You + Me= what?

I DON'T need a tutor!

Everyone is slowly walking into school. It is the first day back from winter break, and no one wants to be here. "Hey Kate" my best friend says to me as soon as my mom drops me off. She has been in Florida the whole break so I haven't actually seen her since the last day of school. "Hey Ashley" I say as she hugs me. We are still standing in the parking lot when we see almost every one walk away from school towards one car. "Well we all know who just arrived" I say sarcastically, and I start to walk inside the school building. "He is cute though" she says as Hunter Matthews, the schools quarter back, pitcher, and the cockiest person ever, gets out of his car and walks towards his "posse". "Whatever" I say as I open my locker and I grab my first period books out. When I turn around Chelsea Turner is standing right beside me. "Watch out" she says while purposely bumping into me. "Sorry, your highness" I say with a smile and I walk away with Ashley behind me trying not to laugh. Chelsea is the most popular girl at school, and for some reason doesn't like me. "Why does she hate me?" I ask Ashley when walk into first period. "Maybe because..." there was a slight pause "I've got nothing" she says and shrugs. "It's not like I am a threat to her. I am not popular in any way and there is no way Hunter would even notice anyone like me so I don't understand." Everyone knows that Chelsea has a MAJOR crush on Hunter. "Do you think he would notice me?" Ashley asks, she tries to make it a joke, but I know she is serious. "Yes, and I think he already has" I say and I raise my eyebrows. She shrieks and then laughs. Ashley has blonde hair, blue eyes, and she is 5' 5". She is really pretty, but me I am normal; brown hair, brown eyes, but I'm 5' 8". Ashley always wears makeup, she fixes her hair, and she dresses up. I normally wear my hair in a bun, and sweatshirts and jeans are my best friends. Hey, opposites attracts right? The first bell rings and almost everybody is in the class room already.

After first period I don't see Ashley again until lunch. So when lunch finally arrives I am so excited to see her even though we have to sit with her younger brother who has the same lunch as us. He is only a freshman, we are juniors and it is kinda embarrassing sometimes. But really who cares what people think? I walk into the cafeteria, get my food, and I sit down next to Ashley. Her brother, Adam, is already there, and our other friend Natalee is there to. "Hey guys" I say as I sit down. "Hey" Matthew and Natalee say in unison, and Ashley just glances up at me and smiles. "Are we still on for tonight?" I ask Ashley. "Of course" she says and nods for emphasis. "What are you guys planning on doing?" Matthew asks. "Wouldn't you like to know" I say and smile at him. Since Ashley and I are like sisters; Matthew and I are like brother and sister. So we are always teasing each other. "Really though what are you guys doing?" he asks again but more serious this time. "Movies, popcorn, and sweatpants" I say, and then Ashley mumbles "Guys" under her breath. I look over at her and she smiles. "What are you talking about?" I ask her right as the bell rings. "I'll explain later" she says as she stands to throw away her trash and head to class. "I have a bad feeling about this" I think to myself.

After school is over I grab my books, stick them in my backpack, and I walk to Ashley's car. She walks out a few minutes later, and unlocks the car. I get in and she turns on the car. "So, about what you said at lunch. What did you mean?" I ask her. "I invited a couple friends over to my house" she says, and pulls out of the parking lot. "Ashley" I groan. "You need to forget about Elijah" she says. "Ashley" I groan and she just rolls her eyes. "I know, I know. He will be back soon and he will be the protective..." "I have to go to work" I say, and she turns around since she already past the road. "I just want to make it through high school. No extra drama needed" I add. "You like someone, and you just don't want to tell me who" she says and winks at me. She pulls into to "Tiffany's", the restaurant where I work at. "Whatever. I'll call you when I'm done" I say and step out of the car. "Hey darling" someone says as soon as I walk in. "Hey Beth" I say, and throw my backpack in an empty both in the back. Beth owns the place, and she treats me like her daughter instead of like an employee. She named the restaurant after her daughter, but she is at college and from what I hear never calls, so she kind of adopted me. I open my backpack and grab my roller skates, since it is mandatory to wear them. I have always love to roller skate so it is fun to work here. I skate back to wear Beth is standing behind the counter and she hands me a peanut butter and banana milkshake. "Thank you" I say and hop up on the counter. There is not that much room between the kitchen and the counter, and that's why I love working the counter by myself. Most of the time it isn't crowded so I like to think of it as a challenge, but when it does get busy Beth helps me no questions asked. "I think I am going to stay and help" she tells me and I nod as I take a drink of my milkshake. It was kind of busy today so I was glad that Beth stayed to help me. After I get off I call Ashley and tell her to come and pick me up. I say bye to Beth and then I get in the car with Ashley. "Hey" she says. "Hey" I say. "I told the guys that tonight was just going to be a girl's night" she says, and I glance over at her and smile. "Thanks. You really are the best friend" I say and she laughs and says "I know." Once we get back to her house I grab all of my stuff and take it up to her room. I start changing into my pajamas, and Ashley walks in and laughs. "What?" I ask her as I look at my sweatshirt. "Really didn't we buy those like 3 years ago?" she says and pulls the same exact one out of her closet. "I thought it would be nice" I say and roll my eyes. She puts hers on and we both laugh, and head down stairs to make some popcorn. We grab the popcorn, and we go back into Ashley's room. The first movie we put in is The Last Song. As the movie is going off, Ashley is crying, and then Matthew walks in. "Are you really crying in a movie you've seen like 100 times?" he asks and we both laugh. "Shut up" she says through sobs.

"Wake up" someone says, and then smacks me in the face with a pillow. "Ashley" I mumble angrily and roll back over on my side. "Close" I hear the voice say again, and I open my eyes to see Matthew standing over me. "Morning sleepy head" he says, and I sit up. "Where's Ashley?" I ask him as I start to stand up, and walk to Ashley's closet. "I think she is in the shower" he says, and leaves the room. I grab some jeans, a button up shirt, and I grab my boots that are sitting by the door. Ashley walks back in, and grabs some clothes out of her closet. I head to the bathroom to start getting ready. I walk back in Ashley's room, and see she is wearing a skirt, and a sweater. "You do know it is winter, and that means your legs can get cold just as well as your arms" I say, and she smiles at me, and then says she knows. "That's why I am going to wear my high boots" she says, and grabs them out of her closet.

"You ready to go?" she asks as I grab my backpack, and walk out to her car. "Yep" I say as she gets in the car. "Well no kidding" she says and hits my thigh. Once we get to school I grab my math book, and head on into class. "Did you do your homework?" Ashley asks me. "Yeah, but I probably got every question wrong" I say, and she gives me that "that sucks" look. "I can try to tutor you again" she says with a smile. The last time we tired she would tell me how to do it, but her method was so complicated, and it made no sense to me. I honestly have no clue how I even passed math let alone the advanced math course. "No thanks, the last time I didn't want to talk to you for a week" I say, and we both laugh, but then the final bell rings. Mr. Wave walks in and smiles at all of us. I honestly don't even know what he was talking about half of the class, but I still jot down the notes, and hope that the words "why, or explain your answer?" won't be on the test.

After the bell rings I grab my stuff and start to head out the door. "Kate. Can I talk to you?" Mr. Wave asks, and I glance at Ashley and head back to his desk. "Yes, Mr. Wave" I say and smile. "I think you are a very intelligent student, but I think you need someone to help you figure out the process" he says, and I slowly nod my head. "So, I am going to ask one of my best students to help you" he says, and I start to protest. "No, arguing please." "Ok, but if it is Ashley I will pass we have already tired" I say, and he smiles. "It's not Ashley" he says. "You better hurry to your next class" he says, but hands me a note anyways. I am late to my next class which is English, and I walk to the back of the room and sit in my normal seat.

"Why did Mr. Wave want to talk to you?" Ashley asks when I sit down at our normal table. "He wants me to get a math tutor" I say and I roll my eyes. "Like that is going to help" I say and we laugh. The rest of the day is boring, so when the final bell rings I bolt to my locker to get my stuff and leave. "Kate, can I talk to you real quick?" Mr. Wave asks me as I was fixing to head out to Ashley's car. "Yeah" I say, and follow him into his room. "I talked to the student I was speaking about, and they agreed to" he says, and I say "Great." "But, you have to meet them at the coffee shop every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00" he says, and I agree. "That starts today" he adds. "Who is it?" I ask. "They know who you are, so I guess they will find you" he says and smiles at me. "Ok" I say, and walk out to Ashley's car. "Where were you?" she asks as I throw my stuff in the back. "Talking to Mr. Wave about my tutoring" I say as she pulls out of the parking lot. "Oh, who is your new tutor?" she asks, and raises her eyebrows at me. "I don't know" I say and she looks at me in disbelief. "Really" I add. "When do you meet the mystery person?" she asks, and turns onto my rode. "Today at 6" I say, and she almost chokes. "What?" I ask. "What if it is some guy?" she asks. "I don't care as long as I learn how to do math." "Where are you meeting?" she adds. "The Coffee Shop" I say. There is only one coffee shop in our small town, so you don't have to explain which one to meet at. "Oh" she says as she pulls into my driveway.

I start working on all my homework other than math. Before I know what it is time to go. All I have left is math and I have to study for my History test. "Mom, can I drive the car?" I ask her as she is working on fixing dinner. "Why?" she asks. "I have a tutoring thing to go to" I say. "When, where, who" she asks and doesn't even look at me. "6, The Coffee Shop, and my tutor" I say as I grab the car keys from the table. "Ok, but be home by 7 at the latest" she says as I walk out the door I say "Love ya." I don't know why she won't just buy me my own car. Acutely I do, she thinks the road is too dangerous for a 16 year old to have access to anytime she wants. I pull into the parking lot, and there is like two cars there. "This might not be as hard as I thought" I think to myself. When I walk in and there is a 20- something year old couple sitting in one booth, a 40- something year old sitting by herself, and someone in the back booth sitting with their back to the door. I slowly walk over there and ask "Are you.... O my gosh."