Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.
-Martin Luther King, Jnr.

"These are your tests and ninety nine percent of you failed. I strongly advise the failures to improve or I will fail you. For the semester." Mr Isaac, our physics teacher said, handing out our tests.

I got a ninety one. Not bad I guess. I whispered that to Avery when she asked me. She got sixty five. For physics that's actually a good score. Our physics teacher is a lazy incompetent man with a well rounded belly. He can't teach. At all. That's why most of the class is failing. Only three of us actually get A's in physics. Me, Raphael and Abe. I tuned out as he talked on about waves.

As soon as the bell rang, students rushed out of the class. I waited, not wanting to get caught in the traffic. As soon as the class cleared out, I slung my bag over my shoulder.

"Hey." Jake Britton said. Naturally I assumed he wasn't talking to me so I kept on walking. He's our school's cliched bad boy. He rides a sweet bike and has girls drooling over him. And if I'm being honest, I'll admit that he's totally drool worthy but I'm not so... he's just okay. He has smooth thick dark hair, green eyes and tempting pink lips and a natural tan that just never goes away. Ever. Trust me, I've checked.

"Faye." I kept on walking. He's probably talking to Short Faye. Not me. There are two Fayes that go to school here. Me and well... Short Faye. Technically we are around the same height but being called Tall Faye sounded a lot better than Short Faye.

"Hey!" I finally stopped when a hand gripped my arm.

"Yes?" I asked my eyes trailing from the hand to its owner.

"Hey." He smiled. A very beautiful charming smile.

"Whatever you want, the answer is no." I said.

"What makes you think I want something?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Fine." He sighed then pasted a charming smile on his face. "Would be a doll and tutor me in physics?"

"Nope." He looked taken aback by my response. Like he couldn't believe someone said no to him.

Better believe it buddy. There are still some girl who won't fall flat on their faces to please you.

"Come on." He cajoled.

"Get someone else to teach you." I replied, my hand resting on the door knob.

"Raphael is a fu... Raphael won't teach anybody. He's too competitive to help others and Abe is horrible at teaching. Trust me, I know. And that leaves only you."

"Well too bad." I shrugged.

"Come on. You're the only other person that's good in physics." He said.

"And those who get sixty somethings?' I asked. "Why can't they teach you?"

"I need to get really good grades for my university." He said.

Okay, I'll admit it. I wasn't expecting him to actually be concerned about university or even have plans of going to one. I stereotype people a lot. It's my one huge personality flaw.

"Cute but no." I said.

"Why not?" He whined. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't do things for free and I'm not interested. I won't willingly make my life impossible." I said.

"I'll pay you." He offered.

"Tempting but no." I shrugged.

"What do you want? I'll go on a date with you." He smirked.

"Really?" I gushed. "I'm totally going to do it now."

"Yeah?" He smirked.

"Of course not. Don't be stupid." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll make you popular." He said.

"Get your head out of cliched romance novels. No thanks." Geez! What does this boy think he is? God's gift to women? Not that he's wrong...

"I'll make you... pretty?" At this I rolled my eyes. I know I'm not ugly. My parents always say that they perfected the art of making children with me. As disgusting as that sounds. Both my older brother and sister are okay. They are model pretty but they both have one flaw like my sister Ruby has a somewhat crooked nose. Just a little crooked but it somehow lends to her whole damsel in distress routine. And Brian, my brother has weird eyebrows that give him this rakish bad boy look. I don't have any of that. Yup, perfection on the first try.

"No. How many languages do I have to say it for you to get it?" I asked. He shrugged.

"No. Nay. Non. No!" I yelled. "Do you get it now?"

"I'll keep disturbing you till you say yes." He smirked.

"Blackmail," I said with a wide smile "doesn't work on me."

With that, I walked out of the class.

"Hello," I wedged my phone between my ear and shoulder as I opened my locker and stuffed my books in.

"Hey." A voice replied tentatively.

"Ruby what do you want?" I asked.

"Can't I call just to say hi to my favourite sister?" She said.

"I'm your only sister and no. Not by this time of the day you can't." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine I screwed up. Big time." She replied.

"You always screw up." I shrugged. "So how's Chase?"

"Is that even important?" She snapped.

"He's your boyfriend."

"Yeah so?"

"He is your boyfriend." I repeated.

"You know what our relationship is like." I could picture her rolling her eyes at this statement.

"You're only using the poor guy for his benefits." I smirked.

"He orders for food to be delivered to me when I forget to eat even when he's not around. He's pays for me indulge my guilty pleasures. Am I supposed to break up with the guy?" I'm pretty sure she rolled her eyes even though I couldn't see her.

"Yeah I know. Your relationship is kind of... superficial. Like that time you fell and bruised yourself instead of fussing over your wounds like a concerned boyfriend, he went and bought you the jeans you ruined when you fell." I said.

"First, they were my favourite pair. Secondly, what is with your sudden interest in my boyfriend?" She asked.

"He gave me five thousand dollars when he was last here. Of course I'm interested in the guy. How is he? What's going on with him? When is he coming again? And most importantly when is he going to give me more money?"

"You distracted me!" Ruby accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I replied.

"The reason I called. I may or may not have told Luke in passing that I love chocolate sculptures." She sighed.

"And why would you do that!" I exclaimed. Luke is this guy in the university that really likes Ruby. He is also a nutcase. One time he heard her say that balloons are funny and then he filled up our house with balloons. We had to pop them and clean up before mom and dad arrived or it wouldn't have been pretty. There was a time he mailed different pictures of my sister with an extra long love letter. He did it for a whole week. Everyday, I had to hurry home from school so I could burn them before my parents see it. He doesn't know where she stays on campus so all his crazy ideas get mailed to our house. Ruby pays me to make sure our parents don't find out. They would go over board.

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking."

"You say that like it's something you usually do. What should I expect?" I sighed.

"A sculpture. Maybe two. One of me and one of him. And probably flower garlands and may be an arrangement of my name."

"And when am I getting paid for this?" I asked.

"Tomorrow."

"Try again." I replied flatly.

"Fine. Later on."

"When?"

"Before school's over, I'll wire you the money."

"Much better."

"So what's up with you?" She asked.

"Well there's this guy that wants me to tutor him. It's not going to happen."

"Which guy? Do I know him?" She asked.

"Jake Britton. Probably."

"Hey I remember him. He's the hot one. He was Brian's slave. And he has that British accent that just makes him even hotter."

"Focus on college guys, pedophile."

"So are you going to tutor him?"

"Nope. I don't like doing things I don't have to do." I shrugged.

"I think you should tutor him. He's hot." She said.

"When have I ever listened to you. I'm not teaching him. I don't want to. Besides he's a jerk." I frowned.

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"He offered to give me a makeover." I scrunched my face.

"You really need to let those black oversized clothes go." She quipped.

"I said I would. I just haven't gotten around to shopping yet." I frowned. I have been putting off the shopping thing. I should just go and get it over with. Ruby and Brian were finally able to convince me to stop wearing black so much. Technically, it was more of a dare. I'd stop wearing so much black clothes, Ruby would stop stringing other guys that aren't her boyfriend along and Brian would reduce his play boy-ness. So far I'm the only that hasn't kept up her end of the deal.

"I wonder why you were those clothes?" Ruby mused.

"They are comfy and easy to wear. My brain doesn't exactly function fully before 7:00am. If I was wearing colours, I'd have to worry about pairing it right but I have none of those troubles when it comes to black." I shrugged. "And look where dressing nice has got you. You're paying your sister to take care of a mess caused by a guy who likes you. Well I've gotta go. I'm going shopping this weekend. Love yah." I hung up.

"Who do you love?" A deep voice asked. I jumped.

"What are you still doing here?" I snapped. He was listening in on my conversation. Thank God he didn't hear Ruby calling him hot. As if his ego isn't already large enough.

"You know in most countries, eavesdropping is considered rude. This is one them." I snapped.

"So you're not going to tutor me no matter what?" He asked.

"Exactly! Now I have to get to class." I said and stalked off.

***

Jake Britton was tenacious. I had to give him that. True to his word, he didn't stop bugging me till school was over. I wonder how badly he's failing that he wants this so much.

Anyway, that's not my problem. I penned down the last paragraph of my history assignment. My laptop pinged. Well it's not my laptop and it didn't ping but I am the one using it and it made a sound.

I checked my notifications. Brian wanted to Skype. I ignored him because I wasn't in the mood but he kept spamming my inbox so I finally accepted. His face popped up on the screen.

'What?' I snapped.

'Where are the parentals?' He asked.

'Downstairs.' I rolled my eyes. 'What do you want?'

I'm calling a much needed and way overdue family intervention.' He said. I rolled my eyes at his choice of words. He accepted a request from Ruby to join the chat.

I picked up the laptop and trudged downstairs.

Family intervention at my house is just a fancy way of saying, I'll make our parents agree with me so they can force you to do what I want. Usually its between Brian and Ruby. And it is almost always over stupid irrelevant things.

'Mom! Dad! Brian and Ruby are at it again! Family intervention.' I yelled. Few seconds later, my mom came bustling out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a napkin with my dad following closely behind her. She had her world's greatest cook apron on.

I have repeatedly told her to burn that thing. First of, it's hideous with its weird orange colour and secondly it is clearly a lie. Has she ever heard of cake boss?

I set the laptop on the table in the living room. My parents sat on the sofa facing it while I took the loveseat farthest away. Needless to say, I am not at all interested in whatever it is Brian and Ruby are bickering about this time.

I tuned them out, playing puzzle on my phone till I felt a steady gaze on me.

'What?' I asked warily, facing my mom but it was my dad who replied.

'Brian told us there's a nice boy at school who needs help with tutoring and you don't want to help him.'

'Yes.' I replied. They both looked at the laptop screen so I assumed they were done talking to me and returned my attention back to my phone.

'Faye, why don't you want to help this boy? Did he do something bad?' My mom asked.

I glanced at her then my dad and frowned. Its normal for Brian and Ruby to get sidetracked and bring me up but it's usually just one question before they drag the attention back to themselves.

'No.'

'Was he mean to you?' She persisted.

'No mom.' I sighed. Can't I solve my puzzles in peace?

'So you just don't want to tutor him? For no concrete reason?' She asked.

What is with all the questions?

'Exactly.' I replied.

'Just to be clear, this boy never did anything to you, he's not a bad kid or anything like that. You just don't want to tutor him?' My dad clarified.

'Pretty much. Yes.' I said.

'Well you are going to and that's final.' My mom stated.

Mama with the lying apron say what now?

'What do you mean I'm going to tutor him?' I asked warily.

'We think that's best.' Dad said.

'You think taking away from my free time and forcing me to tutor a guy who probably doesn't even know my surname is what is best?' I asked skeptically.

'Will you stop being so cynical. Faye, you have completely cut yourself off from your world. You don't interact with anyone. You don't talk to anyone and you don't care.' Mom said.

'That is not true.' I interrupted her. 'I talk to Avery all the time and I'm pretty sure if she had a serious accident, I'd find time to go to the hospital to visit or at least send a greeting card.'

'That's exactly what I mean. You're way too cynical. It's not good for a girl who's not even eighteen yet. At your age I had to handcuff your sister to her bed post to prevent her from going to all the parties but you,... you barely leave the house. And when you do, it's to go to work.'

I frowned. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that what all parents want from their kids? I was born into a defective mentally unstable family. God help me.

'That has to stop. You can't go on like this. I don't think it's healthy. You should interact with your peers more. I know you love Avery and she is your best friend but that doesn't mean she has to be your only friend. You're a teenager. Be a teenager. Or you might regret it when you're all grown up.' She finished.

I merely raised an eyebrow. 'Right. So you want me to tutor a guy I have never spoken to before today, go to raves and talk to a bunch of random people I don't care about.'

'Not necessarily in that manner but yes something like that.'

'No. Not gonna happen.' Was my reply. Now where was I with my Mona Lisa puzzle?

'It's a family intervention and we all agree.' She stated.

I dropped my phone. 'The intervention was for me?' Annoyance coloured my tone. My eyes were shooting daggers at the laptop.

'You have got to be kidding me.' I muttered under my breath.

'You've let me live my life for the past seventeen years, why mess with the system now?' I asked out of curiosity.

'Because you are out of sync with your generation. Because you only care about two people other than your family.' Mom said.

I frowned. 'Two? What two people?'

I wasn't aware they were that much.

'Avery and Mrs Pip.' Mom said.

'I don't care about Mrs Pip. She's my boss so it's required that I be nice to her. There's a difference. If she drops dead right now, I couldn't care less.' I replied.

Mom glared at me. She had on her, don't you dare argue with me face.

'What?'

'I want you out of the house at least two nights a week. At the end of the next week, I want to meet at least three new friends of yours that you actively talk to. And you will tutor that nice kid, Jake.' She declared.

What makes her think Jake Britton is a nice kid?
'You're kidding right?'

'Do I look like I am?' She snapped.

'This makes no sense. What do you care about my friends? I haven't had any for the past years and I haven't died which means they are not necessary and are a complete and total waste of time. You can't force me to make friends.' I stated defiantly.

'I can. I'm your mom. And you're going to do exactly as I say. That's final.'

'Jake rides a a bike.' I said.

'I rode a bike when I was in high school.' Dad said.

'There's nothing wrong with guys who ride bikes.' Mom defended.

I groaned. Why couldn't my parents be like every other normal parent out there who think boys who ride bikes are bad news?

I turned to dad to reason with him but he busy admiring the ceiling and avoiding my gaze. Mom stood up and stomped into the kitchen and my father followed.

My annoyance reached levels unknown to man. I picked up the laptop and glared at my siblings.

'Which one of you two idiots put this idea in their heads?' I seethed.

'Bye.' Ruby said hastily and immediately logged off. Brian's guilty face filled the screen.

'So it was you.' I glared at him.

'Faye this is your senior year. You'll thank us later.' He tried to placate me.

'Not if I kill you first.' I snarled. He had the audacity to smirk.

'Good thing I'm far out of your reach.'

'For now.' I threatened. 'In the mean time, I'll destroy this laptop.'

'Destroy it. I don't care. It's your laptop anyways.' He replied.

'Is that what you think?' I grinned deviously. 'This is your gaming laptop. You know, the one with all you high scores.'
His eyes widened.

'I was thinking about leaving it in the freezer.'

'You wouldn't.' He narrowed his eyes.

I pretended to think about it for a moment. 'You're right. I can do much better than that. What do you think about leaving it on the lawn and then accidentally turning on the sprinklers?'

'Faye. Please. Those high scores took years to achieve. Please.'

'You should've thought about that before meddling in my life.' I retorted.

'Faye, you know we're just doing this for your good. It's your senior year. Your last year of high school. You should do something with it because if you don't, you'll regret it by the time you get to college. We are just trying to help.' He said.

I sighed. I can't be mad at any of them now. They are just looking out for me. They think what they are doing is what's best for me even though they are completely wrong.

'I know but you guys shouldn't interfere in my life. You know I really hate that. You should've at least talked to me about it first.' I pinched the bridge of my nose. I could feel a headache coming.

'Probably. Sorry about that but we both know you wouldn't have listened. You're too stubborn.' He replied. I reluctantly grinned.

'You're right.'

'I was Jake's mentor...' He said.

'You mean he was your slave.' I corrected. It's this football thing they do at Redwood High where they assign a freshman to every senior to mentor but let's face it, it's just license to boss freshmen around. Brian was captain of the team back then so he got Jake who was the best freshman player.

'The point is,' He grinned. 'Jake is a good kid. He's sort of like Ruby. Because they are popular and they always gets the girl or guy, people always stereotype him. Don't do it, Faye.'

'Too late.' I grinned. 'As much as I'm interested in catching up with you, I have to go.'

I logged off. Mom walked into the room.

'I spoke to my friend Marla, she says there's an opening at the pool. I told her you'd take the job.'

I gaped at her. 'I already have a job.'

'At a library. You're not going to meet a lot of people your age working at a library so I just quit for you. You start work at the pool next week.'

You have to be kidding me.

***

'Enough with the nonsense.' I snapped. Jake grinned, sensing his victory.

'I'll tutor you.' I said. His grin grew.

I felt compelled to add, 'Not because I want to but because my parents are forcing me to. Just to be clear, if it were up to me, I'd rather slam my face in a car door multiple times than tutor you.'

It pleased me immensely to see his smile dim.

'In return, you'll convince my parents that I'm a social butterfly.' I said. He raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. 'Just convince them I'm trying to be social. You have to take me out somewhere two nights a week.'

'On a date?' He smirked.

'No. Just out of house. My ma is kicking me out for two nights a week. I just need you to provide me with an alibi. I won't actually be going. I'll just pretend I did and you'll assure my parents I went to whatever party or the other. Deal?' I put out my hand for a handshake.

His devilish grin set me on edge. 'Deal.' He shook my hand.

Suddenly, I wasn't so sure I knew what I was getting myself into with Jake Britton.

°°°

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