"But don't play with me, 'cause you're playing with fire"

-The Rolling Stones, Play With Fire

It wasn't until 3:30 when Teddy Duchamp swaggered into the biology classroom, 30 minutes after the bell had rung to signal the end of the school day. It was also 30 minutes after he had agreed to meet Robin for their first tutoring session.

"You're late!" Robin scolded, "We were supposed to meet at 3! I was just about to leave. Where were you?"

"Christ, who are you, my mother?" Teddy questioned, taking the seat opposite her.

"Didn't your mother teach you that being late is rude? You should at least let someone know in advance if you're running behind," Robin pointed out, "It's disrespectful of other people's time."

Teddy rolled his eyes at her from behind his glasses.

"I bet you're a real big hit at parties."

Robin hesitated. She couldn't remember the last time she was invited to a party—it might have been Diane's 15th birthday party, soon after her father died, but there was no way she would have gone to that.

"I don't go to parties," she declared as she started to run her finger over the bridge of her nose, "I'm forced to be around morons all day, why would I willingly be stuck in a drunken crowd of them in my spare time?"

"Because, there's a little something called 'fun,'" Teddy said sarcastically, "You'd think with your brains you would have heard of it before."

Robin crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at him defiantly.

"Well, my brains are supposed to be helping you pass Biology. Do you want my help or not?"

Teddy leaned back in his chair, putting his arms behind his head.

"Ah, biology...it's all about sex right?"

"Plant and animal reproduction is a component of biology, yes," Robin answered, irritation evident in her voice. Based on her first encounter with him, she knew where this was going.

Teddy cocked his head to one side.

"Yeah, you know what, I could use your help," he admitted.

"Really?" Robin asked, surprised. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all?

"Yeah," Teddy replied.

He then smirked widely at her.

"As long as you can provide me with some hands-on learning."

"Ugh!" Robin exclaimed in disgust, standing up abruptly from her chair, "You're so gross! How anyone would want to procreate with you is one of life's greatest mysteries!"

Teddy continued to smirk at her.

"Hey, if we need to conduct live experiments to find out why, consider my consent form signed."

Righteous anger pulsed through Robin's body. How could he be so offensive, so inappropriate towards a woman? Nothing gave him the right. And she wasn't going to stand being spoken to that way.

"That's it, I'm out of here!" Robin announced indignantly, stuffing her books into her backpack, "I refuse to be treated like an object."

Still, Teddy's smirk remained on his face as he watched her pack her things.

"Good for you," he sneered, "Make sure the door hits you on the way out."

Robin felt even more infuriated by his mistake. She couldn't help but correct him.

"It's 'Don't let the door hit you on the way out!'" she cried in frustration, "At least get your insults right!"

"Jesus, you're a fucking know-it-all!" Teddy exclaimed, exasperation in his voice, "If only you knew when to fucking leave!"

The abrupt change in his tone almost made her jump, and her insides twisted into nervous knots. But she refused to let him see her struggle, and she was determined to have the last word and stick it to him. Robin threw her backpack over her shoulder and started marching towards the door.

"Why I agreed to tutor you for my Stanford application, I'll never know," Robin scoffed, "Good luck with biology, pretty sure you'll need more than half-witted insults and gross pick up lines to pass."

Just as she reached the exit, she heard the scraping of metal against the floor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it!"

Robin huffed and then whipped around, coming face to face with Teddy. His brown eyes were fixed on her.

"What?" she snapped.

"You only agreed to tutor me so you can put it on your fancy-schmancy college application?" he questioned in a low voice.

Robin felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. It was true: the reason why she had committed to tutoring him in biology was so it could give her a boost with Stanford admissions. Now, she was realizing that she probably didn't need to have it on her application to get accepted into Stanford, but he certainly needed the grade to actually graduate. It wasn't right to use him for her own gain. She was already being what she considered to be self-centered; she wasn't going to lie to him on top of that.

"Yes," Robin admitted guiltily, looking him in the eye, "I figured tutoring another student would make me look even better to Stanford. I'm really sorry, Teddy."

Teddy stared at her for a few moments. Suddenly, a crazed smile came across his face as his eyes widened. It was the look of a madman, and it scared Robin. He then burst into laughter, the sound reminiscent of an old witch's cackle. This scared her even more, and she couldn't help but take a step backwards.

"Sorry?! What the hell do you have to be sorry for?!" Teddy asked, wheezing, "That's amazing!"

"Huh?"

Robin was beyond bewildered by his behavior. How was he so angry one minute and then laughing his head off the next?

Teddy took off his glasses to wipe the tears out of his eyes and then placed them back on.

"The fact that you're using me to get into college, that's so selfish! You didn't give two flying fucks about me!" he said with glee.

"Well gee, I already feel bad enough about it already," Robin replied sarcastically, turning once again to head out the door.

"No, Robin!"

Robin felt his hand grip her arm. His touch was electrical, sending currents through her body. It was a sensation she had never experienced before, but it didn't feel bad. It actually felt good. And the fact that it felt good to have Teddy Duchamp's hand on her arm was frightening.

She let him turn her around so she was facing him again, and he was surprisingly gentle.

"I mean, you're doing this for yourself," Teddy explained, as if it were obvious, "That's hot shit! Instead of doing it out of the goodness of your heart or some crock of shit like that like the others do. You're a real live fucking human being."

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"You mean you actually think that me being selfish means I'm human?"

"Sure, I guess if you wanna put it like that," Teddy agreed cheerfully, "It's nice to know you're not a fucking phony."

The idea was foreign to Robin, but in a backwards way, it kind of made sense.

"Wait, 'like the others do?'" Robin asked, furrowing her brow, "What others?"

Teddy smirked at her knowingly.

"Doll, did you honestly think you're the first person who has tried to tutor me?" he asked rhetorically.

He took a step towards her, their faces close.

"That's cute," he breathed softly, "Naïve as all hell, but fucking adorable."

Robin felt her heart rate quicken, but she ignored this.

"Don't patronize me," she snapped, "What others?"

"Well, let's just say that 'school' is my worst subject."

"So you ran off all of the other students who tried to tutor you?" Robin questioned increduously, "Because they're all 'fucking phonies,' as you so eloquently put it?"

Teddy gave her a proud grin.

"Swear words sound good coming out of your mouth," he complimented with a wink, "And yeah. That or...you know, sleep with them."

Robin's mouth fell open. How could he sacrifice his potential grades for sex?

"I can't believe you," she said disapprovingly, "And I can't believe those other girls would actually go for it. Where are your morals?"

"They're locked away in a secret place, for safe-keeping," Teddy taunted, "Besides, it's not my fault that they fell so damn hard for my charm that they fell into bed with me."

"Clearly they were also attracted to your modesty," Robin scoffed, putting her hands on her hips.

"But you're not a phony bimbo, Robin," Teddy assured her, excitement in his voice, "You're different, I can tell. You're in it for you, and I like that."

It wasn't the first time she had been called different, but this was the first time it actually sounded like a positive attribute. She looked him in the eye, a serious expression on her face.

"Thanks," Robin murmured, her middle and index fingers finding her deviated septum.

Teddy grinned at her.

"Tell you what, let's do this fucking thing. You tutor me so you can beat out those asshats come college acceptance time, and who knows, maybe I'll actually graduate. You and me against the phonies, whaddya say?"

Robin pondered her options. It'd be easier to back out now while she still could: she wouldn't have to spare her free time, and she wouldn't have to spare her sanity by being around Teddy Duchamp. Yet, she was determined. The pull of getting ahead and the pull of getting out of Castle Rock were both too strong for her to say no.

"Fine," Robin answered firmly, "As long as you agree to actually try to study."

Teddy continued to grin at her.

"You got it."

"And," Robin continued emphatically, "You agree to behave yourself. No gross pick up lines, no nothing. Okay?"

Teddy's face faltered.

"Well fuck, where's the fun in that?"

"Teddy—"

"Alright, alright, fine, I'll behave," Teddy conceded, "Christ, don't get your panties in a twist. Unless you want me to untangle them for you—"

"Teddy!"

"...Behaving starting now."