MechaHearts Series: His Forgotten Tutor

Charlotte’s POV Brrrng!! Thank goodness the bell finally rings. I swear English drains the life out of me—or maybe it’s because I stayed up waiting for Mum again. Mrs. Blooming dismisses us with her usual tired smile, and a wave of muttering students spills out of the room. I jog—more like wheeze—my way through the hallway until I reach Flo’s locker. “Let me guess,” she says, raising a brow. “Your mum came home ridiculously late again… or you just can’t stand English.” I huff, leaning on the cool metal lockers. “Both.” Flo snorts. “You know, for someone who hates walking from English to here, you sure perk up in Physics.” She’s right. “Finally, a subject that makes sense. Formulas. Logic. Peace.” I’m practically glowing—until I notice Flo staring at me like I announced I was climbing Mount Everest for our Geography project. ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡ I’m Charlotte Hart, seventeen, senior at Maxwell High—also known as the world’s longest punishment. It’s just Mum and me; the sperm donor who helped create me is a topic we don’t touch. People at school barely notice me. I’m the kind of girl who blends into faded classroom walls: stringy blonde hair that behaves only on public holidays, braces, and acne that refuses to vacate. Flo is the only one who sees me. We met at age five, when Stacie Roberts teased me for not having a dad. Flo marched up, told her to back off, and that was the beginning of forever. She’s got this glossy brown hair that practically whispers in commercials and the kind of warm, glowing skin that makes people stare. If she weren’t my best friend, I’d probably be jealous. Instead, she’s my anchor—fierce, loving, ready to go to war for me at any moment. Speak of the devil… here comes Priscilla Turner, resident Queen Bee. “Well, well, if it isn’t Nerdtron and Grizella,” she croons, her sweet perfume hitting my nose before she even arrives. “Looking for your alien masters again?” Her followers cackle behind her, like they’re programmed to laugh at every word she says. Flo stiffens. I can practically feel the tension rolling off her. “Don’t,” I mumble, gently pulling her away before she gives Priscilla a reason to visit detention. “Fools don’t need replies. Silence confuses them.” Flo huffs. “I don’t know why you don’t stand up to her. It’s annoying hearing her talk to you like that.” “She’s not worth space in my head. Besides, we’ll graduate soon and her chicken face will be gone from my life.” Flo laughs. “Honestly, she does have a chicken face. But if she’s a chicken, every boy in this school has a chicken fetish. They follow her like she hypnotized them.” “Not all boys,” I say before I can stop myself. “Jace doesn’t.” And just like that, there he is in my mind—Jace Carter, Maxwell High’s golden boy. Smart. Tall. Easy smile. His grey eyes have these tiny gold flecks you notice only when sunlight catches them. His brown hair is always a little messy, like he just ran a hand through it on purpose. And his lips— Focus, Charlotte. “Jace doesn’t give any girl attention,” Flo reminds me. “You know that.” I pretend I didn’t hear her. “Anyway! Physics time!” Truth is… I love Physics for two reasons: 1. Formulas. 2. Jace sits right in front of me. “My genius friend, just admit you love Physics only because of him,” Flo teases. “Just be careful. I don’t want to knock out the school’s golden boy if he hurts you.” I wave her off and hurry to class. And there he is. Jace Carter. Sitting at his desk, quietly flipping his pen between his fingers like it’s no big deal. My heart does this weird squeeze. Mr. Schafer begins, “All right class, Equilibrium of Forces—” I shove Jace-thoughts aside and tune in. I genuinely like Physics. It’s neat. Predictable. Comforting. Unlike my feelings whenever Jace stands too close. I finish the equation on the board quickly and hand it in. “Done already, Charlotte?” Mr. Schafer asks, sounding impressed. “You always were my top student.” Students start packing up, buzzing with end-of-day relief, when he adds, “Jace and Charlotte, stay back a moment.” My brain immediately spirals. Why both of us? A project? A pair assignment? OHMYGOD—maybe he’s pairing us to work together. This is it. This is our beginning. I text Flo: Not walking home with you. Something big. Don’t freak. Then a voice behind me says, “Hey. Charlotte, right? We’re supposed to see Schafer now.” I turn. Jace. Talking to me. Up close, his voice is warm and calm, and my skin prickles with nerves. “Y-yeah,” I manage. “Let’s go.” ♡♡♡♡♡♡ Later, at Benny’s—our diner—I retell everything to Flo, probably too fast. “You’re looking at Jace Carter’s new Physics tutor!” I squeal. Flo drops a fry. “Oh great. The universe is testing my patience again.” “You don’t get it—this is the beginning of our love story.” “I really wish you’d take those Jace-tinted glasses off. For all we know he practices dark magic or something.” I ignore her. “Every Wednesday for the next month. Alternating between my house and his. Quality bonding time.” Flo just sighs. ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡ Next Wednesday… I barely sleep. All day in school, everything feels blurry except the countdown to tutoring. When the final bell rings, my stomach twists with excitement. “Charlotte?” Jace appears beside me, backpack over one shoulder. “Ready to head to my house?” My heart drops straight to my shoes. “Yep!” “We’ll take my car. I can drop you home later.” He leads me outside to— A Porsche 911. My soul leaves my body. “Whoa. Your car is… wow.” The interior smells like clean leather and whatever cologne he uses—a fresh, warm scent that makes me want to bottle it. We pull up to a huge modern-meets-classic mansion on Bourdillon Row, where every house looks like it belongs in a magazine. Jace parks, glances at me, and smiles lightly. “Welcome.”