((I decided to draw Pepper, the school bully character))
School was going so much better than before. With Donnie's help and your puzzle skills, you flew through math and science. Social studies was a little difficult, but nothnng you couldn't handle when you had the internet.
The teachers took notice right away and suggested that you tutor another student for more credits.
You felt pretty damn proud of yourself at the time, so you graciously agreed to meet the student in the library after school during Homework Club. You got a table in the library and were given a card that said you were tutoring math, so the student could find you.
"Well well, hey there bookworm. You're tutoring, are you?"
You looked up, excited to see the student, then you sighed. "Yeah Casey, I am. You better not be the kid I'm tutoring. The only thing I wanna teach you is to be humble and take no for an answer,"
"I'm just returning a book for english class before I get home... but you could teach me how to tame that feisty girl in you-"
You looked dead in his eyes.
"Right, backing off. Sorry,"
"Hey, now you're getting it." You smiled.
"Man it's been a while since school was dismissed... whoever you're tutoring likes to be late," Casey said, stretching his arms.
"Wrong, Jones. Teacher's just love to hold me back," a female voice said.
You saw her again. Pepper, the girl that tried to take your pizza on the first day of school. She nudged by Casey and looked at you with her ice-cold eyes.
"You're the tutor? Are you kidding? Those teachers really do hate me, don't they?" She looked down at you and crossed her arms.
Honestly, you didn't hate her. You were totally willing to let it slide and hear her apologise, but it didn't seem like she felt the same.
"Do you wanna pass math? Because I'm not getting paid for this, so I can just leave," You said, standing up.
"Sit down, little bunny. Just show me how this crap works," she sat down beside you, taking out her textbook from her backpack.
-Now we're getting somewhere.- You thought.
"Alright, which worksheet are you stuck on, Pepper?"
She slid the paper across to you and looked down, feeling embarrassed that she was being tutored by the girl that she seemed to hate.
It didn't matter. You just wanted to help. She treated you like crap but you weren't going to do the same; especially if it meant drawing more attention to you.
"Oh I get it... since it's two right angle triangles, there's no need to divide it all,"
"Yeah. It all just kinda comes together like that but it doesnt hurt to double check the answer,"
Pepper looked at you, but she didn't seem so angry. Her eyes were full of hope and curiosity. She grabbed her pencil and redid the formula to make sure her answer was correct; and to her surprise, it was.
"Wait... no, that can't be the answer, right? I must've messed up twice!" She said, doubting herself.
"Nope, I just checked and you got it! You're doing so much better than before,"
Pep laughed a little... and it felt like she was genuinely happy. When she saw you smiling at her, she got rid of her expression and cleared her throat.
"Thanks for not patronizing me, little bunny,"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you're smarter and like to humiliate me. Anyone that has higher grades likes to show it off,"
-I guess now's the time to talk about what was going on-
"Pepper, I never meant to humiliate you... but to be fair, you tried to steal my lunch and you said I was fat," You reminded, thinking about how Mikey packed you slices of pizza for lunch.
"No I didn't–" she stopped and realized you were right. "Whatever... I'm sorry, alright Miss Perfect? I just wanted to scare you a little. Whenever the cute little preppy girls come in acting like they're the main character or like they own the place, it's my job to show them I'm boss. Especially big smarty pants chicks like you,"
"Uh... thanks?"
-I mean... was it a compliment? Cute and smart?-
"I hate you types. With your perfect life and your perfect family and your random range of talents. You come in and suddenly you're the perfect little new girl,"
"Get real, nothing about anyone is perfect. No family is perfect,"
"Your daddy probably has all the money he wants. He probably spends every penny on you. I bet he really loves his precious little girl,"
-He's literally a rat.-
"I bet your family's real tight knit, huh?" She hissed, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed and fire in her eyes.
There was a long pause after the sudden spat about family and being 'perfect'.
"We are... I love them. Why does that make you hate me though?"
"What, is it therapy time now? What, you wanna know the big secret about how Pepper's an asshole? I'm adopted, alright? I don't need your pity or your 'being adopted isn't bad' spiel. You know what? Fuck this, I'm going home,"
Pepper angrily picked up her things, knowing she said way too much about herself and her assumptions about you.
"It's not bad though," you calmly replied.
"You don't know shit!"
"Pepper, I'm adopted too,"
She looked at you in disbelief. "You're a little liar,"
"No, it's true. I was adopted by a man. A kind Japanese man. I recently found out that my biological father is a crazy scientist and psycho. I've been trying to find my mother for months but haven't gotten any real good leads to find her,"
Pepper's expression softened, she clenched her fists and slowly sat back down. She lightly bit her lip.
"I'm sorry,"
"Don't be. I love my dad. He taught me everything I know and raised me with some amazing brothers. I'm... happy," You smiled warmly at her.
"There's no way you're this nice. You want something from me... you're trying to be nice to make a fool out of me," She said, looking down and shaking her head, almost like she was telling herself you were being deceptive.
"Think that if you want. I won't force you to believe it. I'm just happy to help you with your studying and... to listen to you, because... who knows? Maybe that's all you needed," You smiled patiently and began to gather your belongings.
"Wait, what do I owe you? I'm supposed to pay you aren't I?"
"Only if you want to. Just keep practicing, Pepper. If you need any more help, let me know,"
-Maybe she wasnt so bad after all.-