Chapter 109 My Boyfriend
Chapter 109 My Boyfriend
ZOE'S POINT OF VIEW
I tried not to think about why Andy kept looking at me. had a lesson to finish and he's kinda distracting me.
I immediately pointed at the page in front of him.
“Will you please ocus.”
“I am focused.”
“No, you're not.”He gave me an innocent look.
“I am.”I shook my head and continued explaining.
“Look at this part. Once you understand this, the rest becomes easier.”He leaned closer to the book, and this time, I noticed that he was actually following what I was saying.
He asked a few questions and I answered them then he tried a problem by himself.
I watched as he worked through it, occasionally rubbing his forehead whenever he got stuck.
“Wait.”He looked up.
“Did I get it wrong?”I checked his work.
“No. You actually got it right.”A small smile appeared on his face.
“See? I'm not hopeless.”
“I never said you were.”
“You've thought it.”I laughed.
“Maybe a little.”He shook his head.
“You're becoming rude.”
“I'm learning from you.”That made him laugh.
For a while, the atmosphere between us felt different.
Just the two of us sitting across from each other, studying and occasionally laughing.
I glanced at the clock and gasped a little.I hadn't realized how much time had passed.
“We're almost done for today.”Andy looked at the clock.
“Already?”
“Yes.”I began gathering my books.
“I'll give you some work to practice on your own.”He groaned.
“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
“Can't you just teach me again tomorrow?”
“That's exactly why you need to practice.”He sighed dramatically.
“Fine.”I smiled and began putting my books into my bag.
“Actually, tomorrow is Saturday.”I paused.
“Right.”I looked at him.
“So I'll come on Monday.”He stared at me.
“No.”I frowned.
“What?”
“Come tomorrow.”I blinked.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“But I thought the tutoring was Monday to Friday.”
“So did I.”
“Then why are you asking me to come tomorrow?”He shrugged.
“Because I need help.”I narrowed my eyes.
“Your mom didn't say anything about Saturday.”
“She doesn't need to.”I laughed.
“Andy.”
“What?”
“You can't just add days whenever you want.”
“Apparently I can.”I rolled my eyes.
“Fine. I'll come tomorrow.”He smiled.
“Good.”I closed my bag.
“Tomorrow we'll focus more on calculations.”
“Calculations?”
“Yes.”He groaned.
“You really enjoy torturing me.”
“Maybe.”I stood up.
Andy stood too.Before I could lift my bag, he reached for it.
“I'll take that.”I immediately held onto the strap.
“No, it's fine.”
“It's heavy.”
“I've been carrying it all day.”
“And?”
“I can handle it.”
“I insist.”Before I could argue, he gently took the bag from me.
I stared at him.
“You know I can carry my own bag, right?”
“I know.”
“Then why......”
“Because I'm already holding it.”I laughed under my breath.
“Whatever.”We walked out of the study together.The hallway was unusually quiet but as we got closer to the living room, I heard voices.Andy slowed down.
“What's going on?”I shrugged.
“I don't know.”We continued walking and that's when the voices became clearer.
We stepped into the living room.Andy stopped.
I stopped beside him.His mother was standing near the center of the room.
She looked furious.His father stood nearby, seemingly trying to explain something to her.
And sitting with his back toward us was a boy.I couldn't see his face.....Andy frowned.
“What's going on?”His father turned.
The moment he saw us, his expression changed.
His eyes briefly moved to me before settling on Andy.
“Andy.”Andy looked at him.
“Dad?”His father gestured toward the boy.
“ It's good you're here....I want you to meet someone.”The boy remained seated.
I didn't know why, but curiosity made me take a small step forward.Andy looked at me, then back at his father.
“Who?”His father didn't answer immediately.Instead, he looked toward the boy.
“Axel.”The boy slowly turned around.
My eyes widened.
“Axel?”He looked at me with the same surprised expression.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
“What are you doing here, Axel?”Andy's mother suddenly looked at me.
Her expression changed instantly.Surprise......Confusion.
As though she hadn't expected me to know him.Andy's father looked between us.
“You two know each other?”I couldn't answer,I was still staring at Axel.
Then Andy's father said the words that made the entire room seem to go silent.
“Andy…”He looked at his son.
“Meet your brother........”My heart stopped.
“Axel.”Andy's face went completely still.
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
The room had suddenly become so quiet that I could almost hear my own heartbeat.
I was still staring at Axel still in shock.The words kept repeating themselves in my head.
Andy’s mother,Anne, was the first to break the silence.She let out a small sigh before turning toward me.
“Zoe, it’s getting late.”I nodded slowly.
She turned toward the housekeeper.
“Please, tell Josh to get the car ready. He should drive Zoe home. Andy won’t be able to take her home today.”I was about to say that was fine when Andy suddenly spoke.
“No.”His mother looked at him.
“I’ll take her home.”
“Andy.......”
“I said I’ll take her.”There was something firm about his voice that made his mother stop arguing.
Before I could even process what was happening, Andy reached for my hand.
“Come on.”I looked down at our hands.
His fingers were wrapped around mine as he gently pulled me toward the door.
I glanced back and noticed that Axel was watching us.More specifically, he was staring at our joined hands.
He didn't say anything........His expression remained unreadable as his eyes followed us until we disappeared through the doorway.
I didn't know why, but the look on his face stayed in my mind.....Andy led me outside.
He released my hand when we reached his car and walked around to open the passenger door for me.
“Get in.”I nodded.
“Okay.”And climbed into the car.He closed the door before walking around and getting into the driver's seat.
A few seconds later, the engine started and we drove away.
Neither of us spoke......The silence inside the car was almost uncomfortable.
I glanced at Andy.His eyes remained fixed on the road......He looked… confused.I couldn't understand the expression on his face.
It wasn't anger,It wasn't sadness.....It was something else.Something I couldn't name soeI turned toward the window.
My mind immediately returned to what had just happened.How in God's name was Axel Andy's brother?I frowned.
I had always thought Andy was an only child or…....Had I simply assumed that?
“Oh my God,” I whispered under my breath.
This was a huge shock.....Axel and Andy brothers??How?
And then another thought hit me.
Could this be the reason why Anne looked like she had cried the other day??Was Axel's appearance connected to why she had seemed so upset?
I glanced at Andy again but he was still completely silent.I wanted to ask him what was going on.
I wanted to ask him a hundred questions but somehow, I knew he wasn't ready to answer them.
So I stayed quiet.....The rest of the ride passed in silence......Eventually, Andy turned onto my street.
A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of my house and I unbuckled my seat belt and reached for the door.
“Thank you.”Andy simply nodded.I was about to step out when he spoke.
“I don't think you should come tomorrow again”I turned toward him.
“Huh?”
“You should just come on Monday. Like it was initially planned.”I stared at him for a moment. Somehow hearing him say this...... broke my heart. Wait what??.... What am i thinking??
“Okay.”He nodded again then I stepped out of the car.I closed the door and stood on the pavement.
Andy started the car.
I expected him to say something else, but he didn't.....He simply drove away.
I watched his car disappear down the street.
“Wow."I shook my head.
“That was cold.”I turned around and walked into the house.The moment I opened the door, Lily came running toward me.
“Zoe!”She wrapped her tiny arms around my waist.I laughed and bent down to hug her properly.
“Hey, little cutie.”
“Welcome home!”
“Thank you.”I picked her up and carried her toward the dining area.
Mom was there, sitting near the dining table.It looked like she had just finished preparing dinner.
The moment she saw me, she smiled brightly.....She signed to me.
Welcome homeI smiled.
“Thank you, Mom.”Her eyes immediately moved over my outfit.
She smiled and signed again.
You look beautifulI laughed.
“Really?”She nodded.
Lily immediately joined the conversation.
“I told you!”I looked at her.
“Told me what?”
“You look pretty!”She pointed at my clothes.
“I really like your jeans. They look so good on you.”I smiled.
“Thank you.”Mom nodded in agreement while I shook my head playfully.
“Okay, okay. Thank you, my fashion critics.”Lily giggled.
Mom looked at me for a few seconds before signing:
You seem happyI paused then I smiled.
“Yeah.”I set Lily down.
“ I'm always happy when I'm with you guys and also........Something good happened today.”Lily's eyes widened.
“What?”
“The BBC girls were expelled.”Mom's expression immediately changed.
Her eyebrows lifted and she immediately signed:
All three of them?I nodded.
“All three.”Lily gasped.
“Really?”
“Really.”I sat down.
“I honestly didn't expect it either.”Then suddenly, the memory of the video came rushing back.
The footage,The window.....My smile faded slightly and I immediately looked toward the window.
Then I walked over and pulled the curtain shut.Mom watched me carefully.
She signed....
What's wrong?
“Nothing.”I forced a small smile.
“It's nothing.”She still looked concerned.After a moment, she asked me how they had been expelled.I walked back toward the table and sat down.
“It turns out there was evidence.”Mom listened carefully.
“I don't know exactly who found it or how they got it, but apparently there was proof of what they did.”I looked down at my hands.
“Maybe God finally answered my prayer.”A small smile appeared on my face.
“I don't have to worry about them anymore.”I looked at Mom.
“I'm finally free.”Mom immediately reached for me and pulled me into a hug.I hugged her tightly.
She signed:
I'm so happy for youWhen she pulled away, she looked relieved then she signed again.
I was scared you were going to lose your scholarship
“I know.”I nodded.
“I was scared too.”I smiled.
“But I never thought all three of them would actually get expelled.”Mom gently touched my arm before pointing upstairs.
She signed:
You know what......... Dinner is ready.
“Okay.”I stood up.Lily grabbed my hand.
“Come on!”I laughed.
“Where?”
“To see the food!”
“Okay, chef.”She frowned.
“I'm not the chef!”I laughed.
“Alright, alright. Mommy is the chef.”
“Exactly!”We headed toward the dining table.After dinner, I pushed my plate away.
“Thank you, Mom.”She smiled.
“I'll be in my room.”I had almost started walking when I remembered something.
“Oh, Mom.”She looked at me.
“If Seth comes looking for me, please come and tell me in my room.”Lily immediately looked up.
“Seth?”I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Is he coming?”
“We're supposed to go bike riding later.”Lily's face immediately lit up.
“Oh my God!”I frowned.
“What?”
“My boyfriend is coming!”I stared at her.
“Lily!”She started jumping happily.
“My cute boyfriend is coming!”I shook my head.
“I've told you before. Seth is not your boyfriend.”
“He's my boyfriend.”
“He isn't.”
“He will be!”I sighed.
“Go to bed already.”She giggled.
“And I hope you've done your assignment.”
“Yes!”She pointed at Mom.
“Mommy helped me.”I smiled and walked over to her.
“Good girl.”I gently patted her hair and carried my bag.
“Now go and get ready for bed.”She eventually followed Mom while I headed upstairs.
When I reached my room, I closed the door behind me,walked toward my bed and sat down.
The moment I was alone, my mind returned to the day's events.The classroom,The BBC girls,The video,Their expulsion,Vanessa,Andy and then…...Axel.
I slowly lay down.
"Meet your brother, Axel"Those words replayed in my mind.
I stared at the ceiling.
“Well…”I let out a small sigh.
“I guess today went well.”Despite everything, I smiled.
The BBC girls were gone,I didn't have to worry about them anymore.Maybe things were finally beginning to change.
I closed my eyes.For the first time that day, I allowed myself to relax.Then......My phone vibrated beside me.
My eyes opened, I reached for it and immediately the smile slowly disappeared from my face.