CHAPTER 5: Tutor

TYSHA

As I sprinted away from the guy, my heart raced with a mix of panic and relief. Glancing back, I noticed his eyes widening in recognition. Gosh!

With that, I also realized who he was – the man I ignored at the Eventide Cabaret last night. Woah! What a coincidence! What on earth is he doing in Bryse’s house? Are they related somehow? Anyway. One thing is for sure; he seemed even more irritated with me now, especially after the incident at the Eventide Cabaret.

It wasn't intentional though; I just didn't want to deal with anyone. Now, he was part of this bizarre encounter. I shook off the strange mix of emotions and focused on getting as far away as possible.

Gosh, I really hope to never cross paths with him again!

All I freaking wanted was to get my money back, but now it feels like landing myself in handcuffs is a more likely scenario.

Seriously, Tysha, what kind of messed-up luck do you bring into my life? Gosh!

As I trudged back to my mom's hospital room, I tried my darnedest to shove the whole crazy episode out of my head.

I collapsed onto the old couch, bone-tired and defeated. The room felt suffocating, and I could sense something was off as my father hesitated before finally speaking up. His eyes, tired but earnest, met mine.

"Papa, what's going on?" I asked, my voice tinged with unease.

He took a weary seat beside me, running a hand through his hair. "We're in a tight spot, Tysha. The landlady kicked us out – debts piling up like there's no tomorrow. We need to find another place, and fast."

I felt the weight of his words sink in, and the room seemed to close in around us. "But, Papa, we just settled in here," I mumbled, disbelief creeping into my voice.

He sighed, the lines on his face deepening. "I know, I know. It's not what I planned. Things just... didn't go our way."

As the reality of our situation set in, questions bubbled up inside me. "How did this happen, Papa? What are we going to do?"

He looked at me with a mix of regret and determination. "It's a long story, kiddo. But we'll figure it out together. We always do."

After that, we spent the night in my mom’s small hospital room. Sitting in the hospital room after a long day, the problems in our family felt heavy. The flickering lamp created shadows that reminded me of the struggles we were going through. It was a mess of worries, each one making my head spin.

I couldn't get my father's tired face out of my mind. Those lines on his face told stories of battles and things we weren't sure about. It was like an unspoken deal we made, taking on more troubles every day. And back then, in the quiet, those challenges felt louder.

The whole deal with where we lived, the money problems that never ended, and always moving around – it was like a cycle that wouldn't stop. I wished I had answers, a way to make things better. But there I was, stuck in the middle of our troubles.

Feeling kinda powerless, like being stuck in a storm without any shelter. I wished I could fix things for my family. But back then, I was just there, dealing with all those worries that wouldn't go away.

Even with all this, there was a little bit of hope. We'd been through tough times before, found a way to get through. Maybe, just maybe, we could find a little light in all that mess. Until then, I was there, just a regular person, tired and trying to figure out how to make things better for my family.

DESPITE finishing a degree in Education, my dream of becoming a professor had to take a backseat due to our financial struggles and my mom's deteriorating health. The responsibility of looking after her meant I had to drop that aspiration. Jobs demanding more of my time were out of the question, given the need to care for my sick mother while my father worked. Part-time jobs became my primary source of income.

"Wow! You got a perfect score this time, Jeff! Good job!" I commended the six-year-old I was tutoring. Even though I couldn't commit to full-time teaching, I utilized my education degree by tutoring kids like Jeff. His progress was remarkable, and his family, who paid well, treated me kindly, even allowing me to join them for meals during our sessions.

"Yehey!" Jeff's bright smile reflected his joy as he jumped up.

"Your hand, please. For your five stars," I politely requested, and he promptly presented the back of his palm for the coveted five stars mark.

"Let’s show this to my mom, Teacher Tysha! Let’s go!" Jeff, holding my hand, dragged me toward their kitchen, his infectious enthusiasm drawing laughter from me.

Expecting only to find Miss Cindy, since she mentioned her husband was at work, I was taken aback when I saw her with another man. Not just any man, but the drop-dead gorgeous billionaire from Eventide Cabaret and the same man whom I kicked the night I stalked Bryse’s house.

Oh no…

"Uncle!" Jeff called out to the man beside his mother.

Who would have thought I'd cross paths with him again? To my surprise, we both wore expressions of shock at the unexpected reunion.

Can't you just forget about me?!

"You?!" I detected a hint of anger in his voice upon recognizing me.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

As I stood there, caught in this unexpected twist, my mind raced to make sense of the situation. Why is he here with Jeff's mom? Is this some kind of coincidence, or does it have a deeper meaning?

The last thing I need right now is more complications, especially with a guy who's already a walking, talking complication on his own. This unexpected encounter just added a whole new layer of mess to my day. Great, just great.