The Bad boy's Secret Tutor

College Visit

Spring break. Freshman year.

Mia’s campus was 4 hours away from Jake’s. Different states. Different vibes.

His school: big football stadium, lots of green.

Her school: brick buildings, coffee shops, a library that smelled like old books.

He’d been texting _“I’m here”_ for 20 minutes.

Mia ran out of her dorm in jeans and a sweater, hair in a messy bun.

And there he was.

Leaning against his car in that same Bennett #12 hoodie. Scout in the passenger seat, head out the window.

Jake straightened up when he saw her.

"Bookworm."

"Quarterback."

He pulled her into a hug before she could even say anything. Smelled like his detergent and the road.

"I missed you," he mumbled into her hair.

"Two weeks isn’t that long," she said, but she hugged him back tighter.

---

They did the whole campus tour.

Mia dragged him through the library first. Obviously.

"This is where I study," she said, pointing to a corner table by the window. "It’s quiet. No chaos."

Jake sat down, leaned back in the chair. "Can I stay?"

"Only if you help me with my lit paper."

"Deal."

Then he dragged HER to his thing.

The football field. Empty. 4PM sun.

He tossed her a ball. "Catch."

Mia dropped it. "I’m a words girl, remember?"

"Try again."

She caught it the second time. Barely.

Jake whooped. "See? You’re coachable."

"Only by you."

---

That night they ended up back at the library. Because of course.

Door open. Two laptops. One shared bag of chips.

No storm. No whispers. No pressure.

At 11PM, Mia closed her laptop. "I’m done."

Jake looked up from his notes. "Me too."

They sat in quiet for a bit.

"You ever think about Chapter 1?" Jake asked suddenly.

"The library? The tutoring? You failing Calc?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Crazy how one C+ changed everything."

Mia bumped his shoulder. "Team effort, remember?"

He reached over and took her hand.

"So... what happens after college, bookworm?"

Mia squeezed his hand. "We figure it out. Together. Same as we did with math."

Jake grinned. "I like that answer."

Outside, Scout barked from the car. Time to go.

Jake walked her to her dorm. Stopped at the door.

"Same time next break?"

Mia nodded. "Same time next break. For... not studying."

He kissed her forehead again. That same quick, soft one.

"Night, Mia."

"Night, Jake."

She watched him walk away to his car, and for the first time since high school,

she didn’t feel like she was waiting for something to end.

She felt like it was just beginning.