I'm Just...me

Chapter Five

"Abi! I'm gonna die!" I whined as I threw Dylan's folded of assignments in my locker along with everything I didn't need for the next three classes.

"You'll be fine! You only have to meet with him on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays." She said, leaning against her locker.

"Don't forget during lunch on Thursdays and thirty minutes before major tests." I sighed. I closed my locker as Abi stood straight again. We made our way to third period where we saw the class lined in the hall. Abi walked to the back of the line and took her place there. I, of course, followed and stood behind her. I looked to see the Dylan walking our way. He shot me a small smile before walking right by me. I watched him walk down the hall and depart down the stairs.

"Alright kids, take your seats and get ready for class." Mr. Bowman said kindly as he ushered us into the room.

"Ms. Emily!" I heard Mrs. Earlyweather call. I turned the direction the voice came from. She was standing maybe three feet away. "Will you go downstairs and meet with Mrs. Haley in her office? She wants to talk to you about the tutoring." She said sweetly. I nodded and began to turn away from her to head downstairs when she got my attention again. "You'll need Dylan's folder of assignments too." I turned back around and went straight to my locker. I twisted the dial and opened it swiftly, grabbing the yellow folder of documents. I walked downstairs cautiously, watching for Dylan.

I jogged down the grand staircase at the front of the school and made a left to the main office. I pulled the large door open and began the short walk to the back of a long hallway. Mrs. Haley was waiting outside one of the conference rooms. She smiled at me and ushered me into a black and white, windowless , room. A long, brown oval table was in the middle of the room, surrounded by an array of chairs. Seated in the third chair on the left side of the table was Dylan. I tensed quickly.

"Please take a seat." Mrs. Haley smiled. I seated myself in the second chair on the right side of the oval table. Mrs. Haley took her seat in a large black chair at the end of the table. She looked at me and then at Dylan.

"Dylan, your parents called and asked if you could have extra tutoring sessions this year. They don't want your grades dropping at all. They want you to be studying every chance you get." She finally explained. A knot grew in my stomach. "Are you okay with that?" She asked. He nodded and looked over at me. I jerked my eyes over to Mrs. Haley.

"Emily, what about you? Are you okay with tutoring more than you were supposed to?" She asked. I nodded. The knot in my stomach grew as I began to feel dizzy.

"Just one question, where exactly do you want us to meet everyday? Because I don't know how my Mom is gonna like driving me places everyday." I said, trying to muffle my voice, but make it loud enough for her to hear.

"Your Mom has already agreed to all of this." She smiled. I sighed but nodded anyway.

"One last thing, all tutoring has been pushed back until next week." She said with a slight smile.

"Mom! How could you not tell me about this!" I yelled as I entered my house. My Mom was lying on the couch watching Family Feud.

"Tell you about what sweetie?" She asked.

"About me tutoring!" I practically yelled. She turned the volume down on the TV and looked at me.

"I knew there was something I was supposed to tell you." She smiled. I rolled my eyes. How could she not tell me this?

"Look, I didn't tell you because I forgot about it until Mrs. Haley emailed me today about extra tutoring time." She explained.

"Fine, I'll except that response, but only because I know you forget everything." I sighed and walked off to my room.

I laid down on my bed just as my phone buzzed. I answered the call quickly.

"Hey Abi." I said as I put my phone on speaker.

"Hey girl!" Her semi-cheerful voice rang through my phone speakers as she replied. "Why did you have to go see Mrs. Haley?" She asked. I sighed.

"I have to tutor Dylan every afternoon except for Sundays." I mumbled. "Sessions start Saturday. I'm supposed to meet him at his house to talk to his family about everything we're supposed to be doing over the next year." I sighed. I heard Abi giggle.

"Good luck with that!" She laughed. I wanted to reach through the phone and slap the crap out of her, but she had a right to laugh. I'm terrible at talking to most people, that aren't adults. How am I supposed to talk to Dylan and his family normally? My mind was almost instantly filled with crazy thoughts.

"What if i do something wrong Abi?" I asked nervously through the phone.

"You'll be fine. Just stay relaxed and pretend like you don't like him. Pretend you're talking to me." She said calmly.

"Abi?"

"Yeah?"

"THAT'S THE MOST STUPID THING I'VE EVER HEARD!!" I yelled through the phone.

"It might help!" She said.

"You're an idiot!" I said standing off my bed.

"How?" She asked a little offended . I grabbed my phone and took it off speaker as I left my room. I put the phone up to my ear as I explained.

"I can't look at him and see you. That would be weird!" I giggled. I heard her small laugh from somewhere in the distant and knew she wasn't siting next to her phone anymore. I paused as I exited our dark hallway and entered the comfort of my living where my Mom and step-dad were very rudely making out on the couch. I walked pass them and opened the back door letting sunlight pour in from the afternoon light. Our back porch was painted red and old and worn. It wasn't the best thing about this house, but I like spending time out here. It's peaceful and I don't have to worry about my Mom and Step-Dad, Ronald.

I heard the line go dead on my phone; so I shoved my phone in my back pocket. I figured Abi's phone had died. I took a seat in one of the lawn chairs on the porch and enjoyed the summer air before it was lost to the fall breeze. A few minutes had passed when I got a call from an unknown number. I let it ring a few times before I answered. I'm not sure why I did, something just told me to.

"Hello." I spoke sweetly through the phone.

"Hey, Emily." I familiar voice spoke through the phone.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Dylan." The voice replied.