The Tutor

Chapter 2

That damn Rafaello bloody Ferreira and his stupid feet! Nora thought as she headed to lunch.

She could feel the asymmetry of her feet, the crinkle on her right leather shoe, not to mention the horrible urge to step on someone's foot. She tried not to think about it as she headed to the school canteen, flooded with the school's uniform colours of grey and blue.

Nora filled her tray with pasta and salad, then followed the lanky frame of her best friend, Benny to their usual modest corner where they could enjoy a complete view of the school's central nervous system.

When she first moved here a little over a year ago, she didn't know anyone and hadn't bothered to get to know anyone. She came here to heal and focus on her studies. She didn't need friends. She knew how fickle and shallow friendships in schools were.

Until Benjamin - or Benny as he'd introduced himself. They sat together in English Literature and she enjoyed his quiet demeanour. He didn't pry into her life or give her weird looks like everyone else did. In fact, in the first month, they only talked about literature. Benny did throw her a curve ball when out of the blue, he asked her to be his girlfriend. It was then she had her eyes opened to the bullying and snide remarks he got for being gay.

Knowing she couldn't go through high school with her head buried only in books, she agreed to be his girlfriend and allowed Benny into her life and into her heart. The fake relationship facade didn't last and didn't fool anyone, but she got a devoted friend out of it instead.

"I can't believe we're not in the same class for English this year," Benny whined, taking a seat opposite her.

"At least you don't have that obnoxious Italian brat in your class," Nora said, pointing her thumb behind her, gesturing to Rafe. Benny's eyes landed on the boy who'd bumped into Nora, surrounded at his table by newfound friends.

"Oh yeah, everyone has been talking about him around here. That's a seriously good-looking guy".

The guys he was with were mostly the school's football team, unsurprisingly, the popular crowd. He didn't look as miserable as he had this morning, but sat sprawled on a chair, oozing confidence in front of the self-entitled 'it' girls. It was hard not to notice him. With his good looks and the air of confidence and smugness around him, he was the object of observation of the entire school. Plus, he was the only new kid around here. Rarely did someone transfer schools in the middle of their A Levels.

"Hey, at least you and I have History together," Nora said.

"Let's get to class earlier so we can get a desk together."

"Mr Grant brought up the university applications," Nora said. "Have you started planning yours?"

"Pretty much. I've already drawn up my top five list, with some backups. I don't really mind which it is as long as we're both in London." He said London in a sing-a-song voice.

Nora smiled. "It's not that great. London, I mean."

"London will be different this time because you'll have me," Benny pressed a hand to his chest like he was the gift of the gods.

"Yes, I suppose."

"I swear you are the only teenager who likes being stuck in this small, boring town," Benny said.

Nora, having lived most of her life in London, couldn't deny her soft spot for Berk. "London is loud and full of tourists—"

"It's diverse, cultural and beautiful," Benny cut through. "Hello pride!"

"The traffic and noise pollution are out of this world—"

"The choice of bars, museums and restaurants—"