I Ditched My Childhood Sweethearts for a Brighter Future Chapter 02

I Ditched My Childhood Sweethearts for a Brighter Future Chapter 02

Growing up, I had never been separated from Logan and Charles for more than two days.

From kindergarten to high school, we shared the same schools, the same classes, and the same meals. Except for when we slept, we spent all our free time piled into Charles’s room.

Selfishly, I wanted everything to stay exactly the same. I couldn’t handle even the slightest shift.

I used to wish we would never grow up, believing we could just play together forever like when we were kids.

But in the end, I realized it was nothing more than a pipe dream.

My phone vibrated. The tutor Alanna had recommended had accepted my friend request.

I clenched my fists and wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

I was going to transform myself into someone universally loved, too.

Once I learned everything I could from the tutor Waylon Bradbury, I wouldn’t care anymore.

Logan, Charles—I was moving on from both of them.

Paisley: [Sir, when are you free?]

I was desperate to start my transformation and prove my childhood friends wrong for abandoning me.

The account with the solid black profile picture remained silent for a few seconds before sending a single question mark back.

Paisley: [I’m free whenever. I can work around your schedule.]

He seemed incredibly cold, but I forced myself to send another text anyway.

This time, the pause on the other end lasted even longer.

Waylon: [Tutoring?]

Seeing his one-word reply, I typed back immediately.

Paisley: [Yes! Are you free right now? We could do a trial session today.]

A few seconds later, he dropped an address.

I grabbed my backpack and sprinted out of Charles’s room. Passing Logan’s tablet on the way out, I pushed down the lingering ache in my chest and stepped out with a new sense of purpose.

Alanna truly lived up to her reputation. Even her tutor was so drop-dead gorgeous it was hard to look away.

I had arrived full of fiery determination, but the moment I met his cold eyes, all my confidence vanished.

“Northwood High?” His gaze lingered on me for a fraction of a second, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

Before I could get a closer look, his eyes shifted down to my backpack.

I nodded. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the nearby library, and I followed behind him like a quiet shadow.

“You look so young, sir…”

I never expected someone so handsome to be such a brutal teacher.

I was practically on the verge of tears from his sharp critiques, using his quick water break as an opportunity to break the ice.

“Yeah. I’m a sophomore.” He glanced sideways at me, seeing right through my little distraction tactic.

“Which college do you go to?”

“Harvard.”

I immediately piled on the flattery. “Wow, I had no idea you were so accomplished. Going to an Ivy League school like Harvard is my dream…”

Setting his water bottle down, he stared directly into my eyes, freezing the rest of my words right in my throat. “Flattery won’t work. You aren’t going home today until this practice exam is finished.”

Alanna really was in a league of her own. Hiring a tutor this ruthless showed how hard she was willing to push herself.

Brimming with regret, I picked up my pen and kept writing.

After an entire afternoon of non-stop work, my mind was completely cleared of Logan, Charles, and Alanna. It held nothing but test questions and scratch paper.

By the time the sky went completely dark, he finally collected the papers. “Same time tomorrow. Every minute you’re late means two extra exams.”

My legs went weak with dread.

I had brought this entirely on myself. Muttering curses under my breath, I kicked a stray pebble as I made my way back home.

My hand was stiff and cramping from holding the pen, but as I looked up, I spotted two familiar figures just ahead.

Logan sat by the door, while Charles held his phone to his ear, dialing someone.

The moment my ringtone echoed through the quiet street, both of them snapped their heads up to look at me.

Logan reacted first, his expression instantly turning dark. “Where the hell have you been all afternoon? You weren’t in your room when Charles and I got back.”

Charles tugged gently on Logan’s arm, and his face looked strained too.

“Paisley, why didn’t you pick up your phone? You said you were staying home this weekend to grind through practice tests for your weak subjects.”