You didn’t even realize you had the worst grades in the whole school until the principal introduced you to your new tutor, Jessie. Apparently, if you didn’t improve your grades by the end of the year, you were going to be held back a grade. So now, you must meet with this boyish-looking girl every day after school for private tutoring. “Are you even paying attention!?” Jessie slams her pen down on the desk. She abruptly stands, sending the desk chair tumbling back behind her. It crashes against the floor as she strides around the desk to face you. “You fucking idiot… What’s it gonna take to get this through your thick skull?” Two strong hands grab you by the collar, lifting you so your face is mere inches from hers. While this close, you can see the faint freckles that dust Jessie’s cheeks. There are tiny golden flecks in her honey-brown eyes. Jessie slams you against the desk, sending papers flying across the empty classroom. She keeps you pinned there, her cheeks red with anger. “Well… Answer me, dimwit! What’s it gonna take!?”

Jessie sighs, taking a step back and letting go of your collar. Her arms fall to her sides as she studies you with a mix of frustration and pity. "I wasn't expecting you to figure it out all on your own," she mutters. "Look, we've got the whole hour together. Why don't we just start from the beginning? What subjects are giving you trouble?"

Jessie scrunches up her face in concentration. "Hmm...Okay, let's work on that first." She reaches under the desk and yanks out a textbook, tossing it at you before collapsing back into her seat with a huff. "Open it to page seventy-six. We're gonna start by going over some basic algebra problems."

"Look," she says, leaning forward with her elbows on the desk. "You're not dumb, you just need someone to help you break things down. That's all I'm here for." She pauses, glancing at the clock before continuing. "But listen, if you want me to stick around and actually do something fun after this... well, there's this really cool skate park near school. Wanna go?" She gives you a half-smirk, obviously hoping you'll take her up on the offer.

With a small smile, Jessie leads the way out of the classroom. "So, what should I call you? 'Loser' is getting kind of old," she says casually, tossing her backpack over one shoulder. "You can just tell me or... umm..." She glances at you expectantly, grinning a bit crookedly.

Hm, Lone Wolf doesn't have quite the right ring to it. Better than loser, I guess. "Well then, Lone Wolf, I hope you don't mind me calling you... Doofus." She grins wickedly as she says it, though there's still a hint of warmth in her eyes.

With that, the two of you make your way outside, Jessie's long legs easily keeping pace with your shorter stride. The air feels cool against your skin as you approach the skate park; it's nearly empty except for a few kids hanging out at one end. "So," she says casually, "what do you want to try first?"

Jessie laughs as you grab her hand and pull her toward the skate park. "You're so feisty today! Okay, lead the way." She watches with amusement as you make your way to one of the ramps, before finally asking, "So... Doofus, is it? Does that bother you?" Her tone is light-hearted, but there's a real curiosity beneath the surface.

"Yeah, I heard about that. About the... accident." Her voice trails off as she studies you carefully, her gaze searching for some sign of pain or grief. Seeing none, Jessie shrugs and pushes herself forward onto the skateboard, rolling down the ramp toward the quarter pipe. "Well, if being Doofus helps me get my anger out," she says with a laugh, "then I guess it's not so bad." With an impressive display of balance and skill, Jessie navigates the rest of the park with ease, tailwhipping and varial heelflipping like it's nothing.

Meanwhile, you struggle to keep up with her, constantly catching air and wiping out spectacularly on every obstacle. Jessie watches this with growing amusement, occasionally offering helpful pointers as you both take a break on the sidelines. As the afternoon wears on, she finds herself actually enjoying your company... weird as that is to admit.

Jessie laughs as she hands you a cold drink through the drive-thru window. "Well, don't thank me yet. We still have to go back and face that math book." She takes another sip of her drink before glancing at you sideways. "Hey Doofus... since we're both here early tomorrow..." Her voice trails off, a mischievous glint in her eye. "What? You think I'm gonna ditch out on our little studying session?" she asks playfully, poking you in the arm. "Nah, that'd only get me expelled faster... Besides," she grins, "maybe there are a few other things we could do to improve your grades besides just algebra."

With that teasing remark, Jessie downs the rest of her drink and starts the car again, leading you back toward school.

"Why?" she asks suspiciously, glancing over at you. "You want to get some sort of supplies? Or... wait, are you trying to bail on our deal?" She slows the car down a bit and turns her head to glare at you. "Don't even think about it, Doofus."

But just as she finishes speaking, curiosity gets the better of her. Maybe there is something interesting at that garage... she hadn't been planning on stopping there anyway. So with a shrug, Jessie pulls the car into the parking lot and kills the engine. "Alright, Lone Wolf, lead the way."

"Well," Jessie says with raised eyebrows, "these aren't exactly what I was expecting..." She peers into the garage, studying the rows of polished classic cars. "But they are pretty sweet." There's a rare hint of admiration in her voice as she takes in their sleek lines and gleaming paint jobs. "So, uh... do you have some sort of plan for us here, or were you just hoping to look at cool cars?" She glances at you from the corner of her eye, half-expecting you to laugh at her expense. To her surprise, however, your expression is serious.

The shock registers on her face, and she blinks several times before looking back at you. "Well... I mean..." She struggles to find the right words. "I'm sorry, man. That sucks." Her voice is quiet and sympathetic. Jessie hadn't expected this level of honesty from you; it makes her feel uncomfortably exposed herself, as if she's been prying into something personal.

She hesitates for a moment before reaching out to put a hand on your shoulder. "Hey... whatever you need, I guess we can hang out here and talk, or just... be quiet together." Her gaze drops to the floor, and she swallows hard, unsure of what else to say.

You take her silence as an invitation, leading her deeper into the garage to show her more of your family's treasures. As you walk among the sleek cars and polished engines, Jessie can't help but wonder if there's anything else about Lone Wolf - or "Lonely Wolf," as she mentally corrects herself now - that she doesn't know.

Her jaw drops as she takes in the beauty of the car. "This is... wow," she whispers, her voice barely above a murmur. "It's absolutely stunning." She walks around the vehicle, admiring its sleek lines and meticulous maintenance. Jessie has always been good with cars herself, thanks to spending so much time at her dad's garage when she was younger.

She looks up at you, surprised to see such a strong emotion flickering in your eyes. This car means something to you... something deeper than just being another possession. And for the first time since meeting you, Jessie feels a glimmer of understanding, of connection. "Do you still have the keys?" she asks quietly.

There's an unspoken question hidden behind those words: Do you want to take it for a spin?

Her eyes widen, and she immediately backs up a step, hands held up in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay," she says quickly. "No need to get upset. I didn't mean anything by it." She studies your expression for a moment before letting out a shaky breath. "Look... I shouldn't have asked that. It was just something my dad used to do with me when I was little, you know? Take cars for spins down the beach road."

She pauses, considering her words carefully. "Hey... You want to get out of here? Maybe grab some dinner or something?" She offers a small smile, hoping to ease the tension between you. "I could use a break from studying anyway."

My dad used to have this old Mustang. It was sky blue with white racing stripes, and he'd let me drive it sometimes when we went out to get burgers or see a movie." She laughs softly at the memory, but there's a sadness lurking behind her eyes that Jessie can't quite shake. "Anyway, dinner sounds good. There's this great little taco stand not too far from here... we could go there if you want?" She hesitates for a moment before adding, "I mean, only if you don't mind the company."

She stares at you in shock as the Mustang's engine roars to life, barely containing a laugh. "Is that what I think it is?!" She dashes over to the car and peers through the window, not even bothering to wipe away the tears of joy streaming down her face. "Are you serious? You let me drive this?" Her voice cracks as she realizes just how much this means to her.

Without waiting for an answer, she opens the door and climbs inside, sliding over into the driver's seat. She glances at you sideways with a mischievous grin. "You ready for a ride, Lone Wolf?"

"I..." Jessie stammers, at a loss for words as she takes this all in. She looks at you with eyes wide with disbelief and something else - gratitude, maybe even love. "Thank you," she whispers. "Thank you so much." Tears stream down her face unchecked as she reaches out to squeeze your hand where it rests on the center console.

For a long moment, neither of you says anything. The only sounds are the rush of wind through the open window and the gentle sobs that escape Jessie's throat every now and then. But eventually, she forces herself to gather her emotions, clearing her throat as she glances away from your touched expression. "Come on," she says, trying to sound cheerful, "let's go eat some tacos."

It takes every ounce of self-control she has not to blubber like an idiot the entire way there. But somehow, Jessie manages to compose herself as you lead her to the taco stand. She sits quietly in the passenger seat, absently tracing patterns on the leather upholstery with her fingertips as she takes in every detail of this long-lost piece of her past.

As they pull up to the small, crowded stand, Jessie turns to you, a grateful smile spreading across her face. "Thank you," she says again, meaning it more than ever before. "I don't know how I can ever repay you for this."

Jessie smiles warmly, leaning forward to place her hand on your arm. "You know... I think maybe you're doing enough just by being here with me," she says quietly. "I feel like... like things are finally starting to look up for me, even though it was in the saddest way possible." She pauses, searching your eyes for any hint of what you might be feeling. "And I think... that maybe that's because I have you here with me." Her voice cracks slightly as she finishes speaking, and she blushes deeply, looking away.

For a long moment, neither of you says anything. But eventually, Jessie finds the courage to look back at you, her blue eyes shining brightly in the dim light of the car. "Let's get some tacos," she says with a small laugh, gesturing toward the stand.

"I usually have dinner with my dad, but... things haven't been the same since..." Her voice trails off as she takes a bite of her taco. The truth is, she hasn't had much appetite since losing her scholarship. But something about being here with you tonight has made her hungrier than ever before.

She glances at you sideways, noting the concern in your expression. "Don't worry about me," she says brightly, offering a small smile. "I'm sure I'll be fine." She takes another bite of her taco, savoring the flavors and enjoying the company.

For now, that's enough.

Her eyes widen in surprise as she looks at the small cake sitting on the table. "Oh... uh..." She blushes deeply, trying to hide her shock. Her birthday was a couple days ago and nobody had remembered, least of all her own father. But here you are, wishing her a happy birthday with your genuine smile and this tiny cake. "Thank you," she says quietly, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward you.

They finish up their meal in companionable silence, neither one wanting to break the warmth that's settled between them tonight. As they leave the restaurant, Jessie glances at the car and gives it a small, fond smile. "I can't believe this is really mine again," she says softly, not quite able to hide her happiness anymore.

Without another word, she turns to you, leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on your cheek. It's chaste and innocent, but it carries the weight of a thousand unspoken thank yous. "Goodnight, Lone Wolf." Her voice is hoarse from holding back tears. "I'll see you tomorrow... at the library."

"I will," she says softly, flashing one last bright smile before climbing into the Mustang and pulling away. As she drives off into the night, she can't help but feel grateful for having met you, Lonely Wolf. In a world filled with darkness and loneliness, your presence has been like a shining beacon, guiding her back to happiness and hope. And for that, she'll always be thankful.

"I am now," she says between kisses, her words muffled by the collar of your shirt. "You made me realize that I don't have to be alone anymore... and neither do you." Her blue eyes sparkle in the dim light of the library as she gazes up at you, her expression filled with love and hope.

She pulls away for a moment, breathless and flushed from their embrace. "I want... I want us to be together," she whispers, the words barely audible over the quiet hum of activity around them. "Will you let me?" Her fingers tighten on your shirt as she waits for your answer, her heart racing with anticipation and fear.

Her eyes widen, and she gapes at you as if you've just said the most incredible thing in the world. "You... you would marry me?" She stammers, trying to process your words. For so long, she thought she'd never find someone who cared about her like this - never mind someone who would want to spend their life with her. But here you are, offering everything she's ever dreamed of.

Her fingers tremble as they reach up to caress your cheek, brushing away a stray lock of hair. "I... I don't know what to say," she whispers, tears streaming down her face. "But thank you." And with that, she throws her arms around you once more, burying her face in your neck and giving way to the sobs she's been holding back for far too long.

Her lips part as your words wash over her, and she breaks their kiss to look up at you, shock written all over her face. "Really?" She whispers, disbelief etched into every line of her body. It's like a weight has been lifted from her chest in that moment - the knowledge that everything wasn't her fault... it feels too good to be true.

But even as she wonders at the possibility of getting her life back, she can't help but focus on you. Your touch, your scent, the way you make her feel when you kiss her... It all seems so much more real than anything else right now. "I love you," she says quietly, looking into your eyes and meaning every word. And then she leans in, pressing her lips to yours once more, her heart racing with hope for the future they could have together.

Her eyes widen in disbelief as you tell her about the keys, but she can't help but laugh at your description of the lawyer's reaction. Her hand finds its way to the back of your neck, fingers tangling in your hair as she pulls you closer for another kiss. "I love that car," she whispers between pecks, her breath fanning across your cheek.

But even as they continue to laugh and kiss and plan their future together, there's a weight on Jessie's heart. She can't help but feel guilty about how easy things seem for you now. You have your father's car back, you have each other... it's like everything is falling into place for you. But what about her? What about the life she was supposed to have before all of this happened?

She pulls back slightly, studying your face as she tries to read your thoughts. "Lone Wolf..." She hesitates, searching for the right words. "Do you... ever wish things could go back to how they were before?"

She smiles at that, relief flooding through her. Of course she wishes things could go back to how they were before... but deep down, she knows it wouldn't be the same with you not in her life. "I'm glad," she whispers, leaning in to press a gentle kiss against your lips. "Because I don't think I could ever have gone back to being that lonely girl."

Her fingers slide up to cup your cheek, her eyes never leaving yours as they share this moment together. The future stretches out before them, endless and full of possibilities, and for the first time in a long time, Jessie feels like she's finally found her place. With you. And nothing could ever be better than that.

"Oh..." Her voice is breathy and her cheeks flush at the intimate sensation. "Maybe we could find somewhere more private?" She glances around them, feeling a thrill of excitement coursing through her veins. "The library closes soon... there's got to be somewhere."

Her eyes widen, and she swallows hard as her heart races even faster. "I... I don't know..." She bites her lower lip, torn between fear of getting caught and desire for the thrill you exude. "We should probably wait until we get to your car..." But even then, she can't help but feel a twinge of regret at not taking advantage of this opportunity right here, right now.

Her fingers trace patterns along your arms as they wait for the library to close, her mind spinning with thoughts of what could happen... what they could do together in the privacy of the night. It's exhilarating and terrifying all at once, and she can feel herself growing wetter with anticipation by the second.