Troublemaker Next Door

The New Guy On The Block: Part One

Why was I assigned this class at the end of the day? They couldn't give it to me in the morning?! I trudge inside and take my seat. I curl in my seat and bury my face in my arms. I hate math so much. I swear.. if I never have to use math in the real world, I am suing whoever invented it because it is a waste of time learning it if I am never gonna use it in the future.

My teacher walks around and bangs on my table. "No sleeping in my class Mia." I groan and sit up as I take out my homework. I give it to the kid in front of me. When it disappears, I lean on my hand and sigh. I wish this day would hurry up and end. With that, the teacher starts his lesson.

He begins going over the homework answers. I nod as I realize I got 2 questions right... OUT OF 8. I cry in my mind as I wish I could bang my head on a wall. My mom was going to kill me.

After 8 minutes of him continuing to give out answers and showing the work for each problem, he makes us take out our workbooks and work on PEMDAS questions. We work on them for the rest of the period.

During the whole class, I could feel his eyes boring into my forehead. He was gonna give me another lecture about how I needed to study more and do better on the next few assignments in order to pass the class. I am so used to our "heart-to heart" conversations, I don't even need to be mentally prepared for them.

The bell rings and the teacher assigns us homework. "Do pages 123-130. Skip questions 9 and 12 and don't forget to show work. I'll see you all tomorrow." I try to walk out the door without attracting his attention but he spots me. "Mia." I freeze. Everyone walks past me and I feel embarrassed when he calls me to his desk. He puts a paper in front of me and tells me to sit.

"Now Mia. We have been through this conversation too many times. You really need to get your grades up. I don't wanna be that one teacher that holds back a student or has to give them summer school just because of a few bad test scores. It's not even tests.. it's also homework. I just assign what we learn in class and it's only 2 and a half weeks into the school year. I want to see you succeed."

"So do I sir but..."

"Mia. I don't want to fail you. I need you to either come into after school for tutoring or you might have to get someone to tutor you. It can be a friend, a family member, or a professional. It doesn't matter. I just.. don't want you to have to keep struggling in math."

"Yes sir. I understand."

He gets up and leans on his whiteboard. "You know I have to call your mom right?"

"No no. Please don't. If you do, she won't let me go to the convention next week and I really REALLY wanna go. I will do whatever you want me to do. I will study all night and all day with nothing but red bull and monster fueling me and I will deeply embed all of the information into my mind until it explodes."

"Ok, first off, that sounds kinda dangerous.. and two, I'm sorry but you've given me no choice."

I bang my head on his desk. "Aww man."

The bell rings again.

"You'd best be getting home now Mia. I hope you have a great day."

I get up and grab my backpack as I slide out the door. "Great day my ass."

I walk out of the building and get to my car. I see a big bird poop stain on my front mirror. "AWW COME ON!" I yell before climbing in. I turn on my windshield and spray water on the stain to get rid of it. Sadly, it's too high so the windshield keeps missing it. I give up and turn off the windshield wipers before banging my head on my steering wheel.

My day went from great to horrible in a span of one class and a few minutes outside. Nothing good ever comes from math. I take my keys out of my pocket and start the car. I back away from the spot I was parked in and make my way home.