Read Breaking the Wrong for Free Online Page B

feeling. She looks up at me and shakes her head.
    That’s always a bad thing.
      She hands over my paperwork. “I can’t help you with math, but I have a few people that will be perfect.”
      I grab it quickly and plead with her because I’m comfortable with her. “Sure you can,” I say confidently. “I bet you know way more than I ever will on the subject.”
    The wheels in her head are working and I know she wants to say yes. Melissa is too kind to say no. She glances back at the student sitting at the table and looks at me with regret. “I can’t. I already have too much on my plate. Besides, there are way more qualified tutors to help you.”
      I keep my head down and stare down at my paperwork and say, “Oh yeah? Who?”
      “I can help.”
      My head snaps up instantly. Macsen. His green eyes are guarded, as he slowly looks me up and down.
      He holds out his hand and points at my paper. I step back and clutch it to my chest. My head feels shoved under water and I can’t breathe. This is not part of my plan.
    “Can I take a look?” Macsen asks slowly.
    A lot of things are happening inside me: fear, sadness, and anger. I’ve been waiting for him to talk to me, but not here, not where all my vulnerabilities are exposed for him to see. 
      He steps closer and snatches the paper from my hands. I flatten my lips together to keep anything from coming out. I watch his eyes scan the paper and my entire body is shaking. I stop looking at his face and stare at his white polo shirt. It showcases his muscles and makes them even more defined.
    It’s a brief thought, but I wonder if this is what my sister saw.
    He lifts his head and I’m snapped out of my thoughts. I get a whiff of his scent. He smells like the outdoors mixed with soap. Macsen nods and takes a step back. His clean scent follows. “Yeah, I can help you.”
    Melissa chimes in. “He’s a math whiz—he’ll help you so much more than I ever could.”
      Doubtful. 
    I give the two of them an awkward smile and scrunch my lips in thought. To anyone else, it’s just tutoring, but to me, it’s exposing too many of my insecurities … to the one person I loathe most.
    On the other hand, this could be an easy way to talk to him.
    Tosha’s words ring out in my head. I can be broken glass. I can make someone jump and this might be my time to do that.
    “If you’re not busy, that would be great.”
    Macsen crosses his arms and the material of his shirt strains as he gives me a dubious look. “I’m not busy. I just finished helping someone. It’s not a problem.”
    I grind my teeth and give him a short nod. “Fine.”
    Macsen points to a table in the far back corner. “My stuff is over there.”
    My steps are slow as I walk to his table. He follows. I want to turn around and run right out of the doors and back to my car.
    All of this feels wrong. But, then again, what do I know about wrong? I have upheaved my entire life just to bring someone down.
    I drop my leather bag on the table and start to pull out my notebook. Macsen relaxes in the seat across from me and watches. It makes me nervous. I like seeing what is running through people’s eyes, but Macsen has blinders over his, making him impossible to read.
    Awkwardly, he clears his throat. I slowly sit down and stare at him. “I’m Macsen, by the way.”
    I know him, and I know he knows that.
    My fingers lace together in front of me and I give him a fake smile. “Nice to meet you.” I deserve a reward for keeping the tremors out of my voice. “I’m Emil-”
    “I know who you are,” he interrupts. “I heard you tell Chris in class.”
    At the mention of Chris, I let out an amused laugh. He hasn’t said a word to me since the last time we talked, but in Psych class he gives me these cheesy winks and points to Macsen’s back.
    Macsen cocks his eyebrow. “You know Chris?”
    “If you consider talking to him one time as ‘knowing’ him, then sure.”
    It seems like he’s