Beauty and the Beast

Ryan's POV

Seconds ticked by slowly on the clock. I stared at the clock, as if my glare alone would make time go by faster. Instead of serving just one ISS, I have to do two. By my somewhat hastily departure before with Maurice, I had gained another detention, because I had left that one early. Oops, my bad.
I couldn’t be happier though. I, Ryan Tier, am now the proud owner of a tutor, a reluctant tutor, mind you, but a tutor nonetheless. Which means I won’t be expelled, which is good. Very, very good.
This would be the third school I’ve been kicked out of, in the past year and a half. Mrs. Angela would have my head. Not that what she says matters, I just hate listening to her lectures. I swear, the woman doesn’t take a hint, even when I yell at her. She just keeps on going.
But, I have a tutor, so no lectures for me!
Though the tutor in question is going to have to work his ass off. My grades are… dismal. Atrocious. I don’t think I have anything over a D. And school is just getting started. Which just goes to show you how enthusiastic I am about graduating and making something of myself.
Add to that my disruptive and wild behavior, well I guess I’m lucky enough Goodman actually gave me a chance.
“Day dreaming, Mr. Tier.” Miss Detovenares said, pulling me out of my trance.
“No.”
“Then, why aren’t you doing your essay?”
“I’m thinking about what I want to right, OK?” So leave me alone. I didn’t say it, didn’t have to. It was implied. She gave me a cryptic smile, and walked away. That woman is freaking strange. She was so quiet, and serene. It’s eerie.
“Um, excuse me, Mr. Ryan.” Not recognizing the voice, I assumed it was another freaking punk, wanting to start crap. I got up slowly, reigning in my temper.
Whatever I had expected to see, it wasn’t Maurice practically cowering next to the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I lowered my head a bit, so my hair dropped to cover my eyes, giving me full access to stare at her.
The first thing I noticed was her big, wide brown eyes. Sparkling with anger, and a little, well a lot of something else, they made you want to just drown. And then her hair, thick, almost curly, falling down her shoulders. Jesus, this chick is a looker. A scared looker at that.
I felt something stir in me even as resentment pushed along the edges. I wasn’t even doing anything to her, and she was afraid of me. Typical.
“What?” She flinched at my harsh tone, but stood her ground. Points to her. She merely gestured me to follow her, and I almost happily obeyed. Gave me a chance to check out her other features. If you know what I mean…
She led me into the Biography section, where surprise, surprise no one was in. She stopped in front of a bookcase, her back to me. So I decided to be a huge prick, and got right behind her. She turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. Close up, I could see they weren’t just brown, but a mixture of green, gold, and brown. Beautiful. Like a forest, or no, Jesus, what am I saying. I don’t say words like beautiful, and I certainly do not spout out such prosaic crap like ‘her eyes are like a forest’. It’s just not my bag.
I think I need another go with Garreth or something, just to get all this poetic junk out of my head.
“What do you want, sweetcakes?” I was being deliberately rude. Just to establish that I like no one, and no one likes me. I could tell sweetcakes really pissed her off, hence why I called her that, and why I will keep saying it.
I make it my life’s work to piss people off.
“Listen, Tier. You need to go talk to Mr. Goodman, and tell him Maurice can’t be your tutor.” She surprised the hell out of me when she got in my face, and with out being anywhere near me. However that works. Nonetheless, it was frustrating that she thinks she could talk to me like that.
“And why would I do that?” I snapped.
“You practically forced him to be your tutor!”
“So?” I felt a smirk tug my lips. Does this chick really think I give a damn about some freak? Yeah, right.
“So? It’s not fair to him!”
“Do I really look like I give a crap about him?” I voiced my thoughts, and as anger flames shot out of her eyes, I felt an almost consuming need for her to like me, to get rid of the anger lines bracketing her mouth, and bring back those dimples I saw when she smiled at Maurice. As quickly as the urge came, it left. Thank God.
“It doesn’t matter whether you do or not, if you don’t tell Mr. Goodman Maurice won’t be your tutor, then I---“
“What are you going to do, sweetcakes, stutter at him?” I was growing quickly tired of this nonsense, and became more belligerent, just so she’d leave.
“No, you big idiot, I’m going to tell him myself.”
“You can’t do that.” Ha-ha. She’s going to LOVE this.
“Why not?”
“Because, Maurice already signed the contract.” I felt almost giddy as I delivered the bad news.
“He signed the….” She just stared at me, dejectedly. “Well, crap.”
“So, you see sweetcakes, Maurice is stuck with me. Whether he likes it or not. And as I said before, hate me or love me, I really don’t care. I got my tutor, I’m happy.” I frowned at her as she just stared at me. It was unnerving. I don’t like unnerving. My frown abruptly turned to a glower as she just walked away. From me. No one, and I mean no one walks away from me.
“Come on, Maurice, let’s go see if we can talk to some one civil about this.”
“You can’t.” I called out, ignoring everyone’s whispered whining at my loud voice.
“Why not?” She said from behind clenched teeth.
“Because,” I walked up behind her, I mean right behind her, and whispered in her ear. “Goodman is old fashioned, once a contract is signed, said signers are ceaselessly bound.”
“Oh, you stupid son of a—“ Oh, hell no. She may have gotten away with a lot during our little tiff, but I don’t allow anyone to curse at me. I grabbed her arms and whirled her around to face me. Leaning down till my nose was almost touching hers, I gave her a huge grin.
“So, guess what that means, sweetcakes.” I whispered.
“What?” She whispered back, Maurice was trying to pry my hands off her arms. But of course, the little douche was too weak to.
“He’s stuck with me.” I laughed.
“You are a jerk.” She replied angrily.
“And you, sweetcakes, are nothing more than a pretty face.” I sneered. Obviously I hit a nerve as her eyes welled up. She ducked her head so I couldn’t see them, and I was momentarily hit with a huge wave of guilt, which I immediately hid with my more normal mean ways.
“Aw, and you’re a crybaby.” I had a moment of relief when her face went from broken to blistering. I managed to contain my vicious oath when her heel came down painfully on my foot. She ripped herself out of my grip, and hit me with a full fledged stare.
“And you, dear sir, are nothing more than a pitiful, cruel, despicable…beast.” The word beast echoed in my mind as she turned on her heel and marched away.
“Yeah, so what sweetcakes, you still can’t do a damn thing about Maurice.” The words popped out of my mouth on their own accord, and had the reaction I was dreading the most. Pushing her to do something stupid.
She twirled around and met my eyes. Ah, man. I think I really should learn to keep my mouth shut.
“Oh yeah? How bout this, Tier? I’m going to be your tutor. So, therefore Maurice is released of his tutoring duties. So, there!”
You could of heard a pin drop after her declaration. And then, so to speak, all hell broke loose.
“What the…” I mumbled. Jeez, this can’t be good.
“Isabelle!” Maurice cried. “No!”
I know how you feel dude. NOOOOOO!!!!!!