The Tutor

(11) He Must Be Stupid

He Must Be Stupid . . .

I watched her car pull into a driveway a little ways down the road. The house she pulled into was big, but smaller than mine in width and the yard wasn't as full. It was a beige colored home, with dark brown trims and shutters. That house seemed to match or look similar to the rest of the homes on this street; like a casual neighborhood.

I parked in the driveway behind her car, watching her stand next to it to wait for me. Shutting my car off, I twisted the keys from the ignition and stepped out, making sure to grab my bag from the passenger seat next to me.

I walked up the slightly steeped driveway, all the while glancing behind her to look at the house. It seemed so empty, yet peaceful.

"Look at you," Jennifer said once I reached her. She motioned to the bag slung over my shoulder. "He came prepared, everyone," she joked and laughed loudly.

I gave her a crazy look, making her laugh harder. "I'm trying to take this seriously, okay?" I told her, laughing a little myself.

"Good for you," she tells me, mocking a proud voice. She reaches up, punching me lightly in the shoulder before rolling her eyes playfully. "Let's go inside," she said, nodding in the direction of the front door. Turning on her heels, she walked the remainder of the way up the driveway and cut through the grass to reach the front door.

Before she had enough time to get her keys to unlock the door, it swung open. My eyes immediately shot straight ahead and into the house, but I only met a dark hallway. Then my eyes fell downward and that's when I saw her.

Big, hazel eyes met mine, but the look in them was uncertainty and scaredness. She was small; so small that the top of her head barely reached the door knob. Her hair was parted perfectly down the middle, and each side put up in neat pigtails with light blue bows at the start of them. A dress, the same color as her bows, stopped a ways past her knees and she had black sandals to finish the look.

Glancing quickly at Jennifer, my eyes fell back to the little girl. The resemblance between them was hard to miss; since most of their physical appearance was the same. I've stared at Jennifer's eyes enough to notice the shape, which was the same. The shape of her mouth as well, even though on the little girl it was smaller.

"What are you doing answering the door?" Jennifer asked, annoyance slightly seeping into her voice.

The little girl tore her eyes from me and looked up at Jennifer, not being phased at how Jennifer was coming across. She shrugged, and looked back at me.

"Ugh, Nicole, stop staring at him," Jennifer mumbled, stepping past the little girl to get into the house. "Where's mom? Is she here?" She began asking, walking further into the house and suddenly disappearing around a corner.

The little girl, Nicole, didn't say anything; just continued to study me.

I adjusted my bag up on my shoulder and smiled nervously down at her. I felt as if I were being scrutinized under her intent stare, and if I moved at all something bad would happen to me.

I cleared my throat, and looked over her head in search of Jennifer. She was nowhere to be found.

"Who are you?" A small voice asked, seeming to tinkle like a bell.

I laughed a little before answering her. "I'm, uh..." I trailed, her stare getting the best of me. I cleared my throat. "Wyatt," I finished.

She stepped more into the doorway. "Is that your real name? You don't really seem so sure," she shot at me.