Page 58 of Tutoring Mr. Hotshot

What I do know is that I’m starving by the time I get out of bed.

I decide comfortable is more important than anything else. Grabbing my massive blanket hoodie, I throw it on as I head downstairs.

“Ma! Please tell me you cooked something. I’m hungry enough to eat a herd of cattle.” I laugh to myself as I reach the bottom step.

Except it dries up quickly when I see what’s waiting for me.

Andry sits at the table between Ma and Aries. The three of them are all smiling at me, as if this isn’t a nightmare come to life.

“What are you doing here?” I direct at Andry. Then I turn to my brother. “How could you let him in here?”

Aries raises his hands. “Don’t bite my head off. There’s stuff you two need to talk about, ok? I made sure to check him out before I let him stay. Trust me, lil bro. I love you.”

I have the urge to scoff at that. How could he love me if he let the man who hurt me in here? What kind of person does that?

But then I look at Ma. And her expression tells me there’s definitely something I’m missing.

I wave my hand at them. “I’m not talking until someone feeds me.”

Andry is the first to jump up. He rushes into the kitchen to the sound of my family’s laughter. I follow him, curious to know what he’s going to put together.

As I watch him move around the space, I realize how comfortable he is here. The way he navigates things in my family home is much like he navigates on the ice — all graceful and fluid, yet with a hint of that power you know could crush you.

Before I know it, he has a plate piled high with food for me. It’s sort of amusing how he’s taken a little of everything since I didn’t say what I was in the mood for.

“Come sit. I’ll feed you,” he tells me.

My eyes widen as he turns us back to the dining table. Ma has vanished, but Aries is still in place. He looks at us with an amused sort of grin. I know he’s probably getting a kick out of knowing something about this entire situation that I don’t. Aries is smart, but he always thinks I outshine him.

Of course, he never factors in how sociable he is. I may thrive in a classroom setting; however, I clam up around others. He’s the exact opposite, and I’m jealous most of the time.

I take Ma’s empty seat since it’s where Andry sets my plate. As I reach for the first bite, he shouts, “NO!”

Aries covers his laugh. Meanwhile, I give Andry a wide-eyed stare.

He drops into the seat he evacuated before, except he scoots it closer. His hand reaches over, grabbing my fork and spooning a bite.

“I said I would feed you, little genius. Let me.”

There’s so much sincerity in his voice, so much longing. I can’t fight the way my mouth drops open, eager for him to do as he wants.

“Good boy,” he whispers, only soft enough for me to hear.

At least, I hope so. Aries may know a lot about my life, and I know a lot about his, but it doesn’t mean we need to witness it all.

Then again, my brother decides to poke at us when he speaks up in a silly baby voice saying, “You two are adorable together.”

I roll my eyes as Andry smirks. “Thank you. I like to think it’s all thanks to my little genius. He’s adorable all on his own.”

Aries hums as if to agree. “I can see how you believe so. The family genetics are strong.”

“Si ellos son!”Ma shouts from somewhere in the house.

Her words break the tension around us. I swallow my bite of food, joining in their laughter. It feels good to let go of the pain from before. Not that it’s all gone, of course. But I’ve pushed it down enough to not be an issue at the moment.

“We all need to talk,” Andry says once we’ve calmed down.

Aries nods, bouncing a bit in his seat. “I agree. Lots to discuss. Should I start or do you want to?”

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