Tutoring in Love

“Jack, can you take out the trash?”

“Huh.”

I paused the video playing on my laptop and lifted one side of my headset. Nothing. I must have imagined it.

Click

The video continued, and the sound drowned out the world once again.

Ore wa saiko dattebayo.

Even though I don’t understand a word of what the characters on the display are saying and have to read the subtitles, Japanese is my love language. And…

“Jack!”

Again, that noise. It’s as if someone is calling me. I sighed as my fingers once again tapped on the space bar. This was annoying. Lifting my headset, I tried to listen for someone calling me. I could only hear my laptop as loud as a plane taking off. No, ten times louder. That thing must be thrown out the window. But first, I would somehow have to get the money to buy a new one. I am so broke.

“What!” I shouted and leaned a bit toward the door, just in case someone was really calling me. Now I at least had the excuse that they ignored me too. Sadly, my mom had heard me.

“How many times do I have to call you!”

Can’t you just say what you want? Do I really have to go down? Closing my laptop, I threw the blanket to the side and stomped my way out of my room. Down the stairs, she stood – the devil, some may call her mother. But that was just a disguise – I swear.

“What?” I tried to sound as annoyed as I could.

“Don’t ‘what’ me. How many times did I tell you to take out the trash?”

Her green eyes stared at me, glimmering with anger. Do I look the same when I’m angry as I inherited that trait from her?

“Hmm… Let’s see. I’m 18 now, so at least... One billion times! You say that every goddamn day to me!”

Another thing I had inherited from her was my tendency to have anger issues… but only with my mother. Usually, I am quiet and serene, above mundane matters such as taking out the trash. That’s probably the reason I don’t want to do this. I have way more important things to do, like my anime that is waiting for me. I’m just at episode 356. I won’t finish at all if every household chore stops me.

“Oh… I am so sorry, dear…,” she began.

No, don’t use that card.

“I know you are soooo busy. It’s my fault. I’m just preparing dinner, cleaning the house, driving your sister to her friend’s, taking the dog out… but here I am taking your precious time for a one-minute job.”

Oh god. That’s the oldest trick in the book. How does one counter that? I’ve never found the solution, and I think it’s a feeling that everyone with parents knows all too well – Defeat.

I agreed but only after sighing loudly and rolling my eyes.

“Fine,” I said, about to turn around.

“Good. And take Jessy out for a walk while you’re at it.”

“What!?” I exclaimed, my voice rising in protest.

I turned back only to see strands of her blond hair disappearing around the corner, a devious grin undoubtedly playing on her lips. Of course, I got no answer – which in itself was an answer. That damned but cute dog!

Wanting to be done with this farce as quickly as possible, I put on my glasses, and changed into shorts, sneakers, and an oversized “one-piece” shirt. I loved it; my favorite character – Zorro – adorned its back, his image fueling my dreams. He was everything I wanted to be – cool, handsome, popular, and damn strong.

Walking down the stairs to the front door, I called out to Jessy, and not a second later, a black Labrador ran at me, her tail wiggling in happiness as if it were a propeller.

“Good dog,” I whispered, bending down to greet her. Jessy’s fur was soft and inviting, like a comforting touch for my anxious mind. She responded with unbridled affection, lifting her snout to nuzzle my hand and then showering it with warm, slobbery kisses.

“Let’s go.”

With Jessy on the leash and the trash in the other hand, I stepped out of the house. The hot afternoon sun greeted me immediately. It was one of those warm, lazy summer days where the sun hung in the sky like a golden coin. The air felt crisp and clean, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and freshly mowed lawns. Lush greenery surrounded me, and every color of the rainbow manifested itself in the form of vibrant, blooming flowers. It was undeniably beautiful, even though I couldn’t fully appreciate it in my current mood.

“Yeah, I really want to go back,” I grumbled under my breath.

Bark.

Jessy responded with an enthusiastic bark, her tail still wagging in anticipation.

“You too, right? My bed is definitely more comfortable than this.”

Nevertheless, Jessy needed some outdoor playtime. I figured I could take this moment to soak up some much-needed vitamin D. After tossing the trash into the bin, I strolled along the path that passed by our neighbor’s house. The residence belonged to Ms. Cherion, or as every hormone-driven boy in the neighborhood affectionately called her, “Ms. Cherry.”

They bestowed this nickname upon her for her perfectly formed and full cherry-red lips. Squinting my eyes slightly, I tried to see if I could catch a glimpse through the windows, but I was left disappointed. Unfortunately, the blinds were drawn.

Not that I wanted to witness any spicy scenes, like her parading around in her underwear or wrapped in only a towel. No, those days were behind me. I straightened my posture and redirected my gaze ahead, continuing my walk.

Jessy and I had a blast exploring the neighborhood. We wandered through several blocks, where Jessy marked nearly every tree she passed, barked at a few people, and even managed to tangle her leash with another from an approaching dog. Unfortunately, the owner of the other dog appeared to be a man at least ten times my age.

Shouldn’t I be rewarded with a sweet summer romance if I’m already outside? God, do something! I silently pleaded for some magical intervention.

Taking a break on a bench, I let the wind play with my long brown hair. I had grown them out as an experiment to see if I’d look more manly in a man bun, but judging by my friends’ reactions, it seemed to have backfired. Nonetheless, I was too lazy to cut them; I should definitely get that done before school starts soon.

After spending at least twenty minutes outside, I figured I had enough sunlight to justify retreating to my dark room for another twenty hours. Maybe I could finally finish that story arc I’ve been working on. Lost in my thoughts, I started making my way back home, completely unaware of the person standing on the lawn next to our house.

“Hey, Jack!”

Startled out of my geeky reverie, I scanned for the source of that familiar voice. And there she stood, like an angel disguised as a woman.

Her lips formed a perfect bow, painted in a rich crimson shade and full beneath a nose that seemed as though it had been sculpted from porcelain by Michelangelo himself. Above them were two eyes that bore into one’s soul with their cerulean gaze, freezing my thoughts as our eyes locked.

Sunlight flowed like a river to frame her face, and her long blonde hair cascaded past her shoulders, as if attempting to conceal what could never truly be hidden. Even in anime, I had never seen such big…

“Jessy!”

Even my dog betrayed me in a heartbeat in the presence of her beauty. But I understood. If I were a dog, I’d do the same. What I’d give to be in Jessy’s position, licking her perfect hand... Okay, stop!

I shook my head, attempting to banish those inappropriate thoughts from my mind. Ms. Cherry…ion was at least ten years older than me; I shouldn’t even entertain such ideas.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Cherion,” I greeted her after I’d spent at least half a minute staring at her like an idiot.

“It’s so kind of you to take care of Jessy.”

“Of course, she’s my dog. That’s my responsibility, and I enjoy going out with her,” I lied through my teeth, and it felt as if Jessy shot me an annoyed look, probably my guilty conscience playing tricks on me.

Ms. Cherion bent down while playing with Jessy, unintentionally presenting me with an enticing view of her cleavage. Despite my attempts to avert my gaze, my eyes gravitated toward the inviting expanse of that deep ravine. It was impossible not to look!

“You are so kind; taking care of a pet is like having a child. Sadly, not many manage to take such good care of their pets. Especially dogs need a lot of love and attention,” she said as she knelt down to play with Jessy.

Damn, I also need this kind of love and attention. Jealousy welled up in my eyes as I watched Jessy.

“Okay, sorry. I won’t take more of your time,” Ms. Cherion said, standing up.

You can take all my time; I don’t care!

“No, it’s not a problem at all.”

We exchanged our goodbyes, and I headed back home. As soon as I closed the door behind me, my mind reverted to what mattered most in life: binge-watching series and finishing bags of chips.

That’s precisely what I did for the next two hours until I heard someone ringing the doorbell. As usual, I ignored it, knowing my mom was downstairs and would answer the door. No bell rang again, so I assumed that’s exactly what happened.

Leaning back in my chair, I was about to relax again when the sound of knocking followed by my door opening interrupted me. I didn’t even need to look, for only my lovely mom would open the door while knocking unnecessarily.

“You know, you should at least wait for me to say, ‘Come in.’”

“You know, you should not stay at home all day watching cartoons.”

I could never win against her; how does Dad live with her?

She continued, “Anyway, Katy just came over, she asked for your help...”

Katy... Katy... Hmm, that name. I’m sure I should know it.

“Who is Katy?”

“Huh?”

It seemed we were both confused here.

“Our lovely neighbor? Katy Cherion? I knew it; phones are really frying your mind,” she said it in a tone that suggested she was joking, but I knew she was serious.

And how could I forget her given name? Wait, that didn’t matter. More importantly, what did Ms. Cherion want? And why from me?

“What does Ms. Cherry... ugh... Cherion need?”

“Her new computer was delivered; she needs someone to, I don’t know, do some computer magic... don’t ask me. Just go help her.”

She didn’t have to say it twice. Not a minute later, I was already changed and ready to leave the house for the second time, a situation that was unheard of during my holidays. But I’m a kind man who can’t say no to a damsel in distress.