The Black Phone Oneshots

Tutoring Sessions

Chapter 4 - Tutoring Session

Context - Billy Showalter hasn't been doing good in class recently so the teacher assigned him a tutor.

Italics means thoughts

Slight Briffin

Vance and Griffin are step-brothers

*RINGGG*

Well, there goes the bell. This means they have five minutes to get to their next class. Mostly everybody gets to their class on time except for a couple of students. One of those students being Billy Showalter. Billy Showalter, also known as Paperboy, was an honor student. Notice the keyword was? You see, Billy Showalter was always getting the best grades. Always getting A's, always getting to class on time, he would even stay after school to help some of the teachers! Although, recently, Billy had been slacking off. A lot. His grades went to B's and C's, always late to class, and he stopped helping teachers after school.

No one knows why he suddenly started to slack off all of a sudden because he refuses to tell anybody. "Billy Showalter! What do you think you're doing? Sleeping in my class?" The teacher yelled. Billy looked up at the teacher and shrugged his shoulders, "I mean, you just kind of answered your own question Ms. Anderson." Billy said, tiredly. This response earned a couple of giggles from other students. "Well then Mr. Showalter. If you want to be sleeping in my class. You must know what you're doing, right? So please answer this problem for me." Billy looked at the board. "What kind of equation is that?" Billy doesn't even remember learning this! Billy looked at the teacher again, "I don't know Ms. Anderson" he mumbled quietly. Ms. Anderson adjusts her glasses, "Listen Mr. Showalter. I don't know what happened to you. You were one of the best students in this school but your grades, attendance, and attitude has changed. So, I'm going to have someone tutor you." Ms. Anderson said, walking back to her desk and sitting down. Billy looked around the classroom and he had heard and saw that some people were snickering at him.

"Wait, what? I don't need a tutor!" Billy exclaimed. Ms. Anderson lightly scoffed, "By the looks of your grades. It does seem like you do need a tutor. Please stay after class so I can tell you who your tutor will be." Billy rolled his eyes and put his head back on the desk. Now slightly paying attention to the teacher. Soon enough the bell had rung. Billy got his stuff and walked up to the teacher. "Griffin, please come here. I need to talk to you." "Now who in the hell is Griffin?" Billy looked over to the kid Ms. Anderson had called on. Griffin turned around and took a couple steps towards the teacher. "Griffin, this is Billy. I'm sure you know him from today's incident earlier in class." Griffin looked at Billy and nodded. "So I assume that means you also know that he needs a tutor." Griffin nodded hesitantly. "I'm guessing you want me to tutor him?" Griffin mumbled.

"Seriously, who is this kid? Why is he so quiet? And why does he look- Wait no Billy. You don't even know this kid." Ms. Anderson nodded at Griffin's response. " I want you to tutor him for an hour each day and in two weeks I'll see if Billy has made any progress" Griffin nodded, " I'll do my best Ms. Anderson." he said, sounding slightly louder than the other times. Ms. Anderson smiled, "Good, you two may go home now." The two got their bags and left the classroom. "So, uh, Griffin, right?" Billy said, trying to make small talk. Griffin nodded, "Cool, so you want to go to my house?" Griffin thought about it but shook his head no, "Oh, how come?" Billy said, raising one of his eyebrows. "My step-brother has to look after me. My parents don't trust me alone." Billy hummed at his response. "So your house then?" Griffin nodded. Billy then opened the door for Griffin. Griffin has never been the one to say thank you so he just gives people a small smile. Which he did to Billy and dear god this made Billy's heart flutter.

Although, this soon went away when he saw Pinball Vance Hopper waiting by the gate. "Where the hell were you? Who the hell is this kid?" Vance said, walking towards Griffin. "Oh god, don't tell me Griffin has some type of beef with Vance." "Billy this is Vance or also known as Pinball Vance. Vance this is Billy Showalter also known as the kid who had the best grades but soon slacked off." Vance looked at Billy up and down, "Okay, and why is he here? Walking with you?" "Ms. Anderson told me I needed to tutor him." Vance hummed, "C'mon we're going to the Grab N' Go. I need to beat my highscore. You can tutor him there or something." Griffin nodded and made a head movement to Billy basically saying "C'mon lets go" without talking. Billy jogged up to Griffin not wanting to be left behind. Luckily the Grab N' Go wasn't too far from the school. About a 7 minute walk. Billy didn't even realize but they had soon came to a stop. Vance put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill, "Here, get you and that kid something to snack on. You should know we'll be here for a while." Griffin nodded and took the money from Vance, "C'mon, I want to get a slushy." Griffin said, grabbing Billy's hand and dragging him to the slushy machine. " So uh, you and Vance close?" Billy said, as he grabbed a cup for both him and Griffin. Griffin looked at Billy, " Uh, yeah, yeah. I guess you can say that." "C'mon really? Listen I may be dumb but I'm not that dumb." Griffin sighed as he walked over to the chip aisle Billy was still right behind him. "Listen, I'll tell you but you can't tell anyone else. I normally don't go around telling people this." Billy smiled, and nodded.

Griffin sighed again. "Remember how I said my step-brother has to watch after me?" Once Griffin had said that Billy knew exactly where this was going, "Well, my step-brother is Vance. Which is why I'm so close to him." Billy made a small O shape with his mouth, "Oh, well that explains a lot." Billy said. "Your total is $17.48" Griffin gave the 20 dollar bill to the lady. "Am I really zoning out that much? I didn't even realize that he was already paying." Billy thought. "Thank you." Griffin mumbled to the cashier. They then walk over to Vance who was playing his pinball game. "Got yourself some snacks, kid?" Vance said, his focus still on the game. "Mhm, I got you a soda too." Billy could've sworn he had seen Vance smile just a tiny bit but he wasn't sure. "Thanks, now do your tutoring session." Griffin nodded and put the soda on top of the pinball machine. "Okay, I guess we should start off with unit 5." Griffin said, getting his folder out of his backpack.

Billy nodded, also getting his folder even though he knows he doesn't have any notes.

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Well, I must say I'm impressed Mr. Showalter. You have gotten a 93 on this quiz. I see your tutoring sessions with Mr. Stagg has helped you." Ms. Anderson said, with a smile on her face looking at the two boys. "Yeah, yeah. They really did." Billy said, taking a small glance at Griffin. "Well, let's hope you keep this up Mr. Showalter. You two may leave now" Ms. Anderson said, handing Billy his paper. They both walk out of the classroom, "I've got to say I'm impressed also, Showalter." Griffin said, not making eye contact with Billy but he could see the smile on Griffin's face. "Yeah, me too. So at the Grab N' Go again." "Huh?" Billy smiled, "Well, I wouldn't want my grades to drop again. So I was hoping you would still be up to tutor me?" Billy said, with a big smile across his face. Griffin was still smiling, "Yeah sure. Now c'mon let's go before Vance gets mad at me again." Billy nodded, "Race you to the front door!" Billy said, giving himself a head start. "Hey! That's not fair!"

They were both glad they made a friend out of these tutoring sessions

Words - 1405

Woah, I finally wrote a story in the thousands again? Impressive, for me at least. Anyways, I think you guys can guys which duo the next two chapters are going to be about. Also, I've been working on these stories at night so I apologize if there are any spelling mistakes. I've been working on each chapter for about an hour so I think that's why this story was longer than the others. Next update you'll get from me is my own story "The Day the Town Went Downhill" so maybe look out for that. Thanks, anyways, hope you enjoy your day/night!