Children Of The Crucible

Tuition

Blair's PoV

Monday evening rolled around soon enough. I could think of a million things I'd rather be doing than going to this Mr Walters guy for extra chemistry tuition.

I gathered what I thought I would need: a notebook, two pens (just in case one ran out), my school notes, a snack and a drink. I shoved it all into my school bag and lifted it onto my back, saying bye to my parents as I grabbed my phone on the way out of the house.

I was meant to be meeting Tommy half way there, along with this guy James, who had become his friend at basketball. I had spoken to James on a few occasions, having been partnered with him for a biology assignment before. I walked along the road, heading the opposite direction from school, until I reached the lane that led to the college building where the tutoring was meant to take place. I hurried down it, uncomfortably aware of how narrow and dimly lit it was, and emerged at the other end in less than a minute. This was where I was meant to be meeting the others.

It was ten minutes later, when I was just getting bored of playing games on my phone, that they showed up. I'd deliberately arranged for us to meet five minutes before we really needed to because I knew they would be late. Ten minutes though, that was pushing it, even for Tommy. We had to walk pretty fast to get there on time but we made it just as the clock turned 6 o'clock. As much as I didn't want to be here, I also didn't want to make a bad first impression by being late- it's always a good idea to keep the teacher on your side.

Well, saying that, I thought I'd make a good impression by being on time but the tutor himself hadn't even arrived yet. He was not making a good impression on me.

In fact, we were the only people here besides a girl called Stevie. She came and sat at our table because she didn't want to sit by herself. She was a nice enough, super smart and sporty. Her golden curls, the subject of much envious debate among the other girls in the year, cascaded down her back, making me run my hand through my own mousy hair which I had let grow out over the summer, and which badly needed cutting.

Stevie's PoV

I'd been sitting in the classroom for fifteen minutes, and I was starting to get worried that the woman at the desk had sent me to the wrong room. Her appearance suggested she could easily have made a mistake, with her disheveled clothes and great under-eye bags making it look like she had been taking a nap before I arrived. She was clearly overworked.

I was about to go back to the double-check with her about the classroom, when three guys came into the room. I recognised them from Mrs Stanley's meeting last week. There was James, who I knew from my French class and Blair and Tommy who I spoke to every now and then. They sat down at the table at the back of the room, the furthest away from the teachers desk as possible. I felt quite awkward sitting at the very front on my own, so I gingerly went over and asked if they would mind if I joined them.

'Hey guys, we are definitely in the right room aren't we? I just thought the tutor would have appeared by now.'

Tommy replied. 'Yeah positive, and even if we aren't I don't fancy going back and tackling that reception lady. She wasn't the friendliest person I've ever spoken to.'

Murmurs of agreement went round the table.

A minute passed. Finally, James broke the silence. 'Hey what do you think has happened to the others? I thought we were gonna be the last here. Do you think they are even gonna show up?'

'I have no idea. Why don't you text Gwen and ask her if she's coming? She is your girlfriend after all.'

James got his phone out of his pocket and started frantically tapping the keyboard, clearly planning to spam Gwen until he got her to answer.

'Who else is meant to be coming?' asked Blair.

'Pretty sure it's Olivia and the new girl- I think her name is Sami?' said Tommy.

'Yeah that's right' I said, 'Hey, has anyone spoken to Sami. She's not in any of my classes so I haven't had the chance to.'

'I spoke to her on my way home last week' Blair recounted. 'I'm pretty sure it was her first day. She seemed nice enough, kind of feisty actually.'

I was just about to reply when the door opened and in walked Gwen, closely followed by Olivia and Sami.

'Speak of the devil.' I heard Blair chuckle under his breath.

Olivia's PoV

'You'll never guess what that old bitch Mrs Stanley did.' I said after I had sat down. 'She phoned my parents to make sure I was attending tonight. Why is she so adamant that we go to this? I should never have picked chemistry!'

Everyone around me laughed at this before James replied.

'I know, I can't stand her. I don't even need the class- I only chose it to fill a space on my timetable.'

'Hey speaking of which, where even is the tutor? I was expecting a lecture about being on time.' I asked.

Everyone shook their heads and said they didn't know. I felt sorry for that girl Stevie. She said she had been here fifteen minutes early to make sure she was on time. Mind you, that was pretty stupid if you ask me. Why would you want to be early for extra work? Beats me. Although I think Mrs S had said someone had volunteered. I bet it was Stevie.

Sighing, I dumped my bag on the floor and slumped into the blue plastic chair. It was going to be a long night, and the tutor hasn't even arrived yet.