44. F L A S H Y !

Chase.

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I just went for a nice long walk around the block. My dad's really cool with me going out on my own these days, so long as I have my ugly flip phone and don't take the car. Which.. I couldn't do anyway since he took the keys. Poor Blue Legend. I really miss driving it.

It's hella hot today but I really wanted to go for a walk. It's my day off and I've spent most of the day playing games with Loren and talking to Aron and Sky on the phone. Sky's much happier these days. It makes me feel good.

I'm... okay. Not as sad as before but definitely not happy either. I wonder when the dark fog on my brain is going to lift.

I reach the front yard and spot a bright pink glittery motorcycle in the driveway. I can't help but laugh. It looks absolutely ridiculous. It's a clown-mobile. It's even too much for Loren's taste. Who would drive around on such a flashy motorcycle?

I turn the key and head inside.

"Dad," I chuckle. "What's with the hideous motorcycle outside? I know Loren can be extreme but—" I stop talking as I enter the living room area and lay eyes on an entity that replaces my good mood with annoyance.

Anthony looks sort of annoyed too.

I look from him to my dad.

"What's he doing here?" I murmur.

My dad gets up from the couch while Anthony continues to sip his tea.

"After seeing your horrible grades, I decided to ask your school for a tutor in math. Anthony here was available so.."

Seriously?! This guy?! Out of all the math geeks in the school I get this one?!

"Can we talk?" I say quietly.

"Of course we can. After your study session. I'm sure Anthony here doesn't have all day." Dad says happily.

I look at Anthony. He nods with a flat smile on his face.

"It's kind of urgent." I press.

"Chase, there's no worming your way out of this. Just give it a try. When your grades are better, you'll thank me."

"But Dad—"

"Chase," Dad gives me warning look.

I sigh defeated.

"Your mom is coming over in a while so unless you wanna see her.."

"Let's go." I mutter, hurrying up the stairs.

I open the door to my room and Anthony walks inside. He only quickly scans the room before focusing on me again.

"I see you're not thrilled to have me as your tutor."

"I'm not thrilled to have a tutor at all. Not everything's about you." Though in this case it is. Not that he needs to know that.

He sighs a bored sigh. "Look, this isn't exactly how I wish to spend my Saturday either but, you know, that limited edition Prada bandana isn't going to buy itself."

I roll my eyes annoyed. Can this guy talk about something important for a change?

I grab a chair from Loren's room and sit next to Anthony at my desk. He opens the textbook and begins to explain some things that make absolutely no sense to me.

"Are you paying any attention at all?"

"This stuff just doesn't make sense to me! And why should I care what x equals? Who the fuck is x?"

"Because, this stuff is going to help you in all areas of life."

"God, you sound like my dad." I groan.

"Well, then he's a smart man. I mean, look at this jacket,"

Kill me now.

His jacket is made up of a bunch of patches of fabric. Some bright pink, one patch glittery silver and most of it is denim..

"In order to make this,"

Wait, he made that himself?

"I had to figure out how much of each fabric to use and math helped me do that."

"Well, I'm never gonna make my own clothes." I whine.

"You'll use it for something else. Just find whatever motivation you need to pay attention."

"I don't want to."

"You are so spoiled! Other people would kill to learn this stuff but aren't able to because of poverty yet here you are complaining because it takes too much effort."

I'm surprised because.. he's kinda right. On the other side of the world people are worrying about existing and here I am, able to get all this education and complaining about it. I can't believe he would stand up and say something like that to a near stranger. Now that I think about it, he's never afraid to speak up. How..

irritating.

"I'll explain it to you again. Pay attention this time. I swear, it's easy."

Lots of explaining later..

"So if 13 times x equals 6318 then all you have to do is divide..." He gives me a hopeful look.

"Divide 6318 by 13."

"Exactly." He looks slightly less desperate than before.. which weirdly makes me feel proud.

"Next one."

We work and we work until Anthony decides to call a break.

"Thank God!" I lean back in my chair. "My brain hurts." I throw myself into the bed.

I close my eyes and relax for a bit.

I hear Anthony walk around the room.

"Oh my God, is that Taylor Momsen!" He exclaims suddenly.

At last! We have something in common!

I shoot up from the bed full of excitement. "You know The Pretty Reckless?!"

"No, but I've watched Gossip Girl like hundreds of times!" He laughs.

You've got to be fucking kidding. With a sigh, I lay back down.

"Of course that's what you'd know her from." I mutter.

"You know Gossip Girl?" He sounds super excited and slightly surprised.

"My sister forced me to watch it with her a million times." I sigh and shudder at the trauma.

"Ugh, Loren! She's such a style icon. I was so surprised she's your sister. I found her Insta the other day. I have like three of her OOTD's on my mood board."

OOT-what?

"I still think Blair and Dan should have been the end game." He says.

"Are you kidding? Chuck and Blair were the only option!" I surprise myself about how adamant I am about this.

"You're joking. You mean the guy that traded her for a hotel?"

"She would have done it on her own anyway." I argue.

"If anything that just proves how toxic their relationship was."

"Sometimes the good times are worth the bad." I mumble.

He stares at me. Trying to decipher what I mean, I'm sure.

Then he turns away.

"I don't know any of these people." Anthony says after a while.

I sit up. Anthony is looking through my CD collection.

"Where are the classics?"

"You mean like the Beatles and Soundgarten—"

"I mean like Britney, Gaga.."

Of course that's what he meant.

"Generic pop trash." I sigh.

"Seriously? Have you heard their vocals?"

"Have you read their lyrics?"

"You're deaf. I mean, who— what even is 'Puddle Of Mudd'?" He pulls a face.

"Says the guy that listens to Lady Gaga, no that's a great stage name."

He looks away but doesn't say anything.

I laugh. Got him.

"Okay— whatever." He turns away.

A smile curls up around his lips.

"We should get back to studying." He says finally.

I suppress a groan. Don't want him to get mad at me again.

× × ×

I watch from the window as Anthony gets on his pink motorcycle. He even has a matching helmet. I shake my head as he drives off.