The Boy Who Broke The Rules

Chapter 4 - Kennedy - The Tutor

"The hardest thing about trusting people isn't believing they'll hurt you. It's hoping they won't."

Some people wake up on Saturday mornings craving pancakes.

Others crave coffee.

Me?

I crave silence.

There's something magical about mornings before the rest of the world wakes up. The house is quiet. The air feels lighter. Even my thoughts seem to move a little slower.

Curled beneath my favorite blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate balanced on the arm of the couch, I flip another page in my book.

I've officially reached the point where fictional people are stressing me out more than real ones.

I sigh dramatically.

"Girl...don't do it."

"Kennedy."

I don't look up.

"Mhm?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"No one."

Imani raises one eyebrow."

"...You're talking to your book again."

"I am absolutely not."

She glances at the open page.

"'She reached for the doorknob.'"

She looks back at me.

"You literally just told her not to open the door."

I close the book.

"...Mind your business."

She bursts into laughter.

"I can't help it! Every time I come over you're arguing with fictional people."

"They make questionable life choices."

"They're fictional."

"They still need guidance."

She laughs even harder.

I try not to smile.

I fail.

About an hour later, Imani and I are sitting cross-legged on my bedroom floor pretending to study.

Well...

I'm studying.

She's scrolling through social media.

Every few seconds she gasps dramatically.

"Oh my gosh."

"What now?"

"Kylie posted thirty-seven pictures from Tyler's party."

I don't even look up from my calculus notes.

"Mhm."

"One of them is just her shoe."

"Mhm."

"Why would someone post a shoe?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think it has feelings?"

I finally look at her.

"...Are you okay?"

She shrugs.

"I'm bored."

I laugh and return to my homework.

My phone vibrates across the floor.

Unknown Number.

I frown.

"Spam?"

Imani asks.

"I don't know."

I open the message.

Unknown: Hey, Kennedy. This is Levi.

...

I blink.

Then blink again.

Nope.

Still says Levi.

As in...

Levi Bowman.

Quarterback.

Campus celebrity.

Owner of approximately eighty-seven percent of the female population's attention span.

I stare at my phone for a full thirty seconds. Imani notices.

"Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?"

I silently hand her my phone.

Her eyes nearly pop out of her head.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"IMANI!"

She starts bouncing on my bed.

"WHY IS LEVI BOWMAN TEXTING YOU?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

She grabs my shoulders.

"Breathe."

"I am breathing!"

"You're breathing aggressively."

"I don't know what that means!"

"It means answer him!"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"What if he texted the wrong Kennedy?"

"There are three Kennedys at McKinley."

"Exactly!"

"He used your last name."

"...Oh."

She smiles.

"Answer."

I type.

Delete it.

Type again.

Delete it.

Imani sighs dramatically.

"You've erased the message four times."

"What if I sound weird?"

"You've typed one word."

"I know."

"What word?"

"'Hi.'"

She pinches the bridge of her nose.

"You are exhausting."

"I've been told."

Finally...

I hit send.

Me: Hi.

Three dots appear almost immediately.

My stomach flips.

Levi: Thanks for answering. I hope I'm not bothering you.

I blink.

He's...

Polite?

That wasn't what I expected.

Me: You're not bothering me. 😊

I immediately regret the smiley face.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"I sent a smiley face."

Imani stares at me.

"...And?"

"What if he thinks I'm flirting?"

"Kennedy."

"What?"

"It's an emoji."

"I know!"

She laughs so hard she nearly falls off my bed.

Another message appears.

Levi: I actually wanted to ask you something.

Here it comes.

Maybe he needs notes.

Maybe he accidentally got my number.

Maybe—

Levi: Are you good at calculus?

I stare.

Then laugh.

Out loud.

"What?" Imani asks.

I hand her the phone again.

She reads it twice.

"...That's not where I thought this conversation was going."

"Me neither."

Another message appears.

Levi: Mrs. Whitmore suggested I ask you for help.

My smile fades.

Wait...He actually needs help.

This isn't a prank.

Levi: I'm trying really hard to keep my grades up, but calculus is winning.

I smile despite myself.

He made calculus sound like a supervillain.

Me: Calculus wins a lot.

His reply comes almost instantly.

Levi: So you'll help me fight back?

I bite my lip to keep from smiling too much.

He's... Actually kind of funny.

"I don't like that smile," Imani says.

"What smile?"

"The one you're pretending you don't have."

I roll my eyes.

"I haven't even answered yet."

"So answer."

I glance back down at my phone.

My fingers hover over the keyboard.

This is Levi Bowman.

The same guy who laughed yesterday when Kylie tripped me.

The same guy every girl on campus wants.

The same guy I've spent months avoiding because I assumed we'd never have a reason to speak.

And now...

He's asking me for help.

Not because I'm popular.

Not because I'm pretty.

Because he thinks I'm smart enough to teach him.

For some reason... That means more to me than it probably should.

I take a deep breath.

Then I type.

Me: I'd be happy to help.

I smile before I can stop myself.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

Books aren't the only place where unexpected stories begin.