Falling Under

𝟚𝟛. 𝔻𝕖𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖

Afterwards, I had physics. I internally sighed it was so hard. I got a D in the last test we did. My grades were currently shit, if my average went down any further I wouldn't be allowed on the team anymore. I'd be benched.

I received an email saying I have to have a meeting with the guidance counsellor at lunch presumably to talk about my grades, I was honestly quite worried, everything was going to shit, I had no motivation to do anything but swimming was all I had. They couldn't take it away from me.

During lunch I went to her office. I was meeting with Mrs Crawford.

"Nicholas, thank you for seeing me" she said smiling,

"Nick" I corrected.

"Nick, do you know why you're here?"

"My grades I guess"

She nodded. "May I ask, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine"

"Are you sure? There's been a real dip in grades since the end of last semester"

"You're very close to being temporarily removed from the varsity swim team." Being benched was the worst

"I know" she then looked at her computer.

"Last year you got mainly B's and the odd C but recently it's been all D's and F's except a B in Calculus. Maybe we should consider leaving AP physics"

"I don't want to"

"We can't force you to but your teacher says your struggling with the classwork and the homework, a lot of your teachers have said you're not handing in homework on time and you're not paying any attention in class. You're showing up late to school, to lessons. Do you know where you want to go to college?" I shook my head, I'd always wanted to go to either Stanford, Florida or Michigan, but I knew how unrealistic that was. It was never going to happen.

"If you want a good shot at going anywhere, your grades need to improve. Junior year is a very important year and swimming is great but in order to be able to swim your grades need to improve. I know you're a capable student, but the work is only going to get harder and there will be more tests. Are you sure nothing's going on?" I felt myself on the verge of tears,

"Everything's fine, I'll improve my grades"

"Okay, if you want I can organise a tutor"

"I'll be fine" I said,

"You can talk to me about anything, you know, that's what I'm here for" I continued to look down. I nodded, I felt my eyes brimming with tears, I desperately wanted someone to talk to, but I couldn't trust her, she'd just tell my mom and I'd be causing more issues.

"Okay, I'll call for a meeting again in a couple weeks to see if there's been any progress"

"Yeah" I said and I left the room a tear rolled down my face, I quickly wiped it before walking away, I didn't know what to do, I was doing the best that I could. Everything was so hard. Plus my mom was going to be so mad at me for my grades, I probably wouldn't see my phone for the next month.

"What was the meeting about?" Jason asked coming up to me.

"My grades, they're shit"

"So are mine. My dad was so mad, he just called me but it's fine" he said. "I have to get a tutor, he hired this this lady Megan" Maybe I did need a tutor for physics, but that's so awkward.

"Do you want me to see, if we can do it together" he asked. I nodded.

"Really? Would your Dad mind?

"Yes really, my Dad likes you and we have to get into college somehow"