" Just what part of it do you not understand?"
Lucas said as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"It's only basic calculus."
Ember nodded in a fast, nervous way, reading the problem again and solving it as fast as she could.
"The answer is (x-2)....right?"
He looked at her almost in disbelief.
"Yes, the answer is (x-2), what is taking so damn long?"
"I'm sorry. I...I'll try harder..."
Lucas Crawford was the genius, narcissistic friend of Ember's older brother, who was currently her tutor...and her crush.
She was quite scared of him as he is a perfectionist, very strict, and often gets frustrated when she doesn't understand a certain concept or takes too long to solve a problem. He tried to suppress his anger, but she could tell every single time, making her even more nervous.
"Try again." He said, scribbling another problem on a piece of paper and pushing it over to her side.
She nodded and took a silent deep breath.
"x+3?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow slightly, giving a little approving nod.
"That is correct." He said.
She tried a little smile.
Lucas's gaze lingered on her face for a brief moment, then back down on the piece of paper.
"Now try this one." He said.
She took the paper and calmed herself down.
I know how to do this. She said to herself, just ...don't get too nervous.
She quickly double-checked her answer, then looked up at the person waiting for her solution.
"3...?"
She was still hesitant and nervous. Sometimes, she thought she would always behave this way whenever he was present.
"Correct. I'm genuinely surprised." She took a breath of relief when she heard him say this. "You got this one right, and in record time, too."
She smiled at the ground.
"You are getting much faster now." He said as a little smirk appeared on his face. "I guess I'm a good tutor, hm?"
"You really are." She lifted her face and looked at him, her voice filled with sincerity and admiration. "I...I don't know what I would do without you," she added.
He saw the admiration in her eyes, feeling quite proud of himself.
"Damn right you won't." he said, " You'd be completely lost without me. You're lucky I agreed to tutor your weak skills."
"I'm…I'm sorry for being difficult." She lowered her head. She's not really sorry, but said that anyway.
Lucas lets out a soft sigh, seeing how she lowered her head in what seemed to be a show of embarrassment.
"I'm only poking a little fun at you, don't take me too seriously."
"But I do want to….make my tutor….make you…proud." She said somewhat sheepishly. "Is….that allowed?"
Lucas paused for a moment, not expecting her to actually ask for permission on such a thing.
"Cute. No one's ever…ask for permission to do that." He said with a small smile.
An embarrassed flush reached her cheeks as she realized how bold and that question actually sound,
"I'll get you some drink." She said as she ran off.
He watched as she fleet to the kitchen, a little amused by her behavior. He didn't expect her to be so flustered by his comment, thinking that it was all rather…Cute.
She came back a few minutes later with a mug in her hands.
"Oliver said that you have been losing sleep lately"
She said, " So I made you chamomile tea, I hope you don't mind."
He looked at the mug than back at her, sighing slightly before carefully taking the mug.
"I can't believe he actually told you that."
"Well," she explained, "he didn't mean to gossip or anything…he's just worried about you."
"I don't need his concern." He said somewhat sharply as he sipped the tea, trying to act annoyed.
"Um….maybe I can help, if you don't mind?"
She hold up her hands,
"My mom used to have insomnia when I was a kid, so I'm actually quite..good at this?"
He paused for several moments,
"Fine." He said, giving in to the suggestion.
"Go ahead, I'm pretty desperate for some sleep at this point."
Upon getting his approval, she gave a cautious nod, then hurried off to find him a bed. Her first thought was her brother, Oliver's, since they're friends——and they're both boys——but to her surprise it was locked.
That's leaves…..one option.
"Well," She bit her lips, "You might need to use my bed since Oliver isn't home."
He crossed his arms, trying to act unbothered.
"You're okay with me lying….sleeping in your bed?"
"Well, Oliver has to return at some point…and if you fall asleep I can go sleep in his room for the night when he came back."
Lucas nodded his head.
"Fine, I suppose I'll take your bed. And I'm sorry in advance if I don't sleep immediately."
She chuckled a bit at his attempt to fake nonchalance. Finding it fascinating how easy it is to see right through him sometimes.
"That's why you're staying here," she said.
"Just try to make yourself comfortable first, alright?"
He sit down on the edge of her bed, his limbs somewhat stiff.
"Ember, there's no ganrentee that I will be able to sleep even if…well."
He stated again.
She paused for a moment and looked at him slightly puzzled.
"You sound like you are sleeping for me, Lucas." She smiled, "Now lie down."
For some godforsaken reason, he blushed a bit at her words of him 'sleeping for her.' Eventually taking off his jacket and lied down on the cool soft sheets.
She went in and out the room, playing a soothing, low music, lighted a scented candle, and turned off the main light in the room.
"You are really eager to make me comfy." He teased, not really knowing why.
She frowned a bit.
"I'm here to help you, Lucas. Do you always think this much when other people want to be nice to you?"
Lucas lets out a scoff at the question, looking up at the ceiling.
"I'm just not used to this." He argued.
Not used to be shown kindness and affection?
She asked in her head, feeling a bit sad.
She stood silent, however, and sat at the edge of the bed.
"Now let go of your thoughts," she said, "and try to focus on my hands."
He slowly turned to look at her, then at her hands.
"On your…..what the heck are you doing?"
She sighed.
"No more questions, Mr. Crawford."
She said as she gently took off his glasses, setting them on the table beside the bed.
Lucas let her take his glasses from him, feeling a bit.. Exposed without them on his face.
He looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes, somewhat curious about what she was planning.
"I think I can see why you have insomnia, do you always sleep with your eyes open?"
Lucas lets out a small scoff again, rolling his eyes at her comment. He wasn't expecting that to be the thing she'd say.
"Funny, smartass. I'm trying to see what stunt you are trying to pull."
"But that's not your mission now, is it?"
She said softly, gently, as if she was speaking to a child.
His heart fluttered at her softness, his heartbeat slightly picking up in speed. He let out a "pfft", trying to mask his reaction.
"My mission, hm? You're being awfully bossy, little girl."
He seems to have endless things to say. She sighed, and covered his eyes gently with her hands.
"You have choose to accept my help, so you have to trust me now."
She said slowly, unirritated by his sarcasm.
He lets out an annoyed scoff, but he didn't rebute nor struggle.
She smiled at his compliance, resting her fingers on his temples, gently messaging them.
He froze for a moment when she touched him again. It takes a lot in him to not react to the feeling of her hand on him, but a part of him actually liked the feeling.
"H-hey, what are you doing now?"
His voice slightly stiff.
" you're nervous and stressed." She said as she pressed gently against his temples, trying to calm him down.
"Nobody can sleep with these feelings."
"Damn right I am, I have so much to stress about.." he mumbled.
" Well, try to focus on my hands or my voice instead of those things for now, can you do that for me?" Her hands traced down to the back of his neck, pinching it gently.
He slowly nodded his head, feeling a little shiver going down his spine at the touch of her hands on his neck.
" Good….you're doing a wonderful job" She said with a low, gentle tone. Her hands ironing his eyebrows, calming his thoughts.
Lucas felt his eyes flutter slightly. The tone in her voice and her hands on his eyebrows were almost hypnotizing, in a way.
"…You're kinda good at this, maybe I'll hire you as my own personal masseuse." He mumbled.
" Stay quiet for me, darling."She said, half deliberately and half out of attempt to loosen his mind. At the same time she messaged his stiff shoulders gently. " Everything is going to be fine…."
His cheeks almost immediately went crimson upon hearing her sweet nickname for him, and prayed that she wouldn't notice under the dim lights in the room.
"H-how the hell are you so good at this.." he mumbled again, feeling the uncontrollable urge to say something in order to mask his embarrassment.
"Hush." She said softly, her fingers sliding through his lips. "You're resisting the urge to sleep."
Feeling her fingers on his lips, a wave of sudden desire rush through him, at that split moment the crazy idea of kissing her spring into his head.
"No, I'm not resistant.." he spoke up again.
" then what is it?" She asked as she gently pinched his ears.
She eventually gave up trying to stop him from speaking, and decided to go with it.
He winced slightly as she pinched his ears.
"I'd… rather not say.." he said in a quiet, timid tone that almost surprised himself, turning his head to face the wall.
" Alright," She said with a soft sigh, following his thoughts. " You can tell me when you are ready." As he turned his head to the other side, she went on and messaged the back of his head, combing his hair with her fingers.
He silently appreciated the gesture. A part of him wanted to stay like this forever, having her gentle hands on his head. There's no way on earth, however, for him to say his mind out loud. He finally spoke up after a few moments.
"I don't think I'm gonna be ready to tell you anytime soon, to be honest.."
" Don't worry, I don't mind." She said as she smile," I only need you to be comfortable————physically and mentally."
He was a bit surprised by the understanding response as he was expecting her to be a bit more pushy, just like everyone else had been. He let out a small scoff again, not really sure how to act.
"Well, you're definitely succeeding at getting me physically comfortable, that's for sure.."
" That sounds a bit weird , " She chuckled as she went on messaging his back, feeling them stiff as his shoulders are." But I get you."