Bab 151: Chapter 148
Since things were partly solved, I had insisted on us continuing with the lesson. And technically, it was more of a one hour study time, I'd just help out a bit because something told me trying to tutor him was not going to end well. Neither of us had carried the key to my place so we had to go back to his house and study from there. He was trying so hard not to say anything. It was obvious that there were other things he'd rather be doing, but he had made a promise and he couldn't go back on it.
" I can't believe you're forcing this on me!" He complained as I held his bedroom door open and ushered him in. Nothing he said was going to make me change my mind. There were bad students at school, I knew that. Some people just weren't engineered for education and no matter how much they tried, nothing changed. But Austin wasn't one of them. He was just a rebellious teenager who didn't like forcing his mind to do the things it didn't feel like doing. Or if I were to use another term, he was intentionally lazy whenever books were concerned. If I had known he would turn out like this, I would have never allowed him to copy my homework when we were kids. I definitely played a major role in his current state.
I locked the door and led him to the dressing table when he would have gone to the bed instead, making sure he sat down first before I started thinking of exactly how we'd start. I was going to study with him, that way he wouldn't feel alone, and it would also be easier for him to try if he saw me do the exact same thing.
" Aren't you supposed to love me the way I am? "
" And aren't you supposed to be making the most of your parent's fees?"
" No maths! No chemistry! Let's learn literature!" he picked up the text we were reading in class and flipped open the pages, then he literally started reading the page it landed on, and it was a novel. You didn't read novels from the middle.
I closed the book and pushed it away, then I placed a Biology textbook before him, along with a notebook and a pen.
" It'll be fun, but you won't gain anything if you don't fix your attitude first. A positive attitude is often times the key to intellectual brilliance. "
" Jeez, where'd you read that? The Bible?"
" Pinterest quotes. "
" Figures. Fine then, educate me Stevens. "
He leaned back against his seat, I was still standing next to him. I flipped open the textbook, looking through the list of contents on the first page, trailing my finger down the list as I tried to choose what topic we would study. And as I was doing so he stood up. "
" Bathroom break, " he said before I could ask him where he was going.
" We haven't even started yet. "
" Precisely why I'm taking a break, just take your time and pick something. But make sure it has nothing to do with plants or the human body and shit. "
" It's Biology for fuck's sake!"
I shook my head and picked the textbook up, standing up straight and wondering what was simple enough to intrigue him without overwhelming his poor brain. He could read through the entire sports section but one biology chapter was a challenge. I heard the bedroom's door open, and when I turned it was to find him walking out.
" Where the hell -"
" I'll be back in a sec, promise!" He shouted as he locked the door and left. And for some seconds I just stood there. I assumed that's what it felt like to try to teach a kindergarten class. The kids would just be running around and shouting, harbouring no actual intent to learn something. If he kept that up I'd give up, my patience could only stretch so far, and I was sparing my own studying time to help him out. He came back not long after. And I understood why he had left to begin with, he was carrying another chair. And he walked over and placed it next to his.
" Figured you'd get tired, " He said before tapping the seat's surface and gesturing for me to sit. I did so, smiling at him because that was honestly sweet.
" I also found this, " he took out a juice box and slid it over to me. It was one of those tiny ones, the ones meant mostly for little kids. I chuckled, picking it up and reading the writings on it.
" Wow, blueberry flavoured!" I lightly said, showing it to him with a proud smile.
" Aren't I a gentleman?"
" Oh you sure are. Look at you! Making sure I don't die from dehydration as we read about plants and the human body. "
He sagged lower on the chair, crossing his arms almost protectively as he shot the books a very unfriendly look.
" The things I do for love, " he stated in a low voice before pulling the book closer. Out of his own free will, then he sat up straight and somehow managed to shift his focus to the book.
" I'll read these first two pages, you can quiz me afterwards. "
Our of respect for his feelings I didn't show how extremely shocked I was. Since when did he budge that easily? If I were being totally honest, I had assumed he'd just make me read some shortened facts to him over and over until they stuck in his head. Yet there he was, suggesting that I quiz him. And he was reading about chemical elements, I mean, I wasn't able to judge whether or not it was gonna be hard for him, but I suspected so.
" Try writing down some short notes as you read, it might better help you to recall things. "
He nodded, picking up the pen as a clear sign that he was gonna do as I suggested. I busied myself with the text I had taken from him. It would actually give me a chance to complete it, I couldn't rely on our classes since the teacher was taking her time, and we had exams really soon. But I personally only had a few pages to go, so I didn't read in a rush. I threw Austin a glace, found him busy reading, his eyes narrowed as if he was trying to comprehend something. I hoped he was reading with the intention of remembering and not just cramming the information for the moment and not caring whether he'd forget later on. I took the juice box, stuck in the cute little straw and took a sip. He wrote something down, and after he was done I brought the straw to his lips and silently waited for him to drink, he did so, and then he affectionately tugged my ear without really looking. I finished the book, stood up and cautiously walked around his room,there was more than enough space in there. And I didn't want to make any noise so that I wouldn't distract him. I found my own backpack and took out my books, walking back over to him and sitting down. There was still about fifteen minutes to go, he stretched and said he was done.
" Really?"
" Mhm, it's really confusing though. "
" Any part in particular?"
" All of it? Like this for example, what exactly does it mean?"
He pointed at a structure. I suggested that I ask him five questions, and if he still found it hard to respond we'd go through it together. He actually got two right, and I was proud because that was proof of how smart he was if he studied. And even the ones he'd gotten wrong, he had had an idea that showed he wasn't entirely clueless.
" Two's good!" I ensured him, happily tapping his shoulder and making sure he saw how genuinely proud I was.
" Let's go through it, cool?"
" Yeah, but we can skip this first part, it's pretty easy. "
This version of him was a definite turn on. He got all flustered on seeing how much joy was in my stare. He probably didn't want me to get used to it but I already had, and I'd be making sure no day passed without him reading something. I took the notebook he had been using and flipped over to a new page, moving closer to him so that he'd clearly see what I was writing. And before I said anything I quickly rubbed the tip of my nose against his cheek. I seriously loved him! We just needed to smoothen up his rough edges, it would take effort but I was gonna be there for him every step of the way.... mostly if he let me. His compliance would either be the deal maker or breaker.
" Okay, let's start here, so this is basically the structure of a triglyceride. If you read up here you'll see that it's made up of..."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone