The Tutor

You remain motionless, completely stunned about what just took place. You never thought that you would actually go through with it and only in your wildest dreams did you think that this delicate flower, your "Juliet", would ever repay the kindness.

Her small soft lips draw away from yours. The beautiful young girl leans back, still straddling your lap, and then wraps her arms around you. You kiss the top of her head, entirely unsure of how to proceed.

“Is everything okay?” she asks, pulling away so that you can see her eyes through her cute rose-pink glasses. Her hair is a little mussed but otherwise flawless, the deep brown strands tied together into a ponytail, as is typical for her. You feel your heart flutter at her innocent question.

“Yes, sweetheart. Just, uh, I didn't expect you to kiss me.” Her face reddens slightly and she ducks down as if embarrassed. “It's okay though." You tell her. "It's more than just 'okay'." You think to yourself. "I mean you don't owe me anything, and you don't have to like me back just because I'm your tutor; but I really really like you... even though I shouldn't.” You gently cup her cheek, her warm skin making your fingers tingle.

She smiles softly. “You said you wanted me to be your girlfriend. I thought that meant you wanted to kiss me." she whispers shyly with a twist of her lips.

"Oh, I did. I really did want to, but I wasn't brave enough to actually go through with it."

"I'm brave." She says confidently with a broad smile.

"You sure are, sweetie." You chuckle, brushing a strand of loose hair out of her face.

You suddenly notice the clock and quickly lift the small girl off of your lap, standing her on the floor in front of you. She attempts to climb back into your arms, but you resist. Instead, you stand up and pull her close, kissing her forehead once again.

“Your mom will be back any minute now. We can't let her see us like this."

"Like what?"

"On top of each other and... and kissing."

"Mommy knows I like you."

"Well, I'm sure she doesn't know how much I like you... or exactly in what way. If she found out, I wouldn't be able to tutor you ever again. I wouldn't be able to tutor any girls or boys ever again."

The child looks confused for a moment, before realization dawns on her face. She scampers over to a shelf full of bookays and grabs the math bookay you've been using for her recent lessons. "Okay, I won't tell mommy you kissed me."

"Wait", you think to yourself, "she kissed me first."

"Olivia, you can't tell anybody about anything we just did."

"Okay, Mr. Michael," she replies with a serious look, "I won't tell anybody, not even Penny."

"Well, I think she understands the seriousness of the situation at least." You convince yourself. She has always been very bright and more mature than her sisters; and possibly even her mother as well. You are pretty sure you can trust her to stay quiet. But you can't push the situation or you risk destroying another excellent job opportunity. You need to slow down and just enjoy what you currently have: the best job in the world, teaching three beautiful girls in an amazing home for a ridiculous amount of money. And Ms. Johnson - errr, Alicia - isn't anything to shake a stick at either.

As your "Juliet" sits cross legged next to you on the floor and starts flipping through the pages in her math book, you think back a few months ago to the start of the school year, when you first met her family...

You were nervous, not only because this would be the first tutoring gig you've had in months and your last chance to make enough money for your rent, but also because this would be the first girl you've tutored outside of family members.

You look at the huge house in front of you as you walk toward the front door. You grew up in poverty, living in a rundown mobile home most of your life; you haven't had too many close encounters with money but this seems to be one of them. Even the gate that you got buzzed through likely costs more money each month to maintain than the rent for your dinky studio apartment you're living in currently.

You give two small raps with your knuckles onto the large wooden door. There's no response. You notice the doorbell to the side and reach over to press it.

"Don't do that," you hear suddenly from a speaker nearby. "Just come inside and head to the study on the left."

You twist the handle on the door and it opens wide. You're greeted with a large entryway and a set of winding stairs like those you've seen in movies. You close the door behind you and hear some high-pitched chatter coming from the left.

You go toward the study where the noise seems to be echoing from.