Bought to be a Tutor?

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“They think you’ve been totally fine since I left don’t they.” She nodded her head towards the two males behind her. They had been watching in utter confusion as the pair displayed more emotion than they had seen in a very long time. While Lia was in Chelsea’s lap nonetheless. The two of them hadn’t even seemed to notice how intimate their position was as they chatted away.

Lia shrugged. “How should I know what they think?” 

Chelsea laughed boisterously. “So that’s a yes. How are you doing here? Has he been rude? Mean? Has he done anything inappropriate? What about the kid? Is he a prat? Do I need to put him in his place?”

Lia laughed in a way that only Chelsea could bring forth. A true and hearty laugh that seemed to come from her very soul. “Chelse, chill! They have been shockingly polite and sweet. Besides, even if they were horrible beasts we couldn;t do anything. They own me for the next six months.” 

Chelsea instantly sobered. She shrunk back and became very quiet. “How can you say that so nonchalantly?” She looked up at her best friend. “How can you just be ok with this?! How can you let your mother sell you to some stranger and not even fight back?!” She was hitting her now. Her fists landing on Lia’s chest. “How do you expect me to be ok without you?! How are you so okay being forced to leave me?!” 

Lia grabbed her hands and forced her friend to be still. She pulled Chelsea into her and held her while she calmed. “I will never leave you Chelse. I am NOT leaving you. The contract only lasts six months. You can survive that long. He already said that you are allowed to visit me. Mother need never know I was ever set free. We will be free of her after this. As far as she’s concerned I’m as good as dead now. We can leave it that way. This is the simplest way to be free of her. Make no mistake here sister. I am absolutely NOT okay right now. I won’t be okay again until I am free and you are at my side, but I must do what I must. We got better than either of us had ever hoped for out of this. After six months we are free. We will be free.” By the time Lia was done, she was whispering and Chelsea had fallen asleep. 

Lia picked her up and walked back to her room. She gingerly placed Chelsea on her bed and closed the door as quietly as she could before returning to her kind patrons. Or if she were being honest, her captives.

“My apologies. We never spend much time apart so I imagine she didn’t get much sleep. Please allow her to rest a while. I’ll send her home once she wakes.” 

J couldn’t help but notice how drained Lia suddenly looked. Ten minutes with her friend and her mask seemed to have been all but ripped away from her. Rather than say anything he simply observed her. She was trembling, but it was so slight that he had to look for it. It looked like it was taking everything in her just to stand right now. 

“No worries. Let her rest. I’m sorry but I’ll need to stop your lessons early today. Michael has an unexpected meeting to attend. Michael, come with me.” 

She heard their footsteps retreat and exhaled. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath. As she went to turn around her steps faltered. She barely managed to brace herself on the wall. Suddenly there was a small frame holding her up. 

“What do you think you are doing?” No response. “Let me be, I can walk on my own.” Nothing.

The figure simply began to walk forward, slightly pushing Lia with them but holding her steady. Lia exhaled, resigning herself to the help she knew she needed, even if she didn’t want it.

“Thank you, Michael.” She felt the boy nod his head and they walked the thirty steps to her room. He opened the door and sat her on her bed before wordlessly walking away.

Lia lay next to her friend and closed her eyes, grateful for Michael and his understanding. Grateful to have her friend by her side, if only for now. Grateful to have someone who would be here with her, even if she didn’t want to be here to begin with.