Chapter 1

　　~~

　　"All women are bitches."

　　"Huh?" I looked at Brittany with confusion laced in my eyes.

　　"She is stating the thoughts of Ace." Janice said, sipping her apple fruit juice.

　　I shrugged as I rolled my eyes, "All idiots think that way."

　　"True." Alan piped.

　　"But where is Ace?" Logan asked, looking around the cream colored plain canteen.

　　Instantly our eyes went to the table at the far end of canteen. That table had been there since the past three years and no one dared to even walk anywhere near it. There were rumors that anyone who went near it would be attacked by some unseen force. Some even insisted that there was a demon lurking under the table and they had seen him. Purple in color with red horns and black lips. He had yellow eyes and only wore a green half-pant with no shirt, showing off his pot belly.

　　But then devils aren't born they are created!

　　That devil table was basically owned by the Trouble Triggers

TTs

consisting of Maxwell or Max, Dylan and Bryan or Ace. They were glued to each other by hips, if it wasn't for the constant rumors about them hanging out with different girls every week, anyone would think they were in a relationship with each other. Surprisingly this time there were only 2 guys sitting there - Max and Dylan. Ace was missing.

　　"Maybe he's gone for some mission." I joked, glancing around the crowded canteen again for any sight of him.

　　Majority people in New Era High School thought that the three, the TTs were gangsters who kidnapped and killed people, yet that didn't stop desperate girls from hitting on them or going to any empty room to share juices with them. And by juices I don't mean the fruity packed ones that taste delicious.

　　"Without his minions? Impossible." Janice said, shaking her head and laughing.

　　We shared a laugh still wondering over Bryan's absence. If one was sick the other had very high fever and the other diarrhea. Like I said they were stuck to the hips. Wherever you go, I follow.

　　'Joanna Williams, please come to the main office.'

　　Everyone looked at me in question as they heard the announcement.

　　I shrugged my shoulders. "Another work for the upcoming school festival, most probably."

　　"Being class president sucks." Janice stated and I nodded my head in agreement.

　　I bid them a quick good-bye and walked towards the headmistress's cabin. Being the class president was not at all easy especially when majority students choose to attend drunken parties rather than helping in any form of school work. But I don't blame them. It's a teenage thing. Hell I would prefer to shove all this stupid work up the headmistress's ass and enjoying drinking my ass off. Teenagers.

　　YOLO. You Only Live Once.

　　"You need to work harder than this. We all know you have the ability and knowledge yet you choose not to use it. Why are you doing this? I will not appreciate or tolerate this kind of behavior from anyone especially you. If I see another B in your mark sheet, you will be suspended."

　　I stood frozen outside Mrs. Finn's cabin, wondering which student was facing a warning from her. She was a typical high school headmistress- prim, proper, confident, austere and always finding fault in every student like it was her personal hobby. The fault in our students, her personal book. She had a habit of shouting at all weak students, probably that's why many feared to get less than a B in finals. But having a B is pretty okay, right?

　　"Whatever." Was the simple, short, non-interested reply.

　　My jaw dropped as I recognized the deep, smooth and raspy voice. Ace.

　　That's why he wasn't at the canteen table, he was here getting an earful from Mrs. Finn. Just thinking about his bored expression as Mrs. Finn drawled on about his behavior hoping he would actually care, made me chuckle.

　　I crossed my fingers hoping Mrs. Finn wouldn't shout at me. I never took rebukes well. I would always get teary eyed after it. Some words cut deeper than a knife. And hers surely did.

　　I knocked the door timidly and heard a firm 'come in'. Opening the door I saw Mrs. Finn sitting on her chair and glaring at Ace, who was sitting on the chair looking at Mrs. Finn's family photo frame instead of her. All I could see was his nape and the tattoo he had since almost a year now and his black messed up hair, and I was content. I didn't want to see his unfortunately heart-stopping and panty-dropping face and forget every chemical equation and mathematical formula that I had managed to learn in my 17 years of existence.

　　"Miss. Williams, please have a seat." Mrs. Finn said, pointing at the chair besides Ace.

　　I gulped and smartly took the chair farthest from him. Still not daring to look at him. He doesn't even look that good.

　　"Mr. Michael Copper here doesn't study."

　　"Michael?" I frowned in confusion.

　　Mrs. Finn looked at me with wary eyes and I felt a heated gaze on my left cheek.

　　"Ace." Mrs. Finn simply said, pointing at him.

　　"Oh yeah!" I exclaimed, remembering his full name. Bryan Michael Cooper. Mrs. Finn always called the TTs with their middle names. I honestly don't know why.

　　"He needs a tutor." Mrs. Finn started and I immediately nodded, understanding where this was going.

　　"Logan always gets an A in all the subjects but then he can't explain even the Newton's laws properly. So I am afraid he can't tutor Ace. Janice is good, in studies as well as explanations. I can talk to her about this, I am sure she will agree. But she had dance classes on Tuesday's and Thursday's, so -"

　　"You will be his tutor Miss. Williams." Mrs. Finn's final words stopped my rant and my jaw dropped.

　　"Huh? What?" I half-whispered, not believing my ears.

　　Mrs. Finn sighed in clear annoyance. "I said you will be tutoring him for the next 5 months or at least until the finals are done."

　　I blinked rapidly. "But Ma'am, I have to do all the school fest work as well as my own homework and studies. I hardly have time." I argued. The thought of spending so much time with Ace certainly didn't appeal to me.

　　"Oh and about that. I decided its high time Bryan did something for the college other than fighting with teachers and students and creating problems for everyone so he will also assist you in the school work. I am sure both of you together can finish it faster, of course there will be students assisting you two. I expect a good outcome."

　　"What?!" This time both of us shrieked, But I didn't dare look at his obviously furious and stunned face, strikingly similar to mine.

　　"Tutoring is okay. But working with a female? No." He spat the word girl, making me cringe a little. Excuse me? You're here because some female gave birth to you. Respect us!

　　"Even I am not interested in working with or tutoring a complete jerkpot." I snapped back.

　　"I am not talking to you, you bitch."

　　"Who said I was talking to you, you walking tool."

　　"No swearing in my cabin."

　　We both ignored Mrs. Finn as he disputed again.

　　"You fucking lizard with no tail."

　　I gasped. "You pig with a long nose."

　　"You donkey with a huge phallus."

　　"You ape with a vagina as big as your ego."

　　"ENOUGH!"

　　We instantly quieted but both of us were breathing a little heavily from the animal argument.

　　"What is this? National Geographic show?" Mrs. Finn shouted, shooting draggers at us.

　　I gulped feeling guilty. From the corner of my eyes I saw Ace's lips reluctantly tug upwards at but managed to remain devoid of expressions. Of course he would find this hilarious, that evil Vampire with extra sparkling effect!

　　Mrs. Finn looked at us and then sighed, pressing her forehead with her thumb and middle finger, a clear sign that her anger molecule would break and all the atoms would fall on us. Not wanting to be a target to those dangerous atoms, I got up hurriedly.

　　"Okay ma'am. I'll try. Bye." I said and walked outside the cabin.

　　Leaning on the side wall, I took a deep breath of relief and frustration. The opening of door made me turn my head.

　　"So tutor, how's life?" His one hand slipped into his jeans pocket as he smirked at me. I looked at Ace with incredulity and bubbling anger. He never ever talks to me, like ever. The only times he's talked to me was when he needed a rubber or some notes. And just a few seconds back, he insulted me. And now suddenly he's asking me about my life. What a blind snakefish!

　　"It was better until I had to tutor and work with you." I snapped.

　　"Oh PMSing?" he asked, winking at me.

　　I fisted my hands on the sides. "No but maybe you are." I simply said and turned to go my next class.

　　"Tomorrow after school, my place."

　　I turned back, snorting at his order. "Excuse me?"

　　"For tutoring." He shrugged, putting his other hand in his jeans pockets. Those legs!

　　"I am busy tomorrow after school." I informed him.

　　He raised his left eyebrow, clearly not expecting a girl like me to have plans after school. "With?"

　　My personal cactus plant. "School festival."

　　"Cool. I have to help in that too. So we'll go to my place after that." He said and then turned and walked away.

　　I started at his retreating back, completely baffled. What does he think he is? Just ordering me around. I am supposed to be his tutor but it seemed the exact opposite. Despite that I couldn't help but stare at his body as he walked off confidently in his white t-shirt and blue jeans. No, he wasn't hot at all. Eww.

　　Just before taking a left, he looked back at me. "And wear something sexy muffin." He winked and walked away. Just like that.

　　My eyes widened and jaw dropped. Muffin? I am a food stuff to him now? Just his one last sentence made the whole idea tutoring sound wrong. It seemed like he was giving me seducing lessons. My face grew warm from embarrassment as a few students stared at us, greedily swallowing the gossip for next ten weeks. I knew the headlines tomorrow would be 'Bryan, the leader of Trouble Triggers achieving a one night stand from the class president, Joanna by calling her 'muffin''.

　　Dumb high school rumors.

　　I sighed, rubbing my forehead. How was I going to resist this stupid bad boy and these stupid rumors if he kept saying such things?

　　-

　　"What?"

　　"Are you crazy?"

　　"No, is Mrs. Finn crazy?"

　　"Guys shut up!" I finally ordered.

　　"Sorry." Janice said, not sounding sorry at all. "But are you crazy to tutor Ace?"

　　"Tutoring that Ace? Ridiculous, I never even knew he needed tutoring." Logan remarked, leaning on his car.

　　"He probably does. Half of the times he will be in the school backyard either smoking or punching someone. I have never seen the TTs in any class. God knows why they even spend the energy and money to come here." Brittany ranted.

　　"I never knew why you hate them so much." I commented, looking at her in question.

　　Her eyes widened, "I uh- just they irritate me. That's it."

　　I raised my eyebrows. "Sure?"

　　"Yeah, we should get going." Britt said, going towards her car.

　　I looked at Janice and Logan in confusion at the abrupt change but they just shrugged back clearly having no idea about it. What are you hiding Brittany?

　　"Bitch you are dropping me today, right?" Janice asked, walking to my car.

　　"Yep, hop in bitch." I answered, sitting in the driver seat.

　　"Can you handle Bryan?" She suddenly asked after sometime. She lowered the volume so Taylor Swift's Blank Space seemed just about audible.

　　"What do you mean?" I gave her a puzzled glance.

　　"He has dark brown eyes, you have blue eyes. His hair are black, yours are light brown. His face makes every girl drool and yours makes guys swoon. He obviously works out, you too do... well sometimes, walking till the kitchen. He has an awesome body with an almost eight pack, you have great boobs and booty. He has-"

　　"Come to the point, Janie."

　　She huffed but answered anyway. "What I mean is he is hot, you are hot. Just don't get burnt."

　　I chuckled at her sentence. "I won't." I said and added 'I hope' in my mind.