The Tutor: Chapter 1

It all started in the summer when I was 15. My parents weren’t around much, and the few friends I had were all away for the summer. I had decided to get a head start on my next years schooling by taking summer school. I know, what kind of person actually wants to take summer school?

In any case, I found myself spending three mornings a week facing the business end of a geometry textbook, and to be honest, mostly scratching my head. During the year I’d had a tutor, a senior named Kyle Sanderson. He was always able to explain the logic and formulae in a way that was easy for me to understand. And when it was too difficult to understand, he would patiently start over from the beginning, walking me through each step carefully and without even a hint of frustration in his voice. I think that’s why I learned so much from Kyle, even though he was much smarter than I was, he never made me feel stupid.

Kyle had graduated at the end of May, and already had his own apartment. I had seen it once just after the school year ended. I ended up getting a B+ in math that year, the best I had ever done in that subject. To show my thanks I had decided to bring him a gift certificate to the local game store. His father answered the door and bluntly asked me what I wanted. He was a man whose temperament seemed to oppose Kyle’s at a fundamental level. While Kyle seemed to have no end to his compassion and patience, his father acted as if my very presence was an affront to his sensibilities. After an extremely brief conversation, I had the address, and a strange sense of guilt for bothering Mr. Sanderson.

I found the apartment easily enough; It was a bottom floor unit in a stucco walled duplex with a big blue door. I walked up, and just before knocking I felt a sort of fluttering in my chest. I swallowed down a quick wave of anxiety and knocked on the door. Even though we were only three years apart, I felt like a child standing in front of that door, and it was a man who had answered. Kyle was tall, slim but athletic, with glasses. I was also tall and thin, but didn’t have muscles like he did. His normally shaggy hair was matted to his forehead with sweat. He was shirtless, and his chest glistened in the sunlight as he stood in the doorway.

“Hey Joel, what’s goin’ on?” He spoke casually, almost as if he had been expecting me. Had his dad called him while I was on my way?

“Hi Kyle, I just wanted to—“ I was cut off by another voice, a woman’s.

“How much silverware do you have? This is all I’ve got.” She appeared behind Kyle with a couple handfuls of metal forks and knives, dressed in a black sports top. It tried to push down her large breasts, but was only semi successful. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, probably to keep out of her face while she unpacked, however some bangs had escaped and fell down her face. Those hairs were glued to her forehead by sweat, just like Kyle. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and the hard work of moving boxes caused her nipples to stand erect, making it look like there were two little buttons popping out of her shirt. I had a sudden urge to run up and press them like a kid in an elevator. To be fair, I’d never gotten much further than a closed-mouth kiss with a girl before. My pants started to tighten.

She noticed me staring, and smiled warmly. Obviously she didn’t see exactly where I was staring. “Hi, I’m Diana.” She set the silverware awkwardly on the kitchen counter. As she let go, the knives and forks spread out and clanked apart for some breathing room. The sound almost made me jump. As she drew nearer I could see she too was sweating, perspiration formed a small halo around the neck of her shirt, once again drawing my eyes like a magnet down to the magnificent breasts she was poorly attempting to hide.

I absent-mindedly brought my right arm out to meet hers, and immediately felt stupid as the plastic card in my hand shoved into hers. “Oops, sorry. This is for you.”

I handed the card over to Kyle, who I’m assuming grabbed it, my eyes were still on Diana. I reached my hand out once again, now free from obstruction. “I’m Joel, nice to meet you.” Her hand was warm, and despite the moisture on her forehead and chest, her hand was dry and soft. It felt lovely to hold in my own. Sure I’d held hands before, but that was either with my mom, or a girl my age. This was a woman I was making contact with.

“Is this for me? Thanks!” Kyle was inspecting the card. In the back of my mind I remembered why I came here in the first place, but now everything had changed.

“Are you two together?” What I probably should have said was “You’re welcome.” All I could pray for was that it didn’t sound as high and childlike to them as it did in my ears. So far I was blowing it at keeping my cool around people that were older, and decidedly way cooler than me.

Kyle and Diana shared a quick glance at each other, then laughed simply and happily.

“Nah, nothing like that.” Kyle explained. “We used to go to camp together every summer when we were kids.”

“Oh, cool.” I was trying to think of interesting things to say, but it took all my concentration just to maintain eye contact with shirtless kyle, and pointy-breasted Diana.

I made a quick explanation for the gift card, Kyle being my favorite tutor and all. They were both very kind to chat with me for another minute that felt like an hour, before I made an excuse to leave. As I was walking away, I heard Kyle shout behind me, “If you ever need help with anything, feel free to come by.”

“I will!” I cautioned a glance behind me as I walked away. Diana had turned and was picking up the silverware. The word PINK was plastered in green across tight black booty shorts. The curve of her ass was a thing of beauty, I could tell even from that distance and just at a glance.


The bell to end class rang. Twenty-four chairs roared across the room as a sea of students poured out of the math room and out into the summer sun. Relief shone across all faces but one. In order to stay awake and focused through the class, I had drunk five cans of coke in four hours. I would not be feeling relief of any kind until I made it to the facilities.

I tried to stand up, but my belt tightened against my body as I rose, putting extra pressure on my bladder. I had to move. I was only vaguely aware of Ms. Russell’s well wishes as I sprinted out of the room.

“Oh come on,” I heard myself mutter as I tried the door for the men’s room. It was the nearest, but also the smallest bathroom on campus, offering only a single toilet and urinal, and of course, a lock.

Near the cafeteria, I thought to myself as I came up with a new plan. I hurried across the grassy quad to the other restroom, pinching my knees together the entire time. I was maybe 30 feet away when I saw the sign. “Out of order.”

Home. I thought about it for a hot second, it was maybe a 20 minute walk. I maybe had 5 until this situation sorted itself out, one way or another. Then I had another thought.

“If you ever need help with anything, feel free to come by.” Kyle’s words from the beginning of the summer echoed through my head. He had moved just a short walk from school. Sure it was the opposite direction from home, but after using his restroom I had all the time in the world to make it back to my house. I had my game plan and started walking at an alarmingly brisk pace to Kyle’s apartment.

As soon as I saw that blue door, it was as if my body knew a receptacle for my discomfort was nearby, and thusly doubled down on the pain. My body was shouting at me that this piss needed to be resolved urgently, so I ran up to the door and started to pound.

It wasn’t until I head the creak of the door that the butterflies came.