chapter 3 / his first friend

After putting on a show in the shower, I stepped out and headed to my room. It was around the corner from my bathroom, a bright sign that I made when I was younger hanging on the door. I flopped onto my bed even though I had no idea what to wear.

A tutoring session is nowhere near a date, but my hoodie and sweats weren't going to make a good impression. I tore through my closet like a madwoman, wishing Victoria could help me pick something. In the end, I sported a black top equivalent to a sports bra with a miniskirt. I tied my hoodie around my waist in case I got cold.

As for my hair, it was still straight, so I let it hang around my shoulders. I glanced at the makeup on my dresser that was begging me to use it. I started to coat my eyelashes with mascara but changed my mind. Even if my tutor was the sexiest man alive, I had no intention of trying to impress him.

When I was satisfied with my appearance, I joined my parents downstairs. Mom was still cooking dinner for tonight, and Papi was furiously tapping the keys on his laptop.

Mom whipped her head back "EJ. Jude will be here any minute."

Jude?

While I don't spend much time with him, I'd describe him as nice but standoffish, the nerdiest person in the history of the universe, and smart. Okay, and kinda cute. Jude was about three inches taller than me. He rarely smiled, but he had a small dimple on his cheek. What? I'm a slut for dimples.

Finally, the doorbell chirped. My mom was adamant about opening the door, but I unlocked it just to annoy her.

Oh.

My.

God.

With sparkling aquamarine eyes and full, pouty lips begging to be kissed, he was cuter up close. His face was beautifully chiseled and he was blessed with a sharp jawline. To my surprise, he was husky. He was as jacked as most linebackers in the NFL.

"Emilia, right?" Jude's voice had a slight British accent, indicating that his parents aren't from here. "Jude Merryweather."

"Hey," I mumbled, getting lost in the sea of blue in his eyes. "Aren't you the guy from the yearbook club?" My face flushed after I asked that question. Jude was the photographer for the softball team, so he was often spotted snapping pictures during games.

"Yeah."

I lead him to my bedroom, cracking the door so my parents don't assume the worst. Pulling out a random study guide, I motioned for him to join me on my bed.

Jude took everything in, then asked, "So, is there anything, in particular, you need help with?"

"No! I don't know why my parents think I need a tutor." Realizing that my oversharing probably made him uncomfortable, I quickly rephrased. "Oh shit, it's nothing against you." I just met my hunky tutor, and I was convinced that he thought I was crazy. Unlike Tori, who always heard me out, Jude gave me a confused stare.

"So...you wanna just review?"

"Sure," I said hesitantly, glancing at the study guide resting in my hand. "Let's start with Biology." Ugh, Biology. I'm alright at it, but everything goes in one ear and out the other.

"Alright." Jude smiled, that dimple appearing on his cheek. "You're in luck. Biology is one of my best subjects." I handed him the study guide and he looked it over.

~

I understood the material even more. The way Jude explained everything made it make sense.

"I'm glad you get it, Emmy."

"Emilia." I corrected.

Jude nodded. "My bad. That's just what your teammates call you."

"I don't care," I reassured him. "We kinda...just met and it's a little premature."

"Yeah. It's quite weird when random people call me JP."

"Huh?"

"My middle name's Patrick." He clarified.

"Jude Patrick," I repeated, the name rolling off my tongue and sounding better than the cheers I screamed in the dugout. "What a cute name."

His cheeks took on a rosy shade. "You're so sweet, Emmy, I mean-"

"At this point, I don't care." A grin graced my face and I deliberately locked eyes with him. God, he was so cute it didn't matter if he forgot my name. "Okay, we're getting off track. I'm starting to forget everything you said."

"Your wish is my command." Jude turned back to the study guide. I loved the way we studied. Instead of sighing answers like a teacher who doesn't want to do their job, he explained the answers well. It only took one of his explanations for me to soak it all up.

~

By the end of our meal, the alfredo my mom made with love didn't stand a chance. It's heavenly, so of course, it was nearly gone.

"That was amazing, Mrs. Shapiro." Jude complimented, leaning back in his seat.

Mom's blood-red lips curled up into a smile. "Thanks, Jude! Just call me Alicia." While my face was free of makeup, Mom went all out with hers, even swapping out her velvet tracksuit and tight sweatpants for a sundress. Her dark curls cascaded around her shoulders, similar to my own hair when it wasn't flat ironed.

"What are you doing over the summer?"

Jude's face lit up. "I'm going to England to visit family at some point, but I'm free the rest of summer." Oh yeah. I can't believe I forgot he was British, and that earned him the ridiculously stereotypical nickname Crumpet Eater.

"Nice."

"EJ, you should bring Jude to a party or something." Mom's suggestion got me thinking. The annual end-of-the-year bash down at the beach was next week. It's been a tradition for high schoolers all over the area for years. Tori and I went to our first one the summer before ninth grade.

We felt really out of place our first time. The entire high school team's starting lineup, girls making TikToks in skimpy bikinis, and the occasional drunk upperclassmen. Some of them were scary, but a few were nice enough to call friends.

"EJ?"

"Mine is Jocelyn."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Thanks. That was my aunt's name."

"Anyways, you should bring him to the party and introduce him to Leo." Leo was my best friend's brother. While Tori and I belted out songs on the way to the beach, Leo would look out the window, headphones on to tune out how pitchy Tori was. I'm sure he'd appreciate having another boy to talk to.

"I've never been to a party before." Jude confessed self-consciously.

"There's a first time for everything."

"It's just...I don't really have friends." At this point, I felt bad for him. We're just now talking, but when you live in the same Florida town for your whole life, of course you remember watching in horror as he got jumped almost every day in middle school. Being bullied made him significantly quieter, focusing on school to numb the pain. Jude hasn't been made fun of since eighth grade, but no one really talks to him unless it's homework related. He doesn't care, though. He always struck me as wanting to solve every problem except for his. Even though I was just his student, I wasn't going to just use him for his abnormally big brain.

"I'll be your first one." Ugh, that probably sounded cringy as hell, but I meant that.

"That's adorable." Mom marveled at our newfound friendship. "Pretty soon, we'll have grand babies with EJ's smile and Jude's stunning eyes. Don't you think, Ramón?" I love my mom, but she acted like I got as much attention from boys as she did. I'm not kidding. We haven't had one over since Tori's brother.

"Mom, he's my freaking tutor. Nowhere near a date, capeesh?" Okay, he's more of a tutor/friend/cute classmate (The last one was very necessary). When Jude comes over, it's strictly tutoring and maybe talking.

"It's fine. I'm sure my parents would say the same thing."

"Not to be rude, but do you do anything other than yearbook?"

Jude's lips curled into a soft grin. "That's not rude, Emmy! Uh...not really. It's always been me and Lucy." He replied, referring to the Pit Bull that got excited when my home run went into his yard.

"Pretty soon, we'll have to meet Roy and Lauren." Papi sipped his margarita. "We should have invited them, Ali."

"What was I thinking?" In addition to getting the majority of my mom's features, I inherited her perfectionism. We both beat ourselves up over minor inconveniences, sometimes even crying together since we felt bad for ourselves. I have no idea how Tori puts up with me.

Papi, on the other hand, was the most laid back person I've ever met. "It's not a big deal, Ali."

Mom's head rested in her hands. "Damn it." She mumbled.

"Alicia. Càlmate." Papi rolled his eyes, putting his hand in hers. "I feel bad for not asking earlier, but how did your first tutoring session go?"

"Great! I guess I'm coming back at the same time tomorrow?"

I smiled to myself. Not because my tutor gave me a better chance of passing sophomore year, but I liked him. Not just his intelligence, but him.

I wanted to be his best "first friend" ever.
~
a/n.

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