Chapter Three

Matthias Delgado

I can't believe this shit. My parents are glaring at me from the other side of the kitchen counter, waiting for me to explain what the hell is going on. The piece of paper in my father's grip crinkles in the silence that has descended on the room.

"Nero," my mother says softly. "You need to calm down. It's only been six months. He could get a tutor to help him bring his grades up."

I swear to everything that's holy I love this woman. Thalia isn't my biological mother, but she has been in my life since I was ten years old. She raised me, saved me, loved me, and everything in between. She is my rock and my father's voice of reason. But at the moment I want to throttle her.

"A tutor?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes, Matty," she smirks. "Someone to help you with your studies."

I roll my eyes at the use of her nickname for me. I have always disliked her calling me that, even as a child, but I have never had the heart to tell her so. "I don't even know why I'm going to college."

"Because," my father says, "I won't have one of my children running around like an uneducated hoodlum."

"It's not like I will use any of this shit after I join you," I challenge him.

"You won't be working for me if you don't graduate."

Both of my parents are back to glaring at me again. Clearly, this isn't going the way I want.

"I already got a list from the college," my mother says, breaking the tension and sliding a piece of paper across the counter. "Just give them a call and find out who has the time to work with you."

"Fine." I sigh folding the paper and putting it into the back pocket of my jeans.

My siblings come running into the kitchen, Andres chasing after Daniela with a water gun. "Daddy, catch her!" Andres yells as we all laugh.

Daniela ducks under my father's arm before sprinting out the back door with our younger brother following closely. Their laughter carries through the house and defuses the situation. Rising from the chair I leave my parents alone to do whatever they do. Besides, I really don't want to watch them make out again. They are way too affectionate for my liking.

Falling on the king-sized bed in my room, I release a frustrated sigh. I fucking hate college. I thought maybe this would be my opportunity to be more of a normal person. I should have known better. My father's name and his reputation preceded him. The only people interested in me are people that want something.

But I should be used to it by now. Everyone uses someone to get what they want. It's the way the world works.

Ripping the list my mother made from my pocket, I glare at the names trying to decide which one to call. Picking a random name, I dial the number and wait for someone to answer.

****

Kaelie Carter

"Please don't fire me," I beg the manager at the coffee shop.

"I'm sorry, Kaelie," he says and shakes his head. "This is the third time you've been late, and I need someone more dependable. I also can't have you waiting tables when you look like you stepped out of cage fight."

"Please." I can feel the tears gathering, ready to fall. "It's not my fault the buses were running behind." I don't comment on the state of my face.

I need this job more than anything. My life is quickly spiraling out of control. The moment I turned eighteen, I left my druggie parents behind. I was lucky to get a scholarship to Birchleigh College, but it only covered half the costs. I still needed to buy my own books and pay for food. Which is why I had two jobs on top of everything else.

"You can collect your week's wages from Ellen and hand in your uniform. I'm really sorry, kid." The manager turns and walks away without saying anything else.

Standing in the staff locker room, I change back into my own clothes while desperately fighting to keep the tears at bay. I have no idea how the hell I'm going to pull this off.

The ringing of my older-model flip phone breaks me out of my thoughts. Staring down, I don't recognize the number. What could it be now? How can this day get any worse?

"Hello."

"Are you a tutor at Birchleigh?" the deep baritone voice asks, no hello or anything.

"Yes?" My reply comes out as a question, and I immediately feel like an idiot.

"I need a tutor. Do you have any spots available?"

For a moment I can't form any words. Is it possible the universe is actually trying to throw me a bone here?

"Hello?" the voice asks impatiently.

It sounds familiar but I can't place it. I also don't have time to think about that now.

"Hi. Yes. Yes, I have spots open. Which subjects?" I'm rambling but my excitement at being able to earn enough money to get through this year is driving me.

"All of them." The man sounds sullen on the other end of the line.

"All right," I say hesitantly. "When would you want to start?"

He sighs and I hear papers rustling in the background. "Immediately. My parents are on me to do well."

I actually contemplate turning him down. It seems he might be a little much for me to handle and I have a bad feeling about this. But he seals the deal with his next words.

"I'll pay you anything you want. All the other tutors on the list are full and I really could use the help." It sounds like he is choking on the words, clearly not used to asking for any kind of assistance.

"Fine." I sigh. "Send me an email with your class schedule and I will let you know when I can meet you."

"Great."

He doesn't wait for me to say anything else before disconnecting the call. I don't know what the heck I just signed up for, but I have a feeling this was a bad idea. Instead of dwelling on something I don't have all the facts on, I find Ellen, get my money, and walk back to campus.

When I finally reach my dorm, I almost turn around and leave but it's already dark and I'm cold. Hunching my shoulders and making myself as small as possible, I hope the group of women sitting on the hood of a black convertible don't see me.

"Look, it's the little mouse," Amber Perez mocks loudly. "Where are you off to, Little Mouse?"

I don't reply, knowing she doesn't really care. She always does this. Tries to pull me into a conversation only so she can degrade me in front of an audience. My father used to work for her father until he got addicted to the product he was supposed to sell. I grew up with Amber, hell, we even used to be friends, but now I'm just another person for her to look down on.

I quicken my steps in the hope that I can make it inside the dorm before anything else happens. But my luck has never been that good. Someone shoves me from behind and I go sprawling across the tarmac, my knees and hands scraping across the hard surface. My ribs protest the way I am bent over and I fight back tears. I don't dare cry out and draw attention to what is happening—that would only make it worse.

A set of powder-pink stilettos appear in my blurry line of vision, and I slowly lift my gaze until I see Amber's face. She sneers down at me before pushing at me with the toe of her shoe like I'm a piece of garbage.

"Don't you think it's time to go back to your trailer park, Little Mouse? You know you don't belong here."

She doesn't wait for me to reply before she stalks off with her friends, laughing at my expense.