CRASH AND BURN

Adam's PoV

I have tutor!

The words kept rolling around in my head, all day. I wanted to shout it off fucking rooftops, tattoo it on my back maybe! And not only was she nice and smart but she was always fucking hot.

When my dad called and I could tell him, I felt like I won the presidential election. Then his texts stopped coming every half hour and Coach got off my case. The sun shone a little brighter. Cassey was a life saver.

After classes, I skipped down to Cassy dorm room and knocked.

She opened the door, glaring at me. I reared back, a little thrown off. But I shook it off and placed my smile firmly back on my face. "Hi good evening, Cassy."

"You have some nerve showing up here."

What? I was puzzled and I was sure my face also reflected that. "Cassy? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play coy with me, don't fucking play coy with me." She laughed, a mocking sound. "And I can't believe I liked you, I was going to—”

I stood there, dumbfounded as the doors to the other dorms opened around me to see what was going on. I looked away from the curious faces, the feeling of embarrassment heavy in my stomach.

"You know, I talked to my best friend yesterday after you left," she said, jabbing a finger into my chest. "She told me that the football team does that sometimes, they pick unsuspecting girls at random and make stupid bets with them."

I mean, I couldn't say she was wrong. Sometimes, in the name of fun, my teamamtes would have elaborate dares that did involve women but I never joined tham and that was definitely not what was happening here. "Cassy, no, that's not true. Ask anybody on campus, I really need a tutor."

I raised my hands gently, trying to pacify her. She stepped backwards, away from me. "Oh I did. But then my best friend told me what you did to Mandy. Trying to kill two birds with one stone right? I'd teach you and you'd win whatever fucking bet you cooked up in that sweaty locker room."

"Cassy, I genuinely don't know what's going on right now.” I took a step forward, “But I promise I haven't done anything to hurt you, or fool you—”

"Don't! Don't come near me. That's all you men do, is fucking lie out of your ass," she yelled. I sensed this wasn't completely about me. Someone had hurt this beautiful girl before and now it seemed she saw him in me. "Don't ever come here again."

Then she turned around and slammed the door in my face.

What the fuck? What the actual fuck? What just happened?

Not only was I back to square one, having no tutuor but now Cassy, who I was beginning to like, now hated me.

Those warm tears of hoplessness came

back with full force. I squeezed my eyes shut, as Cassy’s door got blurry in my vision. I had to get back to the dorm, I needed to be alone.

_

Emerson’s PoV

“How's my favourite Petra doing?” I said poking my head into her room, the purple balloon hidden floating behind me.

“I'm your only Petra,” she chuckled.

I walked in, and she squealed as my little gift came in behind me. I knew she'd like it.

Setting it down on the bedside table, I sat down. “I wanted to ask, Petra. . . Do you have anyone? Someone to help you back home?”

“Yeah, sure, of course!”

I took a deep breath. Petra wasn't looking at me, and colour climbed up her cheek. She said that so flippantly, so high pitched, even more than was normal for her that I know she's lying.

“Petra, I'm the only one here as you're getting discharged—”

“Em, I'm fine. My mom just works late.”

She still hasn't looked at me. I fidget on my feet. I knew what it was like to lie because you were embarrassed of your home life, and I'd bet my bike that Petra was doing just that.

“I could come over after work tomorrow, you know, if she'll be working late again. Even if she isn't, I'd still like to help.”

Petra sighed. I hadn't been forceful so she couldn't be angry. She either had to accept or turn me down and I could then ask why.

“But what about you? Don't you work?”

I smiled gently. “I already told them I wouldn't be working today, and I can do that again tomorrow.”

Petra hung her head. I waited for her to speak and when she did, her voice was guarded. “My mom's out of the country. I downplayed my attack, I didn't even tell her I'd been admitted, so she wouldn't come back.”

“Maybe she should—”

“No! We need the money, and she worked hard for her job. I'll be fine, honestly, by tomorrow, I'll be able to go rock climbing again.”

She lays herself back on her bed, and screwed her lip, bracing herself for judgemnt or worse still, pity. She would find neither here. “You rock climb?”

She grinned toothily at me. I could see the gratitude in her eyes. We were more than our struggles, and I, more than anyone, knew that. “You don't?”

“No, but you gotta take me the next time you go.”

“It's a deal.”

We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment. She kind of reminded me of my sister, or at least a version of her my Dad had fucking stifled and finally killed when he banished me from his house.

“Promise me,” I said softly, staring up at the ceiling. “You'll call if you need anything.”

She rolled her eyes, but I could see a small smile playing on her lips. “I'm sure there's something out there who needs your help more, Superman.”

“Petra.”

“Okay, okay, jeez. I promise.”

I make sure she was comfortable in a taxi before I made my way home. As the car sped off, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a text from Petra. “Thank you, Em.”

I grinned at the the screen for a good minute before I put my phone in my pocket and trudged home.

I was in such a good mood, I wouldn’t even provoke pretty boy today, with his wide ass shoulders. Besides, I wasn't even supposed to be home at this time, it wasn’t even eight. I liked our unspoken timetable, it gave me time alone in the morning before all the chaos. I’d stay out of his way.

I’d just tugged off my shirt when the door opened. Adam walked in and stopped short at the sight of me.

I put my hands up in a signal of surrender and put my shirt back on.

He didn't say a word as he bumbled over to his bed. I stared at him, my attention caught. I might be crazy but pretty boy looked like he was on the verge of tears.

I'd never seen him this way, shoulders drooped, head lolled, looking like a man the world had kicked in the balls repeatedly.

"Are you okay?"

I asked casually, feeling like I was just projecting Petra onto him. Considering the state of our relationship I expected him to ignore me but he looked up at my question, eyes shining.

Then Adam Pierce fucking breaks down; low, choked sobs, shoulders shaking, his face going red.

I stood there and gaped at the six four man. I'd never even imagined Adam Pierce in this state. It seemed almost impossible— the golden boy who was literally about to have it all— and I didn’t know what to do.

But I couldn't just leave him like that, couldn't just lay down and put my headphones in. So I walked over to him and gently put my hands on his shoulders, bracing myself for the possiblity that he would lash out at me.

"Please Emers

on,” he said hesitantly, looking up at me like I was a rescue boat and he was drowning at sea, “Please help me."