“I made a call with the school. You will attend weekly tutoring sessions until your grades are passing, and that I am confident that you won’t let them slip again,” dad began.
“What? You can’t be serious?” I almost yelled out.
Anger flooded my vision and I wanted to scream out in rebellion. Tutoring? Me? There was no way I would be forced to such shitty circumstances. We were the Elite, after all. If there was ever a time to be proud of my circumstances, this was it.
“I am very serious,” dad warned.
“Ason, we won’t stand back any longer and let you spiral out of control. It’s time to put our foots down,” mom chimed in.
I saw her eyes mist over and her bottom lip tremble. I swear, if she cried, that would be my undoing. I may be tough with a hard exterior, but I can’t stand to see my mom cry.
“Can’t you just pay the school again? I’m sure they could use a donation for a new gym or something,” I began, but dad held up his hand to silence me.
“Ason, at some point, I have to stop throwing money at your problems. I have worked very hard to get the success I have today. I won’t watch my only son throw his life away because he is spoiled.”
His words cut like a knife and I winced. Spoiled? Sure, I enjoyed nice things, but I never asked for anything. And, what’s the point of having money, if you don’t use it?
“You will go to your tutoring session and you are suspended from the next three games. You will still attend practice and no more skipping classes,” mom added, before wiping a tear away.
Shaking my head, I felt the urge to scream. My face was hot and my fists were balled up at my sides. My anger had always been one of my biggest downfalls. I had a temper and when it flared, it could get really ugly.
“This is insane,” I bit out.
I didn’t trust myself to say anything else.
Nodding, dad looked at mom and then she went back into the house. He stepped closer to me so that we were nose-to-nose. His dark eyes were smoldering as he stared me down. I had never feared my father until that moment. I knew what he was capable of, but I never would have thought he would hurt me...
“Listen to me, Ason. I refuse to allow my son to throw his life away. You mope around here and are wreaking havoc at school. I’ve built an empire that will be handed down to you one day. This life that you so carelessly dismiss is not one to be tampered with. You will do this until I am pleased,” he stated.
He continued to stare me down for what felt like forever. My own stubbornness took over and I stared back at him, refusing to back down. I may not be the capo, but I was strong, nonetheless
“When do I have to start this?” I asked, though gritted teeth.
“Tomorrow. Your tutor is being notified tonight. Her name is Scarlette, I believe,” he said, dismissing it.
I perked up at this. There was no way it could be her—could it?
I only knew of one Scarlette at my school who was a tutor and it was someone who I had claimed only in my dreams. A girl that was too good for a criminal world like mine. This was worse than I could have imagined.
Finally, dad stepped away and I listened as his shoes clicked against the concrete patio. I waited until he was gone before I exhaled a deep breath. I knew that I had been fucking up, but I didn’t think it needed such extreme actions. Closing my eyes, I missed as the sun set and I cursed myself. Like it or not, I needed to get my shit together.