Friday Night Tutor

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When we finally arrive at school after yet another nauseating car ride, we have 45 minutes till the morning bell rings. It's a good thing I woke Audrey up when I got up or I would have had to dawdle around the house for half an hour. We make our way down the quiet hallway and find Adam already standing next to our lockers.
"Little early, aren't we?" I say as we walk up to him.
Adam turns around abruptly, and looks at us as if we'd grown second heads, "Hey, I didn't know you two knew school was open this early," he says with a disbelieving laugh.
"Hey! We've been early before, you know," I try to look serious as I defend myself but fail when I hear Audrey's contagious laugh.
I open up my locker and stuff my backpack inside, grabbing a textbook for my first class. I never take my textbooks home; they're too heavy, and I'm not too bothered about reading them seeing as I never understand anything.
We're all sitting in the hallway against our lockers when George- one of Adam's team mates says I look pretty, I'm about to reply with a 'Thank you' when obnoxiously loud laughter fills the hallway. I look up and see Daniel with a girl I don't recognise from any of my classes- the source of said obnoxious laughter- attached to his arm. The couple walk slowly down the hall, but come to a stop beside me. I look up at a smiling Daniel and his annoyed looking companion. "What?" I ask.
"You're in our way," the girl says, giggling when she says 'our'. "Move your legs, please?" I look around and see all my friends have lifted their legs to bend at the knees and I'm the only one with my legs still spread across the hall. I quickly lift me legs and motion for the two to pass.
When they've cleared the hall, the others all look at me laugh, "What's the deal with you two?" George asks.
"That's my new neighbour," I admit. Then add, "And my new tutor."
"Since when?" Adam asks, surprised.
"Since yesterday night," I say, the memory of last night only aggravating my anger. "I'll explain later."
Audrey prods me with her foot. "What so bad about that? If my tutor was that hot, I'd be off to the Ivy League next year," she says looking down the hall wistfully.
Adam clears his throat and feigns hurt, "Hey, my self- esteem is pretty wounded right now."
"Baby, insecurity is so not sexy," Audrey says with a smirk.
Adam reaches for Audrey and they scoot closer, my feet now squished between them.
"Hey, hey, hey!" I say, spreading my legs (lol) to separate the two, "At least release me before you start molesting each other."
Adam grins at me as I stand, Audrey sticks her tongue out at me so I quickly bend down and stick my tongue out, licking Audrey's cheek and then Adam's when he laughs. "Disgusting child," Adam says, using the plaid shirt hanging around my waist to wipe his cheek. I grin down at the two and wave goodbye as I make my way to home room.
-
I manage to stay sane during my morning classes, only getting caught once with the book I read under the table. In my last class before lunch I'm called back by my Government teacher- Miss Kate. I take a deep breath, calming the sudden onslaught of nerves and plaster on a polite smile when I turn back to the middle aged, somewhat pretty woman. I despise these 'interventions'. I know I'm stupid, I know I need to try harder. A quick flash or resentment toward my parents hits me as I remember them 'politely forcing' me to take certain courses this year- this wasn't one of them. I actually wanted to take this course, so I feel even more deflated when I do bad.
"Alexa, please take a seat," Miss Kate motions toward the desk sat directly in front of her own as she sits in her own chair, smoothing over her black pencil skirt.
"So what's up?" I ask, playing with my hair. I should have tied it up, its way too hot, and I can't stand my hair sticking to my neck. I look at the clock conscious of the time, watching seconds of my lunch pass by, never to be recovered and sigh.
"I'm aware I am cutting into your lunch hour, so I'll try to make this quick," then she pauses. Looks at me. Takes a sip of her coffee. I'm starting to wonder if she fully comprehends the phrase 'I'll make this quick'.
Then she speaks, and it's the same thing I've gotten from nearly all pf my other teachers, "Your progress in this class isn't.. well, you're not making any progress," I blink, the bluntness of her statement shocking me. Then I laugh, and she doesn't look too impressed. "Alexa, I'm not sure you're fully grasping the situation here," she says, taking another sip of her coffee. "You need to pass this class to get into a good college. I've looked at your previous records, and you've only just gotten into not only this course, but nearly all of your courses on scraped grades."
Nope, not like all the previous times. No other teacher has been so bothered as to actually look at my previous grades. The fact that she did, and is now using it against me angers me.
"Look," I say, standing up and lifting my books to my chest, trying to keep my voice even. "I'm fully aware of what my grades are like, I am the one getting them. As for passing- I will. I have a new tutor, he's going to help me with my work, explain it better." Miss Kate is surprised by my somewhat sudden outburst and I feel a pang of guilt as her face falls when I say the last part.
I walk out of the class and don't look back, ashamed of my lack of respect, but too riled up to go back to apologise.
When I finally get to the cafeteria my mood is sour and I can feel the panic building in me, coiling my insides tight. I grab a juice and cookie before I walk over to the table and throw my reading book and lunch down onto the table. Audrey jumps a little, "Whoa, the table did you no wrong," she says jokingly, but her smile falls from her face when her eyes fall on my darkened expression. "Hey, was the meeting with Miss Kate that bad?" she asks.
"Yep," I say while I unwrap my cookie. I take a bite of it and Audrey waits till I swallow and carry on; knowing I would lecture anyone who talked with food in their mouth, a common occurrence when siting at a table full of jocks.
"School is not good for me. In fact, I actually think psychologists would advise against it if they ever studied its effects on my mental, physical and emotional state."
"That bad?" she asks, scrunching her slender nose up.
"You don't know the half of it," I say, then turn to face the table, opening up my book. I put my earbuds in and turn my music up as loud as I can stand it, drowning out the noisy cafeteria and get lost in my book, letting the words seep into my mind and ease my heartbeat. I'm thankful that no one disturbs me as I read.
A slight nudge from Audrey signals that it's time to get to my next class. I wave goodbye to my friends and make my way to math. I expertly manoeuvre my way through the soon-to-be packed halls while still reading my book, too enthralled to put it down. When I get to math, I mutter a quick 'hey' to the people already in their seats and sit at my desk.
I keep reading as the class fills up and am surprised when my earbuds are yanked from my ears; I had forgotten they were in.
"Thank you, Mr Kepler," Mr W says and I turn to glare at Daniel, he smiles at me and shrugs. "Miss Brenton, your attention would be appreciated," Mr W says, turning back to his computer screen and carries on taking attendance.
When he's done, Mr W instructs us to turn to page 107 of our textbooks I look down at my desk and curse quietly. I hadn't been able to go to my locker to switch out my books at lunch time. I turn to Daniel and see that he doesn't have a book either, "I haven't been given a book yet," he says before I can ask him where his is.
I roll my eyes and look around the class and see the pair sitting in front of me both have their own book. I scoot down, stretch my foot out and kick the chair in front of me, attempting to get Rebecca's attention so I can ask to borrow her book. Just as Rebecca is about to turn around, Mr W shouts from the front of the classroom, "Miss Brenton, what seems to be the problem?" He looks frustrated, I don't blame him, so am I. the whole class turns to look at me and I fidget in my seat, pulling my hair off of my sticky neck.
"I forgot to bring my textbook," I say, clenching my fists underneath the table, hoping my face remains neutral.
Mr W opens his mouth to no doubt issue me a detention when a knock at the door draws the rooms attention. The door opens and the school secretary- Mrs Bazan- comes in and tells Mr W that she needs to speak with him. The two step out, but Mr W keeps his foot in the door, insuring we don't get too noisy.
"Where are your other two eyes," I hear Daniel ask beside me. I don't bother turning to look at him because I know I'll just snap at him. Daniel must have realised I wasn't in a particularly good mood and he busies himself with his phone under the desk.
Mr W returns and calls the class's attention, "There has been an emergency at home that I must tend to." There are a few cheers and some high-fiving, but I stay quiet, I hope no one is hurt- I don't voice that thought. "I am going to hand out the booklets I mentioned at the start of class," he says pointing to a large stack of papers on his desk. Must have missed that, I think to myself as he begins handing out the semi- thick work books. "There are 40 minutes left of this period, I expect everyone to at least complete up to question ten in class, then the rest at home due for Monday," groans erupt throughout the classroom. "You all know the procedure; no one leaves the classroom, Mrs Bazan will come and check in periodically, keep the noise levels low please."
After Mr W leaves, I look down at the booklet in front of me and flick through the pages, completely lost on all the equations in front of me.
"I can't believe how hot it is today," Daniel says and I'm surprised by his casual conversation starter, but I play along.
I look at him and ask, "Not very smart wearing a long sleeved tee, are you?"
Daniel looks down at his tee and shrugs, "I have to." Now, don't get me wrong, considering Daniels 'extra- curriculars', I don't really think he's covering up for religious reasons, but I don't bother asking.
"The heat is killing me though," I swipe my hair off my sticky neck again. "I'm so glad I don't have work this week, I don't think I'd be able to stand being in a small store, wearing a thick polo tee for hours."
"Not to be crude," Daniel starts and I raise an eyebrow, my expression saying 'As if I've stopped you before', Daniel laughs and his bright blue eyes light up. I've always had a thing for eyes because of my own underwhelming, almost dirt coloured eyes, and I've envied anyone who has nice eyes. "But why do you work at the bakery if you're rich?" he asks.
I smile and ask, "Why do you do boxing?"
Daniel smiles and yet again, I'm surprised at his beauty. It sounds weird because people don't usually refer to men as beautiful, but he's one of those people that you can't help but stare at sometimes- like god spent a little extra time on him. He's wearing light blue fitted jeans- not too skinny, Thank god- and a white long sleeve t shirt. I look closer at his upper body and wonder if my contact lenses are messing with my vision.
"Do you have tattoos?" I ask, my eyes travelling along the spots on his upper body where the white fabric of his tee is tainted a little darker from underneath.
"I do, they're the reason why I have to wear long sleeves. The head requested that I keep them covered when on school grounds" he says, still smiling and all of a sudden, his sex appeal shoots through the roof. Can this guy physically get any more perfect? Another thing I've always kind of been obsessed with is tattoos. I don't really know how my parents feel about them, because I've never asked, but I definitely want one, I Just haven't decided what yet. I'm about to ask if I can see them when a manicured hand lands on Daniel's shoulder.
"Hey Daniel," Claudia purrs- actually purrs. Cue eye roll.
Daniel turns from me and smiles at Claudia- but it isn't the same smile he gave me. No, this smile is says so much more, promises so much more. Claudia bats her tarantula like eyelashes as her hand travels down Daniels arm.
They start talking about their plans for the night; Claudia insisting that just a movie is fine, that dinner will take too long. As I realise where this conversation is headed, and what they're planning, I grow uncomfortable in my seat and turn to my workbook.
As I attempt the first question, my anger and frustration build; both from my lack of understanding and the conversation going on beside me. Just as I cross out yet another attempt at an answer, I see Daniel lean in close to Claudia so his mouth is near her ear, her arm travels back up his arm and lands on his shoulder. Daniel puts his hand on Claudia's waist and whispers just loud enough for me to hear.
What I hear next has me flushing such a deep shade of red, I could have been thrown out to sea and been mistaken as buoy. I ignore Claudia's hand tightening on Daniel's arm and her little gasps and giggles as he whispers his sweet, sweet promises into her ear.
I attempt to block out the stupid conversation and ignore the effect Daniel's words had on me- he wasn't even saying them to you, get a grip.
My frustration plays out onto my poor work book. I let out a string of curses as I get yet another answer wrong. I check my working out on the calculator and go through the steps in my head again. Wrong. Again. Screw this. Tension grows in me, sitting heavily in the pit of my stomach. I try to ignore it, but my brain latches on to it. I take my frustration out on the work sheet, scribbling out the answer until there's a thick black rectangle going across the page, accompanied by my previous failures. There is literally no space left on this page to even attempt the question again.
"What the hell have you done to that poor page?" Daniel asks. One look at his shocked reaction to my work and I'm ready to punch something. "Come on, Doll, a 5 year old could have done better than that." The urge to cry is strong as I get up from my seat, collect my things and leave.
Daniel tries to speak to me, asking me what he did, warning me of Mrs Bazan's check-ins, but I ignore him and walk hurriedly walk to the thankfully empty library. I walk passed the librarian and walk over to a study bench toward the back of the expansive room. I sit down and attempt to read my book, but my nerves are too riled up. Everything from that day rushed into my head and crowds my thoughts and I cave. I literally feel the tension build and physically crack within me, sending shockwaves through my system. I set my book down and grip the edge of the worn wooden desk as waves of emotion hit me hard and vibrate through my bones. I want it to end. This day. My stupidity. The hardship before the light. I need the light. My arms begin to shake, my face vibrates with tension as the tears flow down my face and hit the wooden table. I concentrate on that, the tears, as they travel down my face- setting each nerve ending in my cheeks on an ice-like fire- then gather at the bottom of my face and finally fall to the wooden table with a mini splash. When it's over, I'm covered in sweat as I slump down on to the desk. I focus on my breathing as the aftershocks of my panic attack hit me in little shocks.
When my breath evens out and the coils inside me loosen, I walk out of the library and fix myself up in the bathrooms as much as I can with some cold water and scratchy industrial paper towels. When I arrive at my next period late, Audrey takes one look at me and her face fills with worry and guilt.
As I sit down she grabs my hand in a vice grip underneath the desk and says, "I'm so sorry. I knew at lunch, I didn't think it would happen so soon. We won't talk about it now though, let's just get through this class." I squeeze Audrey's hand, thankful that she is here.
After class, Adam is waiting outside the classroom and his reaction mirrors Audrey's previous one as soon as he sees me. He puts his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. I take a deep breath then, with Adams arms around me and Audrey's hand clasping mine, I feel a calm wash over me.
Adam walks us to Audrey's car, his arm still around my shoulder, Audrey's arm now linked with mine. We pass Daniel leaning against Claudia's car. He stops talking to Claudia when he sees me and stares as we pass. His eyes are on me, his expression filling with guilt and confusion as he takes in my appearance. I quickly divert my gaze and concentrate on Adam and Audrey on either side of me and getting to the car.