A Hero at Heart

Chapter 33

Emiline waited impatiently, tapping her slate with her finger. Now that Peter was sitting in Jeremy's seat, he was always in front of her when the children got up to hand their slates in. He was a slow poke. He didn't just hand his schoolwork to the teacher any more. He had to study it first, and restudy it again.

"Come along, Peter," Miss Weed urged, "let me see what you have."

The boy let out a hopeless sigh. "Alright. Tell me what I've done wrong," he grumbled, leaning on the teacher's desk.

Miss Weed cast him a pitying look. "Don't give up hope, Peter," she said encouragingly. "You're going to do fine. Just focus on your work and keep studying at home. I know you're a smart boy."

It was strange, Peter had always been the best student in class. But somehow, he had lost his focus. Now he couldn't seem to do a proper job of his schoolwork.

Miss Weed glanced at the boy's work for a moment and pointed out a few flaws.

"I don't know how I missed that!" Peter exclaimed in frustration. "I just...I guess I wasn't thinking." After hearing another word of comfort from the teacher, he took his slate back, determined to correct his mistakes.

"Peter, I'm proud of you for trying so hard," Miss Weed said, "but you don't need to stay here any longer. Go home and come back tomorrow when you can think clearer."

"No," Peter answered. "I have to figure this out."

Emiline glared at him as he passed her. "You're going to fail," she whispered. The boy paused for half a second with a confused look on his face. Emma blushed and looked away. But as soon as Peter had gone back to his desk, she smirked. She felt a cruel sensation of joy each time she saw Peter fail. But still, there was also a feeling of guilt that ruined the fun.

Oh, I know I shouldn't tease him like that, she thought to herself, dropping her slate on the teacher's desk. But he deserves it! After all the things he's teased me about; after all the times he's pushed me; and especially after he broke my brooch, he needs to be punished!

She walked out of the schoolhouse and waited for Dorothy and Susan to come outside. Things had been very frustrating for Emiline for the last week or so. No matter how nasty Peter was, Miss Weed had begun to take his side. Emma didn't understand why the teacher would choose him as her favorite. He wasn't even the best student any more. He was messing up on even the simplest problems.

Dotty came out of the schoolhouse beaming. For once she had done well on her school. She had breezed through her lessons, and she had carefully written everything in neat, printed letters. She was wearing a tiny pair of glasses now. And as she came out of the building, she looked around at everything in awe. She had never seen the tiny details on wood and stones. They had been soft, blurry images until now.

Susan and Miss Weed came out of the building last.

"Oh, Dotty," Susan exclaimed, "I saw your paper! You have beautiful hand writing!"

"Thank you!" the girl answered sweetly. "But mine still isn't great. Yours is much prettier."

As the girls talked, Miss Weed walked down the steps and got into her buggy. She picked up her reigns, but just before she began to move, she turned to the children. "Oh, girls!" she called. Dorothy and Susan were chatting too loudly to hear the teacher, but Emiline looked up. "Come here, please," the woman requested.

Emma excused herself from her friends and hurried to Miss Weed's buggy.

"Emiline, I forgot something," the teacher explained. "During lunch, I went away for a while. Do you remember?" The girl nodded her head. "I went to see Peter's parents, but I forgot to tell him that his mother wants him to come home as soon as possible. I need you to run in and tell him for me, please." Emma didn't answer for a moment. "Do you understand?" Miss Weed urged. The girl nodded her head. "Thank you, Emiline. Now you have a good evening, and I'll see you next week!" She tapped her reigns against her horse's strong neck, and off she went down the road.