Deciding to strike two birds with one stone, Timothy went with altering the ‘male’ part of the sentence. Which wasn’t to say he didn’t feel uncomfortable adding the letters ‘f’ then ‘e’ to the start of the word. This way Becka’s dad wouldn’t think he was hitting on his daughter and, on Tim’s end, put any attempt firmly on ice. She was straight so it didn't matter much which way he’d end up swinging. He checked the sentence: “Mr. Lindsey is looking suspiciously at his daughter’s female tutor.” As good as things were going to get, Timothy quietly sighed.
The transition between one heartbeat and the next was as seamless as the first time Tim used it. Her suddenly feeling a weight resting against her chest snuggled into a small bra and the distinct absence of something protruding from between her crotch was at once a novel and completely mundane experience. Thea reached out to brush a few strands back to behind her ear. She lifted her chin. Although the length of her hair hadn’t changed, instead of looking Mr. Lindsey in the eyes she was staring at a partially buttoned up shirt and his rock-hard chest.
She feared the worst when a blush crept into her cheeks. But flicking her eyes to Becka, she felt able to distinguish between embarrassment and attraction again and the line between them. “Should we start?” Thea squeaked out, still calming her furiously beating heart. Had been so much easier when she was alone in her room and didn’t need to think on her feet. “You just had dinner so how about reviewing the metabolic system. Krebs cycle; that sort of thing.”
“Sure, that sort of thing.” A tiny flicker of dim recognition flashed in Becka’s soft, light brown, and utterly entrancing pools. Still mostly amusement, which needled Thea a bit, but she hadn’t entirely been asleep during those lessons. Perseverance would take Becka the rest of the way. During the break, and dinner for Thea, they could talk about more interesting stuff to recharge for the home stretch.
Mr. Lindsey left once his daughter sat comfortably with an open book and pen in her hand.
Now in hindsight, Thea knew she could’ve come up with something better for the app. Something to keep in mind once she went back to being Timothy. Remarkably easy enough to follow Becka’s lead though and focus on tutoring, despite everything.
Fifteen minutes in and in mid review of the pancreas and importance of insulin, Thea had a burning question at the tip of her tongue. “I know this is out of the blue. What sort of guy do you like?” They had only had a handful of sessions together and while there was a chance things simply clicked, past-experience tutoring told her that wasn’t it. The plan had been to get her nearer past the half-hour mark.
“If you promise not to laugh, I’ll tell you.” Soon as her tutor raised her pinky, making it a solemn promise, the teen resumed. “Someone like you. Willing to nerd out occasionally on Z-tier Horror movies. Oh, and being a guy is important. Guess that was kinda assumed with your question. Kinda hopeless with crushes, honestly.”
“Head-in-the clouds?”
Becka’s expression became sly, she looked out from underneath her bangs. “Maybe. Might also play it up a little, like with homework... Um, don’t get me wrong. This is seriously hard enough already. Would just want to hear him talk and pepper him with questions so our time together wouldn’t end. If it’s discussing aden...osine...uh, trip..ho... ATP or something fun would be, ya’ know, secondary. Any cute guys at your college you recommend? Only a few months before I’d be your junior there.” She could hardly wait.
Stephen was the name that nearly came out of Thea’s mouth. The tutor managed to swallow her tongue in time, though. All she had to suffer was a dry and throat-aching cough. “I’m fine.” Raising a hand to ward off the concern coming from Becka. “Need water. Back in a minute.”
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As she listened, the thought of putting herself forward hadn’t occurred to Thea. So she automatically switched to try and introduce her roomate. Stephen would’ve returned favor and had, though not like either of them were keeping score. But her stomach knotted a little with jealousy and melancholy. Thea distracted herself by refilling her glass before leaning against the kitchen counter. Once she returned to being Timothy, pining for a girl who would never return her affection would, thankfully, not be an issue.
Trying to look on the bright side: Thea knew the crush was mutual. Perhaps, being back to regular old Tim, she could ask her out. Surprise Becka and make the non-date date with Bloodcurdling Nuns II a real thing.
“Oh, you two are on a break already. How is my girl doing with her studies?” Mrs. Lindsey roused Thea from her drifting reverie. The older woman was taller than both her husband and daughter. Closer to Timothy’s height. Her face glowing with the brimming pride of a parent whose child is standing at the altar ready to be wed. Framed by cascades of dyed blonde hair. A perpetually bubbling mood that swept away any concerns of the brides and husbands-to-be and replaced it with enthusiasm. “Could I trouble you a little more tonight, Thea? You’re the perfect size to help put the finishing touches on a dress for one of my clients. Ten minutes, I promise. And if you could convince Becka to come down too with the camera, I’d so appreciate it. Think she’d make an exception for you.”
A roundabout attempt to convince her daughter that wedding planning was an exciting career. A longshot, yet you couldn’t blame a mom for trying.
Beyond that, Thea was in two minds about the proposal, feeling she owed the Lindsey’s for all their hospitality although it meant delaying changing herself back to Timothy.