Page 56 of Tutoring Mr. Hotshot

I immediately raise my hands in the air. “I’m not even sure what’s happening. Please don’t hit me anywhere that will cause permanent damage. I would like to have a career after today.”

“We’re going to talk first. I’ll decide after if I want to hit you. Sit.” He points to the couch.

I ease around him, still a bit unsure if this is a trap. I'd go through all of it a million times if it got me to my boy again. He’s worth everything.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on? Where’s Rodney? Why did he block me?”

Ma and Aries share a look, then they both take seats in empty spots around me. Aries is beside me on the couch, while Ma rests on a chair to the side.

“You have no clue why he’s upset?” she asks with a blank stare.

“No, ma’am. I was in practice today, then Coach called me into his office after I got into it with one of the guys. He and I spoke, then when I came out, I realized how late it was. I rushed through getting changed to get to him. When I got to the library, he was gone. Yaz helped me figure out he’d blocked me on the phone. I called you and that’s it. Now I’m here.”

She nods, then turns to Aries. “I think we should explain it. Something isn’t right here.”

He tilts his head to the side. “Something definitely isn’t right.”

“I agree. If we’re all on the same page, can you tell me what you know that I don’t, please?

Aries leans forward, his forearms on his knees as he holds my gaze with a firm look. “Rodney is upstairs sleeping. He had a rough afternoon crying.”

My heart damn near breaks at that. Shoulders slumping, I press his hand against my chest to temper the pain radiating through me.

“He was crying?”

“He was,” Aries answers. “Because of the text you sent him.”

“WHAT!?!”

They both tell me to be quiet by waving their arms at me. I almost do as they ask, however, I can’t let this go.

“I didn’t text him until I got to the library. The last ones before that were this morning as I left for practice. What did the text he got say?”

An idea of what happened forms in my mind. I don’t want to start passing judgement too soon if I’m wrong.

Aries pulls out his phone, then spins it to face me. Rather than taking it from him, I lean forward until I can see what’s on the screen.

It’s a photo of Rodney’s texts with me. I recognize the top one as the one I’d last sent him. It’s the next one that sends ice shooting through my veins.

I read it twice before sitting back up. My spine straightens as my fists clench on my thighs.

“You cannot believe I’d send something like that. Rodney is… he’s everything to me. I wouldn’t break up with him when I just got him, much less do it in a fucking text message.” I turn to the woman beside me. “Sorry, Ma.”

“No, honey, you’re fine. I get it. I’d be angry, too, if this happened to me.”

“If you didn’t send it, who did?” Aries asks, tucking his phone away.

I flex my fingers open and closed as I go through the suspects. “My phone is always on me except for when it’s in the locker room during practice and when I’m in the shower. My guess is someone took the opportunity to send that while I was talking to Coach, if the time on it is right.”

Seeing what he read, it’s no wonder my boy ran from me. He’s got to think the worst of me after a message like that.

“I don’t want to break up with him. It’s been amazing having him by my side. I don’t want to lose him over this,” I admit to the room.

Ma pats my hand gently, her mood much warmer than when I arrived. “Then you won’t.”

“How are you just going to believe him?!” Aries whisper shouts. “He could be lying!”

“I’m not. I swear it. You can even call my coach to ask what we were talking about if you want. That might help change your mind.”

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