Gwynn Bartel from the Engineering department.”

The urge the slap someone when they call me by my full name is so strong that I’m balling my fists and trying so hard to keep my cool. What would these kids think when they hear my beautiful name next to Gwynn. It’s ridiculous.

“Greet her.”

“Wow…” The kid with a square-ish face with blonde hair, intensely stared at me, mouth gapped open. “You’re very pretty!”

“Kexin!” Heejin exclaimed, shooting the poor kid a glare. “Manners please.” She added, still eyeing him which caused Kexin to pout and look down in shame.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Cho. Really.” I’m very flattered, to be honest. I never thought my charms would work still with high schoolers. But I mean if it does, then they don’t particularly have a bad taste and I applause them for that. I flipped my hair to the back. Now that’s been said, I gained more confidence. I wouldn’t really date them since they’re too young and I’ve always preferred older men so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to let them admire my beauty and be a good role model for once. “I can handle it.”

“Okay. I’ll come back after the session.” Heejin finally walked out of the café so I was left with the kids who couldn’t take their eyes off me.

I awkwardly sat across the three of them and their eyes followed me. I felt like I was being watched with every move I was making – almost like a mafia was onto me. I cleared my throat in discomfort after I had pulled out my algebra book and a pad of paper with different colored pens for the study. Innocent kids… I sighed before flashing a smile which looked like it just melted them more. I’m not even trying to flirt with them, at this point. If this gets overboard, I might get frustrated and just totally ditch the entire thing, which I was not allowed to do even if I wanted to.

“Your eyes are so pretty. Are they real?” The girl, which if I remember correctly was Chae… Chae-something said, leaning closer to my face almost attempting to poke my eyes with her bare finger so I crouched away.

I laughed and leaned back to my chair, pulling her finger down. “Of course, they’re real! How can I see your beautiful and handsome faces if they aren’t real, hm?” I eyed them one by one and they blushed. Oh god. This is illegal. These kids know nothing about platonic compliments. I was sure this was the first time someone complimented them like this and they weren’t used to getting one since, well, they’re still in high school. “Okay, so Joey?” I looked at him but he looked away shyly.

“He’s very shy.” Kexin defended, striking a wide smile.

“Kexin Wu, is it?” I asked and he nodded, still smiling. I remember this kid clearly. He made quite an impression, blurting the compliment out loud in front of Heejin a while ago. “Are you an exchange student?” I asked out of curiosity, and just to help them feel more comfortable with being around me.

He shook his head. “I’ve been studying here since I was ten. My family moved here from China, so I’m more accustomed to this lifestyle than my hometown. It’s a mess there too, after all. We wouldn’t go back there even if the ancestors forced us to fly back.”

My eyes widened in surprise. That’s a bit bold coming from a high school kid. Or maybe they’ve always been this way since the new generation and I’m just old enough not to know about it. “And Chae!” The only girl nodded with her hands together. “So, again, allow me to introduce myself. I’m your tutor for this month, Achelois Bartel. But you can call me Lois.”

“Like Superman’s Lois?” Chae asked and now that I think about it, I never really thought of it that way until she pointed it out.

I smiled and nodded. “Yes, like Superman’s Lois.”

“**!”

A… chi..?

I turned to Kexin in confusion.

“Do you have a Superman now then? Maybe I can be your Superman!”

I laughed louder at his comment. These kids are cracking me up more than they should. I guess it was a good idea to try this out after all regardless if it involved boys are not. I don’t particularly remember the last time I hung out with younger students like them. And it’s pretty chill and fun for the most part I’ve spent with them. “I already have one.” I grinned and pictured Aiden wearing a suit sloppily. I chuckled at the thought before shaking my head. “He’s not built like Superman though.” I replied as if Aiden could actually hear me teasing him and get mad about it.

“Even your name sounds pretty, ***”

I turned to Kexin with a grin. I couldn’t understand why he was calling me achi but I assume it’s part of their culture or something. It’s cute anyway so I don’t really mind, unless I figure out he was calling me a dirty nickname. This kid knows how to flirt at a very young age. His effect on me is a little shallow but there’s something alright. “Thank you.” I smiled at him. “I’m not sure how I’ll really teach you guys but let’s just be chill and do what we only can, okay?”

“I wish my mom was like that.” Chae mumbled pouting.

“Don’t worry, Chae. I won’t be too hard on you three. I know how stressful school can be so, just between the three of us?” I leaned closer to them to whisper, “I’m not very diligent in uni too.”

The four of us cracked a laugh.

“You’re so cool, ***”

I glanced back to Kexin in disbelief before I burst into another laugh, preferably last one. “You don’t have to keep complimenting me so I can like you. You’re very cute!”

“So can I be with you then?!” He asked which startled me. That was faster than any flirting I’ve ever experienced. How can he casually say all these? He’s so pure and innocent.

I laughed. “When you get older, maybe.” The hope in his eyes brightened up. “But first, let’s focus on what we came here for, Mathematics.”

It’s been two hours and I’ve already finished teaching them what I’m supposed to teach for the first session. I’m pretty happy and satisfied that these three were smart enough to catch up with my way of teaching. I was sure I wasn’t doing it as efficient for them as I hoped. Except that Kexin would butt in compliments in the middle of the lessons and potentially making the session feel more lighter and casual, and less formal and stressful for them. I don’t blame him, honestly. He was like a younger version of Aiden. As a matter of fact, he reminded me so much of Aiden when I first met the dufus.

“**!” Kexin called for the nth time, so I diverted my attention to him. “Will you be teaching us again next week? And the other week? And the week after the other week?”

I bobbed my head, chuckling at how cute he just worded that. Seriously, his innocence warms my heart. “You’re stuck with me for the rest of the month, buddy.”

He smiled and doesn’t even try to hide the satisfaction he felt. “See you next week, **!”

“See you again, teacher!”

While Chae and Kexin were full of energy, Joey just bowed his head as a gratitude. I can’t blame the kid if he was introverted and wasn’t used to interacting with people. I walked with the three out of the café and sent them off to their own private cars. Damn, these kids even had their own butlers. They all left one by one until I was left alone outside the shop like a nanny. It felt good with them but now I felt like I was with babies and had to babysit.

My phone rang.

Aiden.

I immediately answered his call, desperate of the thought that I didn’t want anyone to see me alone and sending off kids like a teen mom. “Where are you? I’m done here.”

“I actually can’t pick you up today.”

My eyes widened.

“We’re having an assembly in our department and they won’t let me go home unless I finish the task they gave me.”

“WHAT?”

“Sorry, Gwynn. I would be there now if I wasn’t caught up with department duties.” He explained but I wasn’t taking a reject from him anytime soon.

“No way!” I flung my hands in the air, grunting. “You told me to pick me up today so you’re picking me up!”