Well, Friday comes around again and I see her coming out of English class. It's nothing spectacular, maybe even depressing. Ever since that incident on the football field, whenever I walk near her group of friend, I would hear sudden burst of laughter and then more giggling. Poor girl, I don't know how she feels but whenever I look, I can't find her in the group. She must be hiding behind her friends, I think. Boy, that must have been very awkward for her. I'm a guy so I can handle it but being a girl, it must be pretty tough if your friends are making fun of you everyday. Anyway, I'm just going to sit down and mind my own business. She steps out really quick, I barely get a glance of her jacket and she already disappears into the crowd. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.
My English class starts and Mrs. Johnson is returning our tests with grading. I think I did pretty well on it considering I studied two days prior. Some of the grammar technicalities are pretty confusing so I have to admit that I wing a portion of the test. It shouldn't be that bad though since it's just standard 11th grade English. Mrs. Johnson gives back my test without saying much and I flip it up to check out my score. Holy shizzle for nizzle, how the hell did I get a C on this thing? My grade is written in red ink with a circle around it "72/100". Below it, a sentence says "See me after class". Damn, I'm heading toward a disaster now. This is a big test, almost 30% of my total grade. Screwing this up would put me in some serious head wind for the rest of the semester.
I'm antsy for the entire period. My chest feels a little heavy and my head a little confused. I thought I did better than this. I wait until everyone leaves and sluggishly make my way to the teacher. She is sitting on her desk with a bunch of papers and binders, a little bit annoyed that there is a lot to be done. I say hi and tell her I'm here because of my test remark. She says if I'm struggling with some concepts, I can either ask her or get help after school from other students. She also recommends a study group that has students from advanced English class who can assist me with my homework. "There's one today after 3 in the afternoon. You should check them out. If you get another C or worse, you won't be able to take 12th grade English". She writes down the location and the hours on a piece of Post-it note and hands it to me. I take it and say thank you and walk out of class.
"Library study group, room 2, 3-5pm" I read the note. I hate staying after school, I'm the kind of guy who would prefer to go home and play games instead of loitering around. No choice now, I guess. I need to get my grade up or my parents will be very angry. "Aaaarg, so annoying". Sometimes thing can turn out to be such a drag when you just want to lay low and relax. Fate decides that I have to actually try harder now. The library slowly appears before me, with its red swinging door and metal square roof. It's not going to take two hours. Homework can be done quickly enough and freedom will be mine. Step by step, I make it up to the front door eventually. Going in, it seems bigger inside than it is outside. A lady helpfully points out where room 2 is before adding that the library will be closed at 5:30pm. That's fine by me because I will not stay that long. No way in hell I'm staying that long.
I step into room 2. It's a large class room with high ceiling. Very brightly lit, it smells like perfume and makeup inside. I soon discover why as it's mostly filled with female students. A lot of girls are hanging in this room after school to do their homework. There are maximum of four guys out of maybe twenty girls in this room. You get the nerds, the tryhards, and the pretty ones as well. One of the table has a makeshift paper plaque with "English after school tutor". This must be it and before I realize, she is sitting at that table. There are three girls sitting around her, they're both talking and playing on their phones. All of them look up at me as I approach the other side of their table. Her face is almost instantly red. The one sitting on her left starts giggling. That's annoying. Oh well, here goes nothing.
"Hi, I've been told this is the place if I need some help with English homework".
"That's right. What grade are you in?", answers the one sitting on the right. She looks more mature, her makeup is heavy. Looking at her remind me of those Instagram models that chalk their faces to the point that they all look similar. She is attractive though, with tight fitting clothes that reveal just enough for your curiosity. I feel nervous talking to her already.
"I'm in 11th grade, Mrs. Johnson's class". To avoid looking directly at her face, I stare at her name tag. It says "Jessica Daniel, 12th Grade English student tutor". So she's a senior, probably going to college next year. Her long blond hair curls slightly on her shoulder and they fall down as she stands up to shake my hands. "I'm Jess, I took Mrs. Johnson last year. I can probably help".
I don't expect her to tutor me and the offer just happens out of the blue. I stutter a little before regaining my composure. "S.. Sure, that would be great, thank you". I say it before I realize that she is staring at me, looking surprise at first then disappointed after. I furtively glance at her and quickly look away. She has a name tag, too. "Anna Jin". I know why she looks a little mixed now. She's half Asian. Jin is a Chinese or Japanese last name. That explains her silky black hair, her striking black eyebrows above her brown dove eyes. I never noticed this before but she's a natural beauty. I suppose because I have Jess to compare to Anna. Lots of cosmetic against lightly powdered and pink lipstick, how can girls be completely opposite of each other and still look just as attractive.
She looks back down to her book and I shake Jess's hand. We then proceed to sit down and Jess starts asking me about what problems I'm struggling with. I explain to her about my tests and what I did on it. I can feel Anna listening intently as she never turns a page on her book. Anna is not looking at me though and keep pretending to read. Jess starts explaining the concept and how I need to remember sentence structures. We begin to delve deeper into the lesson and before I know it, my attention is focused solely on Jess's voice. Half an hour goes by and Jess leans back into her chair, let out a long breath with her arms dangling on the side of the chair.
"That should be all you need to pass these tests. I know it's a lot but try to learn a little everyday. It will pay off on your final". I nod and say "Thanks, you're pretty good". She smiles back at me "Haha, thanks, you can come by whenever you need help. You know the hours". I close my books, replying "You'd better be here. I'll be asking for Jessica Daniel". Jess' smile gets slightly wider and she hits me with her hand. "You'd better pass that test then". Just as Jess taps me on the arm, I swear I feel a tingle on my left cheek, like someone just shoots me a piercing stare. I instantly snap out of it and look at Anna but she is still facing down on her book. That is weird. Jess doesn't seem to understand what just happens. She just nonchalantly flips her hair and takes out her phone again. I stand up and pack my things. Saying bye to everyone, I'm just about to leave and Jess asks me if I want her phone number. I think it would be rude to say no so I give her my phone.
I hear a long sigh and a book closes and Anna promptly stands up and leaves the room. Uh oh, was it something I did? Jess is punching in her number now while saying this is just in case I have some questions when I actually do the homework myself. The door slams shut after Anna leaving, and the third girl just looks in her direction, confused but curious. Girls are such mysterious creatures. I really don't know what to do with them. However, one thing at a time. I need to get this stupid homework done and get my grades up before I can worry about girls and their paradoxical antics.
