Psychopath. (bwwm) ✓

11. jan-jan and bad marks

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Psychology was a bitch.

Like about as bitchy as an ex-girlfriend you dumped on prom night. And psychology wasn't even one of my main classes, it was an elective towards a scholarship I'd been pining after for a while now. I couldn't afford to fail Psychology or I could kiss any chance at a good school, goodbye.

That's why I was near to tears when I'd received my grade back from the test we'd had and was informed of my low grade.

58%.

"Emerson, Oliver, Jeremy," Mrs. Cadigan had called me out at the end of class on Wednesday as I gripped the paper tight in my hands, the big F sprawled on the paper above a shitload of corrections that I hadn't had the heart to read. My heart sank as I looked through the answers I'd missed, questions I thought I'd passed having red marks beside them, "see me after class."

I wanted to shout out in protest at the words, Luca trying to pat my shoulder awkwardly to comfort me. Looking over, I noticed the 84% written on his paper and scowled.

He was new to the fucking country and he was receiving better grades than me.

As the bell rang, I watched as Luca gave me a wary glance, exiting the room after Sidney. Luca blushed, looking down and avoiding any conversation with Sidney as he exited the classroom.

And then he dropped his books, Sid turning around at the commotion and shaking her head, her eyes meeting his with a heist end smile. I watched as she knelt down and picked up half of his books for him, holding out her hand for him to grab.

But he pushed himself up causing her smile to deflate as he muttered a 'thank you', not meeting her eye before he hastily made his way out of the classroom. And I watched as my best friend sighed sadly following after him before thinking better of it and turning the opposite way.

"So," Mrs. Cadigan clasped her hands together, gaining the attention of the room, she sat down on the top of her desk and looked towards the dark haired boy seated beside me, she had us all move to chairs right in the front, "Oliver, your grades have been slacking lately. What's wrong?"

I watched him shrug, his voice having me strain to hear as he muttered out an, "I'm fine." I watched his lips mouth the words, his lip ring no longer there. I'd realized that he only wore it outside of school, rather that be because of the fact that he didn't want to be outcasted more or because he just didn't feel like it.

Mrs. Cadigan sighed at his response, her gaze turning to me as I sat up a little more in my seat. I respected her as a teacher, she never gave me a reason not to, "Emerson?"

I told her the truth, eyebrows furrowed, "I really don't even know."

And then Jeremy cleared his throat, his hand coming up to fix his short sleeve mathletes shirt, "I'm late for band." He stated, eyebrows raised as he waited for the reason he was there. As much as it pained me to say, he was one of the smartest kids in our grade.

But, Jeremy Rosen was a nuisance. Ya know that kid who thinks he's a child genius? Well, Jeremy eats that kid for breakfast and gets higher marks than him.

"And I understand that, I'll write you a note, just sit down and listen for a minute," Mrs. Cadigan tried her best not to sound harsh, trying jot to obviously show her distaste for the blond boy in front of her. Everyone hated the guy, "alright, now that I have your attention... Jeremy, you're my best student and according to your counselor, you need a few more extra-curriculars on your record. So I'm proposing a study group. You tutor both Oliver and Emerson for the next semester and we can count that as an extra-curricular."