The Bad boy's Secret Tutor

Stuck In The Library Overnight

Wednesday.

Storm warning.

It started drizzling at lunch and by 3PM it was pouring. The kind of rain that floods the streets in Port Harcourt.

"Project’s due Friday," Mia said, spreading notes across the library table. "We’re behind."

Jake looked out the window. "We can finish tomorrow."

"We can’t. My internet at home is down. And yours?"

"Also down. My little brother broke the router playing FIFA."

They both sighed.

Mr. Reyes poked his head in. "You two staying late? I’m locking up at 6 but the storm’s bad. You might wanna wait it out."

6:00 came. Then 7:00.

The rain didn’t stop. The buses stopped running.

Phones had no service.

And the janitor locked the main doors.

"We’re stuck," Jake said, staring at the EXIT sign. "Like, actually stuck. Overnight stuck."

Mia paled. "My mom’s going to freak."

"My coach too." He ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. New plan. We finish the project. Then we survive."

---

Hour 1: Panic

They called everyone. Voicemails. No answer.

Mia curled up in a chair with a blanket from the lost-and-found. Jake raided the vending machine. Got them chips and two waters.

Hour 2: Work

Turns out, being trapped is really good for productivity.

No distractions. No people. Just them, a whiteboard, and a half-dead lamp.

"We could say derivatives are used in weather prediction," Mia said, writing fast.

"Or in football," Jake added, drawing a play. "Like, the arc of the ball."

She laughed. "That’s actually smart."

"I have moments."

Hour 3: Talk

The project was done by 10PM. Printed on the library printer.

Now there was nothing left but the sound of rain on the roof and the hum of the lights.

"You ever get tired of being invisible?" Jake asked suddenly.

Mia hugged her knees. "Every day. Until recently."

He looked over. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Since you started sitting here."

Jake went quiet. Then he tossed her another blanket. "You’re not invisible to me, Mia."

She didn’t know what to say to that. So she didn’t.

Hour 4: 2AM

They ended up on the floor, backs against the bookshelves, sharing chips.

Jake told her about his dad leaving. About pressure to get a scholarship.

Mia told him about always being the "smart friend" nobody invited to parties.

Neither of them joked. Neither of them looked away.

At some point, Mia fell asleep.

She woke up to a hoodie draped over her and Jake sitting next to her, keeping watch by the window.

"Morning, bookworm," he whispered. "Storm’s gone."

---

7AM. The doors unlocked.

They walked out together, tired, hair messy, holding the project between them.

Half the school was already there, waiting. Including Ashley.

And when they saw Jake and Mia come out of the library... together...

The whispers started all over again.

But this time, Jake didn’t look embarrassed.

He just took the project from Mia’s hands, and said loud enough for everyone to hear:

"We finished it."