Page 8 of Tutoring the Bad Boy
I’m clear on where Ginny’s intimidation technique comes from. There’s a brawl brewing, and for once I’m a spectator. I could definitely charge for the cage match about to go down.
Mrs. Yates folds her arms over her chest. “Kaleb is a bright, capable student, but he’s struggling in this class—”
I’m not surprised my teacher thinks that. She seems to be the only one who has any faith in me at all. Granted, the reason most have no faith is my own fault.
Principal Gray interrupts, placing her hand on her hip. “Perhaps if he stayed out of trouble, he wouldn’t—”
Lifting her hand, Mrs. Yates cuts off Principal Gray. “Norma, I’m done fighting with you. You have interfered with my grading policy more than once, and you’re discriminating against a student. Either Ginny tutors Kaleb or I’m filing a formal complaint.”
Whoa. My teacher isn’t messing around anymore. Principal Gray’s jaw tightens, and the tension in the air is making my skin crawl. Sort of like how my parents’ arguments felt before my mom left. I haven’t felt like this in a long time, and I’m remembering that I hated it. I don’t dread going home anymore.
“Not only will I file a formal complaint, but with Ginny’s tardiness, the best she can receive at this end of the first six weeks is a D. That will disqualify her from playing in any school-sponsored sports.”
Ginny’s eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. Tears are on the verge of trickling down her cheeks. This thing has just gone nuclear, and for what? Me? Suddenly, the urge to protect Ginny hits me so hard in the gut that I’m breathing hard. She came here this morning to stand up for me. Including Mrs. Yates, that’s two people who’ve been willing to take a risk on me.
Mrs. Yates folds her arms over her chest. “It’s your call, Norma.”
Silence falls over all of us, but the tension only seems to build. Now it’s feeling exactly like things were before my mom split. It’s a tug-of-war, and neither party is interested in a tie.
“Fine, she can tutor him.” She glares at me then Ginny, and her gaze settles on Mrs. Yates. “But if his grade doesn’t improve by the end of the six weeks, you’re tendering your resignation. I won’t have a teacher so blatantly undermine my authority.”
“He needs more time than that, and you know it.” Mrs. Yates lifts her nose a fraction. “But I’ll compromise. If I don’t see at least some improvement, you’ll have my resignation that day. If it does improve, Ginny tutors him until fall break. We’ll revisit then.”
Principal Gray glares at Mrs. Yates long enough that I’m pulling at my collar. The thick tension makes it hard to breathe. My heart is racing so fast, the vein in my neck is thumping.
Finally, Ginny’s mom breaks the silence. “Fine.”
A moment later, the bell rings and other students are gathering at Mrs. Yates’s door. That seems to snap everyone out of the little bubble we were just in, and Mrs. Yates takes a step back.
Principal Gray steps closer to Ginny. “Get to class and be prepared to face the consequences of lying to me.”
Ginny darts out the door, but not before I see tears rolling down her face. For a second, I think maybe we have more in common than I realize. Then I shake my head to clear it. Something in common. Right. We have nothing remotely in common. She’s perfect and I’m not.
With that thought wiped clean, I head out of the room before Mrs. Yates and Principal Gray decide they need to talk to me. Well, at least this way, if they do want to talk to me, they’ll have to pull me from one of my classes. Hopefully one of the more boring ones.
Chapter Five
Ginny
After school the next day,I’m waiting for Kaleb at the school library entrance. I’d left word with Mrs. Yates that I had exactly forty-five minutes and for Kaleb to meet me here. I would’ve done it myself, but the last thing I wanted was my mom seeing me talking to him. Now I feel cowardly for it. Why shouldn’t I talk to him? If I’m tutoring him, there will need to be some form of communication, right?
It’s taken every ounce of energy and positive thoughts to keep the argument my mom and I had the night before from bringing me to tears. She’s never come down so hard on me before. I was only doing what Mrs. Yates asked me to. Was it really my fault? Yes, I lied, but I didn’t see another way.
I’m grounded indefinitely. Not sure what exactly she’s grounding me from since I’m not allowed to do anything other than school and volleyball anyway. My teammates don’t even invite me to their birthday parties anymore because I always have to say no.
I shouldn’t have lied, but at the time, I didn’t feel like I had a choice. I told Mrs. Yates I’d tutor her student. If I’d known who it was before agreeing to it, maybe I could’ve convinced her to let it be a different student. It’s my mom’s fault Mrs. Yates doesn’t like me.
“Hey.” Kaleb’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn around. He blinks a second. “Are you okay?”
It’s then I realize I’m crying. Rubbing my hands down my face, I say, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He stares at me a moment before he tips his chin toward the back of the library. “There’s a table in the way back. If I have to study at the library, it’s where I typically go. It’s away from all the distractions.”
Nodding, I quietly follow him to the table and take a seat. “Um…where—”
“Look, I’m sorry for getting you in trouble.”
Tears spring to my eyes, and I swallow hard, working to keep them from flowing again. I keep my attention pinned on the book I’m pulling out of my bag. If I look at him, I’ll cry again, and I don’t want to. “It’s okay. I mean, I can handle it.”
