The Separation Situation: Sequel to The Renovation Complication

13. Failing Again

Tori

"You're failing again, Miss Aspen."

Yeah, I noticed.

"I thought you were coming around, but your last exam... At this rate, Victoria, you will be lucky to graduate." He says the last word quietly, as if it may curse the entire classroom.

Shit. Double Shit. The battle I'm fighting with Math is looking bloody. And it's my blood. If I fail another semester, I won't have the credit to graduate, and I'll watch everyone in their robes and caps and I'll be stuck here. I don't want to be stuck here.

"Is there anything I can do for this class? Extra credit?" But I know there's no hope. Summer school has been and gone and I think the final extra credit assignment was over last week. I'm on my own now.

I've been so absorbed with Mason and everything lately that I completely forgot about my study. As a result, the test I thought I had in the bag, I had in the toilet, and now Mr Branson has asked me to stay after class to discuss my opportunities. I personally think he should just erase me. No use having failing students in his class.

"Afraid not, Miss Aspen." My new Math teacher isn't all that bad. And he doesn't have hair growing out of his nose, which is a plus. "You're just going to have to put a little more work into your studies."

"I'm trying, Mr Branson." I hardly have time to spend on any other subject, with the effort I put into my Math. I'm just bad at it. That's all there is.

Well, at least Mason doesn't hate you anymore.

I called him just two days ago, apologising for my behaviour. I guess it took a killer hangover to make me realise how stupid I was being. I trust him, and he told me that there was no way he could ever do... that.

Mr Branson pushes a wrinkled hand through his salt and pepper hair. "The last thing I can think of is a tutor. I have a volunteer program going on in the class right now."

I nod slowly, already feeling the pit of my stomach twisting into a huge knot. To be honest, I don't really feel like spending mass amounts of time with anyone debating equations. Not my idea of fun. You don't get 'fun', Tori – you're failing.

"From my understanding, I have a student that would be somewhat convenient for the two of you." He smiles weakly, very possibly exhausted by my inability to pass his class. Students like me are the reason teachers have drinking problems.

And I wouldn't recommend drinking alcohol to anyone. Ever.

"Convenient, sir?" My ears only just register the wording. Maybe it's Kat, imported from another class and into mine. Couldn't get more convenient than that right?

Apparently, wrong. "If I'm not wrong, you do live near to Liam Thomson?"

I didn't ask for this. Let me tell you, when you get extremely drunk, pour out your relationship woes and vomit all over someone; it's not exactly the greatest form of bonding.

"So, now you do it." Liam's grey eyes shift over the symbols, seeming to know exactly what's happening on the page. That makes one of us.

"What am I doing?" My forehead pinches together in frustration and when he chuckles, I want to smash my head into the polished library desk. I don't think the school would appreciate the property damage, though.

When I study, it's very empty. I just revise my notes and read over and over and over things I will never really understand. When I study, I don't really ever know what I'm looking at. Which is probably why I can't even figure out the distance from this triangle to the next.

Why don't they just measure it?

"You sub in these numbers," Liam pokes the page beside me (the first page of workings), bumping his shoulder uncomfortably close to mine. But I don't move. I wouldn't want to make him feel bad, when he's volunteering his time to my terrible Math skills.

"Why?" I persist stubbornly.

"Because that's what the question asks," He grins, dimples showing in his cheeks. Get out of my face, Thomson, I want to shout, but restrain myself. It's not that Liam is a bad person – he's really not. So far, all he has been is kind to me. But kind is suspicious, and ever since Dylan, I can't ever trust a kind person.

If you're kind, you have to be fake, right? Right. So, to me, this whole boy-next-door act he has going on is revolting. And the fact that he's volunteering to study with me?

Horrifying.

I just wish that I had Mason here to be sarcastic and teasing and an asshole. At least I know that he's just joking.

Liam's little act isn't all that funny. It involves pi. "You listening?" And he doesn't even seem agitated! When I ignore Mason, he doesn't leave me alone. He would roll his eyes and make some joke about my goldfish-like attention span.

"Not really." I huff, miffed for absolutely no reason at all. Why can't this boy be Mason? Why does my boyfriend have to be six hundred miles away?

"That's okay. Math isn't all that interesting. Next time?" Grey eyes flash with a sweet smile and I want to groan.

Please God don't let there be a next time.

"Sure. Next time." I nod and gather my notes in my arms. Mr Branson suggested that we get started with the whole tutoring thing as soon as possible, so I had to stay after school up at the library. Only for an hour, but it's an hour I'll never get back.

I push out of the double doors, exhaling a breath I didn't realise I had been holding since I closed my book. School exhausts me. It's the everlasting weight on my chest that I should be studying and even while I'm studying I should be studying harder.

Because, you see, everything feels like a house of cards that is going to crumble crumble crumble down at any minute and it could be during an exam or just as the lunch bell sounds, but I know I have to hold it together. I have to hold it together because everyone else seems just fine.

"Need a lift?" I jump at the voice, and something falls out of my arms. Oh, Christ. I glance up at a brown haired boy and want to roll my eyes.

"No thanks, Liam. I do have a car." I hiss, scrambling for the stupid book. A little harsh, but I'm a little annoyed. I have Alex's old car, to be precise. Ashley says it's just until he finishes college and I go off to college. College, college, college, it's all about college all the time with everyone. And yet I'm still stuck here.

"Sure." He says lightly, making his way over to his old looking ranger. I've finally found someone in this town with a crappy car. I still don't like him, though. "Later, Tori."

I don't say anything.

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So sorry for the lack of updates (to the 4 people actually reading right now)! I've been so busy with study and had absolutely no inspiration, until the lovely lanijoy gave me wonderful ideas (not in this chapter but soon) ;)

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