The Tables Have Turned

The Tables Have Turned

Chapter 33

I have a math test on Wednesday. That’s tomorrow and I just found out about it now.

I’m going to fail.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?!” I yelled at Paul and Chase.

“We thought you knew,” Paul said, amused by the whole thing. He was amused while I panicked because I probably won’t get a two-digit number grade on that test. I don’t know anything!

“Calm down, Hailey,” Chase said. “Alex will help you tonight.”

“I can’t tonight except from six till eight,” Alex said.

Speak of the devil was my first thought when Alex appeared out of nowhere then his words registered in my head and my eyes widened.

“What?! Two hours isn’t enough!” I said. “I don’t know anything!”

He shrugged. “You’ll study on your own.”

“But I can’t,” I said, pouting. I can’t understand anything if Alex doesn’t explain to me and I’ll admit that we weren’t really focusing on the tutoring part when he used to come over before the breakup and after the breakup, he barely came twice.

“Sure you can!” Chase encouraged me.

“I need Alex,” I said. Well, I need his brain…

Chase smirked and Paul said, “You need me. I’m the boyfriend here.”

“Shut up, idiot,” I told him, slapping the back of his head. “I’m going to fail and that’s what you’re thinking about?”

The three guys looked amused while I panicked. I can’t fail that test! After the 80/100 I got on the previous one, I’d like to keep my scores that way.

I sighed as I thought of the jumble of numbers and letters on my math copybook. None of them made sense to me.

I guess I’ll have to wait for Alex to come by and explain everything in these two hours then I’ll study for the rest of the night.

There’s no sleeping tonight, I thought to myself.

After school, I went to my room and tried to understand what was written on my copybook but it just didn’t make sense!

I couldn’t understand anything so at 4:00p.m, I gave up. I had two hours to kill and I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to paint.

An image of my parents has been in my mind for a few days and I wanted to paint it on one of my big white canvases.

It was an image of them standing on the front porch of our house, holding hands, during spring when all the flowers in our garden were blossoming.

I changed into an old white T-shirt that I usually wear when I paint and I tied my hair up in a ponytail. I got all the pencils, paint, brushes, and water I needed before I sat on the small stool and started painting just like I used to back home.

Painting has always been my little secret with my parents. They were the only ones who knew about it. Even Alex didn’t know. He had his suspicions though because he saw once my sketchbook but I changed the subject when he asked about it. I don’t know why but it’s like it was only for my parents to know.

The familiar sense of peace filled my heart but there was also a deep ache as memories of my parents flashed in my mind. The tears escaped and I didn’t really mind because crying always made me feel better. I was in my own little world now and I enjoyed it because I really needed it.

I heard a knock on my door and I panicked. I quickly wiped away my tears but before I could even stand up, the door flew open and Alex came in. I jumped out of my seat and stared at him in shock. What was he doing here? It was only 5:00p.m. He shouldn’t be here until an hour.

His eyes moved from my face to something behind me and that’s when I remembered that my painting was still there. My cheeks flamed and I tried to stand in front of the canvas so he wouldn’t see it but he kept on looking. I then held it and turned it around so it was facing the wall and he wasn’t able to see it anymore. I rested it on the wall but made sure not to ruin it.