The Stadium's Star [COMPLETE]

Chapter 36

"Marcus, are you paying attention?"

It's been half an hour since we started studying and we've barely finished a page of work. He stops spinning his pencil to look over at me, eyes drooping. "Yeah."

"Repeat back to me what I just said."

He goes quiet.

I bite my lip, regaining my patience and move the textbook closer to him. "Okay, so what I said is-"

"Look, Amelia," he says. "I appreciate you trying to help but it's pointless. I don't get any of this stuff."

"Then I'll help you understand it," I insist. "I mean, most of this is review from last semester anyway. Like #3. It's a definite integral."

He gives me a look. "The only way I passed last semester was by copying off the kid next to me. Same with high school. That and football's the only way I even got into this school."

I go silent for a second. Obviously, I know that everyone cheats once in a while but something tells me it's not an uncommon occurrence for Marcus. As someone who spent all of high school practically tied to a desk to get into college, I can't help but feel slightly irritated at Marcus's blatant disregard for learning.

My eyes flicker to Zack's bed, where the teddy bear I got him sits. It reminds me that Marcus is still Zack's cousin and he's been through a lot.

Zack says he's changed since he was younger. I can either berate him for his past or try to help him improve in the future.

"It's not too late to start learning," I say. "You have me to help you now."

Flipping back to previous chapters, I prepare to go over all of the material that is supposed to be prior knowledge.

"Why are you doing this?" he asks. "You're busy enough with work and your own classes."

My hand stills as I pause writing. "Because I feel like no one else has really tried to help you before."

"So you pity me."

"No," I say immediately. "I support you."

His jaw shifts as he stares at me and he lets out a small unreadable laugh. When I turn back to the pages of the textbook, he doesn't object.