Black Lives Matter

The Afternoon

Zay's POV
We got into english and I sat with Lucas. The two of us were away from everyone else because we had assigned seats in this class. "Yo bro," he whispered, "were you legit about that shit you said in history?" "You remember how it was back in Texas." I responded, "how every cop put their hand on their gun when I walked by. Kinda makes you tense up around 'em." "You free today?" He asked. I shook my head. "Nah I'm working with Riley. Then I gotta hit the gym. Coach says I gotta loose a few and gain some muscle so I'm gonna go work on that." I told him. "Ok dude just don't work yourself to hard. It's just a game." He was right. In Lucas's world baseball is just a game, but for me it's the pathway to a decent future. Without scholarship money that I get from baseball college won't even be a possibility. Lucas just doesn't understand that. Yeah his parents don't got a lot but they do have a trust fund. I have nothing. I make my money myself by teaching English to immigrants. It pays me enough to be able to buy clothes that look like my friends' and for my phone bill. It's all I have, but I guess that makes it all I need.

Riley's POV
The bell rang and we grabbed our friend group. Farkle and Lucas both said they couldn't walk home with us today. I understand. Farkle told me he had to reject Lucas because of his father and hanging out with Lucas now would probably be awkward for him. We dropped off maya and Smackle and Zay walked me home. His hand was laying on my lower back as we passed a cop. Immediately his hands went up. It was subtle but it was there. The cop nodded at him and we continued walking. I felt so bad for him. He really shouldn't have to face this kind of thing. No one should. We came in through the bay window. I sat on my bed and he came to join me. "So," he said, "so," i repeated. He smiled at me and I blushed back. "Umm Algebra." He cleared his throat and began to search through his back pack for the homework.

Zay's POV
"So, what don't you understand?" I asked and she shrugged. "All of it?" I chuckled and read the first problem. "x^2+3x-4=0. Solve for x." "Ok, so how do I do that?" She asked. "Well to get solve this we have to factor it. The first parts of each factor must multiply to be the value of the x^2; since it's just x^2 we know that both factors will just start with x. Then the sum of the two inside amounts and the two outside amounts must be the value of x^1 which, in this case, is 3x and the two last parts have to multiply to the digit without x which is -4. So you have to find two numbers that add or subtract to positive three and multiply to be -4." "Ok let me try this." She said, "so since the numbers have to multiply to be negative we know that one of them must be negative which means they subtract to three. Since the three is positive we know that the smaller number has to be negative. Now what multiplies to negative four? Two and negative two or... oh! Negative one times four!" Ok so then how do you set that up?" I asked her. She thought for a minute then wrote (x-1)(x+4)=0 "now how do I get x?" She asked. "Well," i told her, "there are two answers. And you get those two answers by solving for each set of parentheses." I told her. She held up her pencil like she had just had a revelation and wrote down her answers. x=1, x=-4 "good job!" I congratulated her ecstatically. "I couldn't have done it without you!" She hugged me hard and kissed my cheek. Before I could respond Auggie came in. "Oh you have someone here." He pouted. "What's wrong with the Zay man?" I asked over-dramatically offended. "I just wanted to play." He whined. "Well we can play. Girls have cooties." Riley put her hands on her hips in fake shock. I shrugged. "Ok." He said pulling me out into the kitchen.

Riley's POV
I followed the boys to the kitchen. They seemed to be having so much fun. Zay is so good with kids. Then I remembered. Kids! I had to feed my baby!
A/N::: I know it's a bad ending but I personally think that the book gets ten times better at chapter 6 so look out for that. Also the first larkle scene will come out tomorrow. Love you all! Great things to come! Xoxo -Emma

Song-"Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson