I CAN FIX HIM ! by KissLeclerc
November 17, 2022 # "Good Enough."

AFTER A LONG DAY AT SCHOOL, Adeline eventually arrived to her house and sat in her living room to just relax. Once she came home, her parents had bid her a goodbye as they were heading off to work-working the night shifts at the hospital, as per usual.

Sitting in her own silence, her neighbor's cat sat on her chest as she debated if she showered or not.

Slowly bringing up her arm to get a whiff of her armpit, a shower was definitely needed in her favor.

Checking the time to see it was 3:30, Adeline realized she had a short amount of time to freshen up before Paul arrived for tutoring.

And yes, she was freaking the fuck out.

Three days ago, when Wolff revealed to her who she was going to be tutoring, Adeline literally lost it-Well, not in front of him of course, but she did excuse herself to the bathroom for a brief moment so she could scream in silence.

Just her luck, right?

Paul was obviously notified about his new tutor when class began, which resulted in him staring at her awkwardly throughout the majority of the period-which Adeline's desk partner, (Oliver, of course) did not let go unnoticed.

Eventually, the blonde had approached her after class, promptly trying to schedule their first session together that was going to be that day, after school at the library-but he bailed.

Something about "football duties" ?

Then they rescheduled for the next day after school, but he had a family emergency...

And the day after that, he promised to show to a short lunch tutoring session-to at least get somewhere somehow, but the blonde received a lunch detention.

Ridiculous.

Now, this morning, he was obviously supposed to show for a morning session in the library during their free study hall period, but instead, he just pissed off Adeline once again by sleeping in.

She wasn't sure if he was actually going to show this time. How could she trust his word? He's given her four reasons.

After finishing up in the shower, Adeline quickly dried herself-hair included with the use of a blow dryer, soon clipping it up with a claw clip. Throwing on comfy socks, a sweatshirt, and flared leggings, she then grabbed her glasses from her nightstand as her contacts were discarded many moments ago.

Gathering her laptop, pencil pouch, textbook, and notebook, she continued to exit her room and make her way downstairs, seeing that the time was 4:09.

He better fucking not bail-well, actually... she wouldn't mind this time.

Going ahead and setting her things down, Adeline proceeded to feed the orange feline that she was taking care of, soon hearing a knock at the front door.

Well! Fuck!

Deep down-Adeline was hoping he'd bail again. Tutoring at school was one thing, but home alone... at her house?

Crazy.

Taking a deep breath and brushing herself off, she left the cat with a couple chin scratches before walking to her front entrance in order to let the blonde in.

"Nice of you to finally show." The girl was quick to insult as she opened the door, staring directly at Paul who stood in front of her with two drinks in his hand.

"Well, thought I'd make a pit stop and get you this." He handed over a red and green drink. "Strawberry matcha..."

"Oh." Adeline felt a little speechless as the gesture tugged at her heart strings. "Thanks." Softly smiling as she looked at the drink. "Uh-come in." She moved out of the way, also attempting to shake off any sudden jitters.

Carefully watching him as he entered her house, she followed behind Paul, eventually walking into the living room where he set his bag down.

"So, should we get straight into it?" The boy awkwardly asked as he sat down on the couch. "Uhh-Yeah. Sure." Adeline nodded and sipped her drink, shocked he even got her oat milk substitution correctly.

Taking the vacant spot beside him, it was obvious Adeline was trying to sit as far away as possible, but still attempting to keep it professional and settling.

But, he noticed.

Staring at her blankly, Paul scooted a bit closer, causing her to subtly scoot away, earning an eye roll and scoff from him.

"Mate." He sighed. "What?" She questioned.

"Don't be an idiot-that's my job." The boy joked, causing her to briefly purse her lips before looking away.

"Right." Adeline nodded before taking a deep breath and reaching forward for her textbook. "Anyways." She opened it to a specific chapter.

"Do we remember what covalent bonds are?" The debate captain got straight into it, Paul taking a deep breath as he reached into his bag for his own materials.

"Yes." He dragged his words to emphasize an annoyance. "When atoms share electrons and blah, blah, blah-"

"Don't give me that sass." Adeline held a hand up to stop him from talking, but still refusing to look him in the eyes as she continued to sit forward. "But, correct." She nodded.

"Good job."

Looking at her notes and skimming through a couple paragraphs in the textbook, her mind raced as she tried to think of ways to make it easier for Paul to learn-a tactic she used to help those she was tutoring to understand the material better.

Avoiding eye contact with Paul helped Adeline focus on their session better, but it was slowly annoying him, she had to look at him at some point.

As the hours went by, she helped him understand some recent lessons and units he had been unable to get the hang of. But eventually, he succeeded in practice problems she guided him through, soon being able to solve a couple on his own.

"Quick learner." She thought.

Feeling more confident, Paul set down his pencil and stretched his arms above his head. "Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of this. Thank you."

"Of course." Adeline replied as she sipped the rest of her drink. "You're welcome," She still was not looking directly at him.

"Right, so are you actually going to do this whole session without looking at me?" Paul was quick to turn the tables as he wasn't having it, questioning the girl's behavior which caused her to finally turn and gaze into his eyes since his words caught her off guard.

"What-"

"Adeline, I'm really not that stupid." The boy set his journal and notes onto the coffee table in front of him.

"Can we just study?" She laughed nervously. "You're here to get tutored-nothing more."

"I don't know if you remember, but we're also friends?"

"And I don't know if you remember, but I also said I wasn't going to be easy on you." Adeline finally turned her body completely, now facing him head on.

"What-so your way of 'not being easy' is just acting like I'm a stranger to you?" Paul quirked a brow as the space between her eyes wrinkled into confusion.

Adeline clenched her jaw, struggling to keep her composure. "Paul, I'm just trying to help you pass this class. Can we-you focus?"

His eyes softened, sensing the conflict within her. "It's not just about the class anymore. I-You can't keep pretending nothing happened."

Her heart pounded in her chest, but she tried to maintain her resolve. "Why does it matter to you so much?" She questioned. "I just don't wanna talk about it-especially right now!"

"It matters because I can't keep acting like it didn't happen, especially when you're right next to me." Paul argued.

"I really can't do this right now." Adeline closed her textbook.

"It meant something to me." He confessed, catching her completely off guard.

"Oh, yeah fucking right?" She scoffed in disbelief, feeling even a little offended he said that-but what?

"Did it mean anything to you?" His stare continued to linger on her skin.

Taking a deep breath, she continued to keep her guard up. Adeline kept a promise to herself to not falter into anything romantic-and now with her newfound feelings for Paul, she was most especially going to be avoidant.

"With how I reacted, what do you think?" Adeline finally turned to look him in the eyes.

"It was a mistake." She lied.

"A mistake?" Paul questioned. "Is that really how you see it?"

"I don't know-yeah, maybe!" Adeline laughed through confusion, thinking deep in thought.

"You just happened to get out of a relationship, and suddenly you want to act like you're into me and you want to kiss me?-Right." She shook her head. "I don't know what you're trying to get at, but it's seriously not funny." Another pause.

"My ass-it meant something to you."

Paul's expression softened as he listened to Adeline's words, a mix of hurt and understanding flickering in his eyes. He leaned back slightly, giving her space but not retreating completely. "Adeline, it wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment thing for me."

Adeline looked away, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her textbook. "This just isn't making any sense." She was torn between the fear of facing her own feelings and the desire to protect herself from the potential fallout.

"Paul, we've been friends for so long. I don't want to ruin that-and I know you don't want to ruin that." She refused to believe anything. "You don't like me. You're just hurt."

He nodded slowly, his voice gentle yet determined. "You're right-I don't want to ruin our friendship. Why do you think I've never done anything about what I feel for you?"

"What are you talking about." She was frustrated and confused. Groaning into the palms of her hands as his words were just playing with her mind at this point.

Nothing felt real.

"What do you mean, you've never done anything?" Adeline finally managed, her voice wavering slightly as she looked up at Paul. "You never said anything. You never made a move. How am I supposed to know?"

Paul ran a hand through his hair, his expression earnest as he met her gaze. "Because I was scared. My behavior was the butt of the joke in every conversation-Oh, look! There goes Paul the womanizer. Paul can never settle down-blah, blah, blah." He said with a condescending voice as he talked about himself.

"And that was never going to be good enough for you."

Adeline shook her head, her voice tinged with disbelief. "But why now? Why bring this up now?"

"Because I can't keep pretending like that night didn't happen," Paul admitted quietly. "It meant something to me. And I can't ignore that anymore."

She looked away, her mind racing with a jumble of conflicting thoughts. "I don't know what to say," she murmured, feeling the weight of his words settling in her chest.

"You don't have to say anything," Paul said softly, reaching out tentatively to touch her arm. "I just needed you to know how I feel. Whether you feel the same way or not, I had to be honest."

"You can't just dump something like that onto me." Adeline murmured, her voice tinged with frustration. "I don't know what to say-I'm confused, lost-" She groaned into her hands, feeling hot and overwhelmed.

Paul sat quietly, absorbing Adeline's words with a mix of regret and longing. He hadn't meant to overwhelm her, but the weight of his unspoken feelings had finally pushed him to speak up.

He watched as Adeline struggled with her emotions, her hands covering her face in a gesture of frustration and confusion.

"I'm sorry," Paul said softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "I didn't mean to make things more complicated for you."

Adeline lowered her hands, her expression torn between vulnerability and guardedness. "It's okay." She sighed.

"I just-I didn't expect any of this." She hesitated, her heart racing as she struggled to find the right words.

"But, I will say." A pause.

"I don't know what it meant to me exactly," She admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't deny that it affected me."

"Affected you how?" Paul questioned, as she took a deep breath, upset at the fact that this conversation was blown way out of proportion-but there was no turning back.

She might as well get it all off her chest now.

"It made me realize some things." Adeline confessed. "Good things... but I also consider them to be bad."

"Like?"

"That the feeling is mutual." She was now completely facing him. Her eyes softening as she met his stare. "But I am not jumping into anything. I don't want anything, and I'm sorry if that hurts you."

"I get it." Paul nodded in understanding. "I didn't mean to force it out if you, but I want you to know that if there was ever a chance, I'd wait."

"Don't do that." Adeline shook her head. "Do not wait for me."

"Since it's out, I might as well." He scratched the back of his neck.

"Paul." She sighed, removing the glasses from her face as she took another deep breath. "No."

"Am I really never going to meet your standards?"

"Wha-No!" Adeline was taken aback. "That's not it, that's not why." She shook her head. "I just can't have you wait for me. It'll be all for nothing."

"How come?" He was slowly pushing it out of her.

"Because." She felt panicked, now in clear disbelief that these next words were coming out of her mouth.

"I'm moving to the states next year." Her glasses soon returned to her face. "I applied to lots of universities there, and without a doubt, I am most likely heading there for my education."

Paul's expression softened as he processed Adeline's revelation, a mixture of surprise and resignation flickering in his eyes. He leaned back slightly, absorbing the weight of her words.

"Moving to the states," He echoed softly. "That's... a big step."

Adeline nodded, her gaze steady but filled with a hint of sadness. "Yeah. It's been my plan for a while now. And I didn't expect... this," She gestured vaguely between them, "To complicate things and how I feel."

Paul ran a hand through his hair, contemplating her words. "So, this is why you've been... off."

"Yeah," Adeline admitted quietly. "I didn't want to admit it, even to myself. But it's true-how I feel for you.." She paused. "And deflecting, being avoidant, and ignoring everything was my way of coping."

Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Paul searched for the right words, wanting to respect Adeline's decision but unable to ignore the ache in his chest.

"I understand," He said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I don't want you to feel pressured or conflicted because of me."

Adeline looked at him gratefully, relieved that he wasn't pushing further. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "For understanding."

"Of course." Paul replied sincerely. "I care about you. I always have."

She nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite the heaviness of the moment. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts.

The weight of their unspoken feelings lingered in the air, but there was also a sense of relief in having laid bare their truths.

"I should probably get going," Paul said eventually, looking at the clock to see it was past 8:00, breaking the silence gently. Their argument took up a lot of their tutoring time.

"Of course." Adeline let her hair down as she set the claw clip aside, running her fingers through her jet black locks while Paul gathered his things.

"Do you want to continue this on Monday?" He promptly suggested since she technically still had to tutor him. "In the library during study hall?"

"If you don't sleep in-yes." She nodded, receiving a small laugh from him in response. "Deal." Paul softly smiled. "I'll keep dozens of alarms on." He promised.

"Come on." Adeline laughed softly. "I'll walk you out." She stood up and crossed her arms, motioning for him to follow her towards the hallway that lead to her entrance.

Opening the door for him, Paul walked out before turning back to look down at her once more. Standing on her porch, the two awkwardly stood there before they took a deep breath.

"See you Monday?" She asked as she leaned against her door frame.

"Yeah." He nodded.

And with that, Paul hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on Adeline's face. He knew this moment was delicate, their emotions raw and exposed. But as he looked at her, a surge of longing and affection swept through him, overwhelming his uncertainty.

Without another word, he closed the distance between them in a single step. Adeline's breath caught in her throat as Paul gently cupped her face in his hands, his touch tender and hesitant. He searched her eyes for any sign of hesitation or resistance, silently asking for permission.

Adeline's heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into his touch ever so slightly, her eyes fixed on his, silently conveying her unspoken yes.

In that moment, everything else faded away-their doubts, their fears, the weight of their unspoken words. There was only the warmth of Paul's lips pressing against hers, full of longing.

Adeline responded instinctively, her hands finding their way to his shoulders as she kissed him back, her heart soaring with a mix of emotions.

The kiss was soft at first, a gentle exploration of feelings they had both kept hidden for so long. But as the seconds passed, it deepened, becoming a silent affirmation of their connection, a promise of what could be.

Paul wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as if afraid she might disappear. Adeline melted into his embrace, savoring the feeling of being so close to him, of finally letting herself feel without reservation.

When they finally parted, their foreheads rested against each other's, their breaths mingling in the cool evening air. Adeline opened her eyes slowly, meeting Paul's gaze with a mixture of wonder and vulnerability.

"I'm sorry," He whispered with a devilish smirk. "I couldn't help myself."

Adeline shook her head gently, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I'm not sorry," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I needed that."

Paul's expression softened, relief flooding his features. "Me too," He confessed quietly, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "You don't want anything, hm?" The blondes continued to tease, using her own words against her once again.

"Oh, shut up." Adeline rolled her eyes.

They stood there for a moment longer, wrapped in each other's arms, soaking in the intensity of the moment. The world around them seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of them and the promise of what their future could hold.

"Monday," She murmured eventually, breaking the silence. "We'll continue this on Monday."

Paul nodded, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Yeah," He agreed, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, giving her one more tight squeeze of a hug.

"Goodnight." Adeline smiled as she finally pulled away. Her heart overflowing with a newfound sense of hope and happiness.

"Goodnight."

As Paul walked away, she watched him go with a sense of anticipation for what was to come.

And as she closed the door behind him, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected turn their evening had taken. For in that moment, she knew that whatever challenges lay ahead.

She would figure it out somehow.

Like she always does.

VERA'S VOICE!
this was not on my ingredients list when i started writing but something in me did a 180 and i cooked this and chewed it and im about to spit it out bc lowkey what.

WHATEVER!!! IDC !!!!! if u think they're going fast, (No they aren't Btw. they're just teenagers 😒😒) write ur own book Lil Bro!!!!!!

anywho!!!!! GUYSSSSSUHHHH... i got geeked writing this, idk wtf going on lowk but it's something.

#complicated

Hello Elena. Hello Belle. My Bookies.
LOVVVEEEE VERRRAAAAAAA!!!