youngblood // p. hockstetter // 0.1

//thirty

•••

School was quite literally driving Rosemary insane, purely because she struggled to comprehend the level of stupidity that some of her fellow students exhibited.

Rosemary had had no chance to speak to the members of her two pitifully small 'classes' and it left her feeling uncomfortably vulnerable. Once again, Henry Bowers was the issue. Being the Friday of their second week, the summer students although academically challenged where at least smart enough to recognise the imminent threat talking to Rosemary presented to themselves. Despite her apparent social isolation, Rosemary was comfortably up to place and slightly ahead in both of her subjects, something that Nathaniel was more then a little pleased with. Sitting in her English class on the Friday, Rosemary nibbled on her pencil as she thought back to Nathaniel. "Maybe we should try and get you a scholarship" He announced at dinner the night following her near assault. "You've been maintaining an A-B standard since we left Pennsylvania and most of the kids at your school look like they aren't trying" Rosemary smiled tiredly as Nathaniel snickered.

"Maybe we should wait until I finish Summer School before asking about scholarships?" That ended the discussion quickly as he nod in agreement and she ate in silence.

When the clock finally clicked to eleven thirty, Rosemary hastily began packing up her pencil case as the bell resonated throughout the classroom, "Miss.Fennler?" Rosemary was snapped out of her thoughts by her teacher Mr.Winters as he stood in front of her desk.

"Yes sir?"

"If you'll please see me after class, there is something I'd like to discuss with you"

She was silent but nod, her mind racing to figure out what he could possibly need to say to her. Had she done something wrong? Or was this a congratulatory thing? In the now empty classroom she pondered her thoughts until Mr.Winters shut the door and ushered her towards his desk. "Yes sir?"

"Rosemary" He linked his fingers together on the desk, "May I ask if you're employed?"

"...Sir?" He chuckled slightly.

"I only ask because, as shown by your report and current results you are quite evidently a strong academic student. You're almost two weeks ahead in both your classes and unlike your fellow classmates you take an interest in learning"

"Thank you sir. But uh, no I'm not employed"

"Well Rosemary I've discussed it with several other teachers and I'd like to ask you whether you would be interested in tutoring?

Rosemary pondered the question for a second, slipping her bag onto the floor as she bit her upper lip in thought. "How often would I be tutoring?"

"Generally two or three times a week. Each tutoring session and time will be arranged by the school and each session generally goes for an hour, possibly two. You'd be making twenty five dollars an hour paid to you by the parents or student"

"And would this be continuing after I finish Summer School? I finish a month before the other students?"

"Yes it would be. It would continue until either the school decides you are not adequate enough for tutoring or until you decide you'd rather not do it" He held his hands out in a flourish before clutching his hands again, smiling. "What do you say?"

"I'd love to begin tutoring some of my fellow classmates" Rosemary states with an equally enthusiastic smile. Ideally she would love to earn an income, and even better it would give her more adjustable time to walk around Derry. "When do I begin?"

"Your schedule for the programme will be arranged next week after Mrs.Poloram takes the times and dates you're available" Nodding, Rosemary picked up her bag. "Uh, Rosemary?" She stopped what she was doing. "May I ask you something a little more...personal?"