CHAPTER 116: STUDY TIME

**OLIVER WEST**

I sat at Kieran’s desk, my pencil moving across the sketchbook without any real purpose. Xander hadn’t shown up for our tutoring session yesterday, wasn’t he so enthusiastic about it?

Did something happen? I’d even texted him, but he’d only responded in three words.

Something came up.

I had been with Kieran all day, so I knew that he was innocent and hadn’t done anything to make Xander abruptly change his mind.

I shook my head and looked down at what I’d been absent-mindedly drawing.

It was Kieran. Again.

Ugh.

"Focus, Oliver!" I muttered, closing the sketchbook with more force than necessary.

"Function like a normal human being for once!"

I shoved the sketchbook aside and slammed my assignments over it with a new surge of determination. So what if Xander wasn’t here to help me study?

I could handle it on my own!

What subject should I do first? I opened math and felt my confidence crumble.

My shoulders slumped dejectedly, okay, let’s try this again. I genuinely tried to understand the equation but the numbers mocked me with their incomprehensible dance.

Alright, maybe I shouldn’t start with something so difficult, maybe biology first?

I looked at the assignment page and immediately felt overwhelmed.

Okay, so glucose plus oxygen makes... carbon dioxide and water and energy. That seems simple enough.

But then, my eyes nearly popped at the long chemical equation that followed, what the heck was: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + ATP

Why are there so many numbers?! And what exactly is ATP again?

Uggggghhhh!

I flipped to my notes from last week’s class, hoping for clarity, but there was only a drawing of a cat wearing sunglasses right where the ATP explanation should be.

Really?

I was starting to understand why nearly all the teachers think I suck.

No, I can’t give up so soon. I remembered quite well that the last topic had been very interesting, something about the reproductive system.

I read only a few lines and quickly discovered that indeed, it had been more interesting when the teacher had taught it.

I flipped to the diagram section, hoping visual aids would help, but the black and white illustrated male organ was nothing like the real thing. At least in my eyes.

Ugh.

This is useless. That’s not even a... is that supposed to be a testicle or a deformed peanut?

That doesn’t even look like a penis. It looks like a sad little mushroom with stage fright.

Istared at the page, then at my pencil, then at my sketchbook.

I bit my lip, then glanced over my shoulder like I was about to commit a crime.

Okay, fine. If I’m going to memorize this, I need real accuracy, I wasn’t a pervert or anything!

The problem was, my brain didn’t exactly pull up the neat textbook version.

No. The instant I started sketching, I was thinking of Kieran. Kieran’s body. The tiny mole I’d spot on the underside of his...

NO STOP!

I wanted to, but my pencil didn’t stop. It moved as if possessed, outlining the very shape I remembered too well from having it in my mouth.

AND THIS IS WHY YOU WILL FAIL THE NEXT TEST!!!

The words exploded in my mind. No, for real, what was I doing?

I slammed my sketchbook close, and with a weary sigh, I picked up math once again.

Maybe living with Kieran was a horrible idea, I just have to think of him each time, it’s getting harder to concentrate on anything else.

Ugh! Why are you so difficult? I stabbed at the calculus with my pencil, and then quickly erased it. Mom had always hated it when I wrote in textbooks directly, because apparently, Pumpkin is going to use these books in the future.

"Having trouble?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, the pen flying out of my mouth and clattering onto the desk. Kieran was standing behind me, leaning over my shoulder to look at my work.

Thank goodness, he hadn’t caught me drawing the latest edition of his male reproductive organ!

"Just... reviewing," I said, trying to sound casual while my face heated up.

Kieran glanced at my notebook, which was covered in eraser marks and increasingly frustrated scribbles.

"Calculus giving you trouble?"

He picked up my pencil and worked through the problem, his handwriting neat and confident.

In about thirty seconds, he’d not only solved it but also showed me a shortcut I’d never seen before.

"How did you..." I blinked at him in amazement. "That’s not fair! I’ve never even seen you open a math book!"

My boyfriend is apparently some kind of secret academic genius. Since when?

I thought the rumors were his parents pays off the teachers to pass?!

So that was a complete lie?

Kieran smirked at my stunned look. "I’m full of surprises, Ollie."

I was so busy marveling at his intelligence that I didn’t notice him leaning closer until his lips were almost touching mine.

"No!" I jerked backward so fast I nearly fell off the chair. "This is exactly why I can’t study with you!"

Kieram raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Because I’m helpful?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I didn’t need this type of help when I was walking on the journey of failure.

"Because you’re distracting!" I pointed at him accusingly. "You solve one problem and suddenly think you deserve a reward!"

"Don’t I?" His grin was infuriating.

"New rule, No kissing during study sessions. If you break this rule, you have to do my laundry for a week."

Kieran stared at me for a moment, then he chuckled. "Deal. But only because watching you try to be authoritative is adorable."

Whatever, at least he was listening.

We settled back into studying, and I had to admit, having Kieran explain the concepts actually helped. He had a way of breaking down complex problems that made them seem manageable.

But as we worked through more derivatives, my mind started to wander to darker territory.

What if we don’t get into the same college?

The thought crept in like cold water, making my chest tight with anxiety. I tried to focus on the math, but the numbers on the page started to blur as worry consumed me.

What if in six months, he’s at some prestigious university hundreds of miles away, and I’m still here taking community college classes? What happens to us then?

"Is something wrong, Ollie? You’ve been awfully quiet."

I took a deep breath and tried to force a bright, casual expression that was the opposite of what I felt. My insides were a fluttering mess of nerves.

"It’s nothing, you know, with the exams coming soon, I’m just a little tense," I exhaled slowly.

A soft, concerned expression crossed his face before he cracked a half smile. "Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll make it."

I stared at him blankly for a moment. He cannot write my papers for me, so how can he help?