So Close Yet So Far

Chapter 9: You're Dating Who?

☆ Spencer McCarter ☆

     For God's sake. What is this, kindergarten?

     I rolled my eyes as I scribbled down the last answer to the ten page math worksheets Mr. Steiller had given to us at the beginning of class. Getting through this class was a piece of cake and the shining A on my report card was going to be a shoe-in. Releasing my hold on the pencil and leaning comfortably back on my chair, my eyes looked upon all the other students still doing the math work. 

     Yes, I know that my posture was extremely taunting to the others but hey, not everyone gets to be a math genius like me. And besides, math was the sole reason I got back into this school with a scholarship anyways. Not that I was lacking in any other subject. 

     My eyes landed on an empty seat, specifically, Macy’s empty seat. She wasn’t at school today, which probably meant that she was sick. To be honest, I kind of liked watching Macy in math class. It’s amusing seeing her struggle with equations, and her nose crinkling every time she got confused.

     Since I was the only one finished with the worksheets and Mr. Steiller didn’t tell us what to do after, boredom attacked me. Sighing at the slow pace the other students were working at, I took out my phone and texted Riley. Turns out he was also the only one done in his class. Well, what can I say? Smart, popular and, (don’t forget) good looking people flock together.

     My phone vibrated again, indicating another message from Riley. But before I could slide my finger across the touchscreen to view it, Mr. Steiller called out my name.

     “Could you come up for a second?”

     Everyone was still occupied with their “difficult” math problems so none of them really payed much attention to the teacher or me. I got up from my seat and made my way over to the front of the classroom where Mr. Steiller’s desk was located.

     “Spencer, I need you to help a student out.”

     “Help?” I asked, not liking where this was headed.

     “This student is going to be missing school for the whole week and she’ll need some help with catching up on the math work we’re doing in class.” Mr. Steiller took off his glasses then continued, “Since you’re one of the school’s top students I figured it might be ideal for you to tutor her for a while.”

     “I’m not really the kind to tutor people.”

     “You don’t even want to know who you’re tutoring?”

     “I don’t do tutoring.” I deadpanned.

     “Go figure.” He flipped through the tests we did last week and pulled one out of the stack. “What if I told you the person who needed tutoring was,” He held up the test, “Miss. Morgan?”

     The test in Mr. Steiller’s hand was definitely Macy’s, and on it, was the letter ‘D’ circled in bold red marker.

     Macy getting a D? The world must be ending.

     “Macy dropped terribly since the beginning of the year and her mother has called me to ask for some tutoring help for her daughter. I thought you’d be the best choice, considering your flying marks. 

     “Well, what do you think?” He prompted me again.

     I stood there staring at the test contemplating my choices, all the while openly accepting all the compliments Mr. Steiller was throwing at me. Watching Macy struggle with math was one thing, but helping her with it was another.