TEACHER TEACHER! [re-uploaded due technical issues with first upload]

Chapter 16- Self-fulfilling Prophecy

WARNING: EMOTIONAL CONTENT.
Includes homelessness, alc*holism, self-esteem struggles, the foster care system, abandonment and pressure.

NOTE: This is quite a long chapter, but please try your best to read it all and comment on the interactive part!

After helping Aahan with his award goal, Eloise thought today was would be a much better day.
As always, nothing in Eloise's life could stay perfect for long.
Her results for her latest maths test was her worst yet—twenty three percent.

It's not like she didn't want to improve, she just wasn't very good at the academic side of school.
Ask her to sub in during a football match and she'd be the one scoring most of the goals, but give her a few algebraic equations to do and she breaks out into a sweat.

Her brain just wasn't wired for this stuff.

Eloise picked up her football and headed for the door.
As soon as her hand touched the handle, a powerful force came down on the football, pulling it out of her hand.
Swiftly, Eloise turned around.

"Kerry!", she exclaimed.

A woman only a few inches taller than Eloise, stood opposite her, ball in hand.
Her skin was pale, with very faint green veins visible the closer you were to her.
Her eyes were pale green and reminded
Eloise of a doll's eyes.
She had blue jeans on and a black and white checkered shirt.
Her hair was jet black, although you could see strands of russet hair sprinkled throughout her hair.
It reached just above her chest.

"What do you think you're doing with that ball, huh?", questioned Kerry.

"I'm going for a kick-about with Ivan and some of the year eights", she replied.

Kerry shook her head.
"Oh, I don't think so.
You're not allowed to play, or have any sort of fun.
Not after your abysmal grades."

Eloise rolled her eyes.
"Aw, Kerry!
Look, I told you I'd work harder to bring my grades up."

"Eloise, listen, I was your age once.
I know that you've got a lot going on, and all you really want to do is have fun.
But school?
It matters."

Eloise frowned and looked down.
"I know."

Kerry's face softened.
She reached out and gently tilted Eloise's chin up.
She smiled softly.

"Chin up, love.
Colin and I are going to be out of the house today, so why don't you invite some friends over for a study session?"

"Study session?"

Kerry nodded.
"Yeah.
Might help you stay motivated?"

More like mortified.

Eloise hated studying with people.
It just made her feel even more stupid.

"No thanks."

Kerry sighed.
"Look, I'm really trying here.
I know things have been a bit tense between us since..."

"Since you told my social worker you were having doubts about fostering us?"

Kerry frowned.
"Colin and I... we only ever really wanted one kid.
When you two came along, well we could hardly refuse, could we?
You're Eloise and Ivan—a package deal.
We just couldn't split you up."