***** # INTELLECTUAL_ROMANCE ***** ***************”************************************* Chapter 2 ”Lucinda isn’t it?” he asked, sounding as if he genuinely didn’t have a clue what my name was which was odd considering how ‘popular’ I was but it was refreshing at the same time. ”Yes, but just Ellie is fine.” I said with a smile, trying to be friendly only he didn’t return it. His face remained expressionless as he looked at me, again it was odd considering the amount of attention I got from boys, however I liked the fact that he wasn’t staring at me like a piece of meat. ”That’s okay Princess, whatever you want. About the tutoring, why are you asking me of all people?” The first part he’d delivered with blatant sarcasm which left me very confused so I answered his question instead. Shifting my purse onto the crook of my elbow, I lifted a shoulder, “I’m asking you because you’re smart, and after that answer today you obviously know what you’re talking about so why not? I’ll pay you twenty an hour at my house.” His body shifted forward with interest. That seemed to sway him more than the fact that I’d called him smart, either way I needed a tutor, even if he didn’t really seem to like me very much for some reason. He looked as if he was thinking it over, probably wondering how much money he’d make teaching someone as clueless as me. With a final nod he stood and began packing away his books, ”That sounds reasonable. We can start today after school and see where that takes us.” ”That sounds ok.” I answered immediately since I hadn’t expected him to actually accept. Well actually that was a lie. Alyssa wanted me to go shopping with her but she’d just have to understand and take one of the other girls. I had enough clothes and shoes from France that hadn’t even been worn yet. “Are you going to tell me where you live?” he asked me once he’d packed everything away. “Oh! Right, um sure.” I flushed, feeling stupid for not having thought of that. I pulled out my pink notebook and a pen then wrote my address down on it before handing it over to him. Sam took it then put his bag across his body as we walked out together, “Ladies first.” He said when we both got to the door. I went first after a moment’s hesitation and thanked him, feeling awkward about it as it had never happened before. The guys in the school wouldn’t do that even for their girlfriends. As we parted ways I wondered, still not knowing why he’d called me Princess before. Something told me he hadn’t meant it in a nice way either. Once I joined the girls at the coffee shop as usual about ten minutes later, I told her that our shopping trip was over and that I now had a tutor. Her reply was slightly amusing. ”Oh, how boring is that? He’s no Calvin Klein model; don’t you want something spicy to look at as you study?” Attempting to keep back a laugh was difficult, encouraging her would not be a good idea ”So what if he’s not a CK model? Besides it would just be too distracting if he were. I want him to help me pass a class, not to be eye candy.” “Who is this guy anyway Elle?” Mia asked me as she brushed nonexistent crumbs from her purple silky dress skirt, her tan legs on show. Unlike me she’d spent her holidays sunbathing on her yacht in the Caribbean, whereas I’d been in the warm and rainy weather so my skin was still as pale as chalk. “I don’t really know much about him but apparently he’s insanely smart, right Alyssa?” I asked, accepting a plate with a thin slice of oatmeal cake Shelby handed me. We always brought a full slice then cut it into portions so not to eat too many calories. I guess that I should be feeling bad for the amount of ice cream and cookies I’d consumed in the past week whilst watching movies with my mom to get over my heartache. I’d worry about it when I got back into my exercise routine. Already Alyssa’s attention was elsewhere, namely on the guy at the counter who was also checking her out. She fluttered her eyelashes and blew a few kisses his way so I gave up and drank my Skinny Vanilla Latte. Looking at my phone, I willed myself to delete the pictures of Louis before I could have the chance to get home and obsess over them again. ”I bet they didn’t have those in Paris.” I heard Alyssa say, at first I thought she was referring to the coffee then I saw where her eyes were. She was smirking at the guy at the counter; who admittedly was very good looking. ”Of course they did Liss, they had French accents too.” I told her, my eyes going back to the smiling face of a heartbreaker holding onto me on the screen which pathetically was still my wallpaper. She turned back to me, meeting her gaze briefly I saw her making a thoughtful facial expression, ”Hmm accents are very sexy. Ok you win but still, that is something I wouldn’t mind a piece of.” If only she knew how it felt to have a painful memory of my first experience being so intimate with someone seared into my brain forever. I was being stupid and dramatic, there was no denying it but I had been a virgin less than two weeks ago so I’m guessing it would take time to get over. Maybe I shouldn’t have romanticized the idea of having that experience with my prince charming who would love me, not just what my body could offer him.With that thought running through my mind, my thumb went straight for the delete icon and in the blink of an eye the picture was gone purple evening dresses

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