A Life Less Average

one

lewis

I stared at the school's football field through the steamed up windows. The water bounced off the already saturated grass creating muddy puddles that probably wouldn't dry for a week. Coach would make us run laps around the gym rather than in the fresh air. Though I was used to the gym, running laps around a goddamn basketball court for an hour was fucking exhausting. God I hated rain.

The inside of the classroom was stuffy as hell. Everybody was damp and their coats were hung over the backs of chairs, dripping onto the tiled floor. Everything was dulled down, sounds, voices. Even Miss Jensen seemed less interesting beneath the drone of raindrops on glass. I really hated rain.

As the final bell rang, everyone grabbed their soggy bags and headed for the door.

"Don't forget to read chapter three before Monday!" Miss Jensen attempted to yell at the herd of students trying to squeeze simultaneously through the same door. Those catching a bus knew to get there quick to avoid the queue in the torrential downpour, those walking home just wanted the journey over as soon as possible, and the lucky few that were about to climb into their parents' cars were in no rush at all. A few of them even had umbrellas at hand for the short trip to the car door. Bastards.

"Lewis," Miss Jensen chimed. "Can you please stay behind for a sec?"

I nodded. "Of course."

I slung my bag over my shoulder and strode towards her desk at the front of the room. She was rifling through a bunch of papers with a determined furrow in her brow. I couldn't tell whether she was squinting or not. She wore glasses, but only when she was reading. The rest of the time they sat on her head. She was slim and short, short enough that most guys could peak down her shirt when she walked past. As she leant over, I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the pale skin beneath her pink blouse.

"Okay," she finally said. She held out a bunch of paper that was stapled together. "100%. Well done!"

I quickly averted my gaze and took the test from her. In the top right hand corner was a giant 'A*' with a big smiley face drawn neatly in the purple Biro she used to mark papers. "Was that everything?"

"No, no it wasn't. I know things are probably going to get stressful in the upcoming weeks as the winter exams are coming up, but I was hoping you'd be able to take on one more student," she said, referring to the three guys I was already tutoring.

Two years ago, the head teacher had pulled me out of the library during a free study period. We had stood face to face in the corridor, our voices hushed as to not disturb the lessons taking place in the surrounding classrooms. The school's tutoring programme had lost two of its best tutors. One had moved to another school, and the other had been caught smoking weed in the trees behind the car park. They were desperate, though he hadn't said that word exactly.

I had agreed, obviously. I knew my schedule was tight with football practice, and I spent most evenings at the gym or running laps around my estate. But he had slipped in the words university applications and I was sold.