Parallel (discontinued)

Jonah- Chapter III: A Brilliant Idea

"WHAT?" I exclaimed, in harmonious unison with my supposed "student".

I'm sorry, but what?!? Did they really just ask me to be a tutor for this girl?!? Have they gone out of their minds?!? Have they not learned anything about me?

I was almost confident that I was being sent to the office to be punished for my last piece of artwork that I decorated the school building with. All that time, effort, and spraypaint! I guess they haven't found out yet. I was proud of that one, too.

Needless to say, just imagine my shock and disappointment when I walked in, was asked to sit next to my parents, was being told by the principal that I was to tutor?!?

Grading has got to be the most obnoxious idea ever implemented into the school system. Labeling us and judging our intelligence as if intelligence could possibly be measured with mere letters? And on top of that, it causes the faculty to pinpoint students with lower grades and make them seek help from others. How humiliating. How dehumanizing. I almost felt bad for this Kee girl, but there is no way that I am even near suitable enough to be a tutor.

Unless, they do know about the graffiti, in which case this was my punishment! They think that doing this, by helping others, will make me a better behaved person! Or at least it'll make me out to just look like a better person!

How fake. Maybe they do care about this girl's grades, maybe not. But I know that the real reason they're doing all this was simply an attempt to discipline me, or at least give me the appearance of someone who's not so bad as I make out to be.

My parents-or rather, my foster parents, of course, were in full agreement to the idea. Sheesh, why wouldn't they be? All they ever care about is image and appearance. In fact, the only reason I bothered going to school and getting the grades I get is because they make me. If it was up to me, I would've dropped out and done my own thing. To really experience life for what it's worth than conform to a broken system of education. But I mean, I guess I owe them that much. They did raise me, after all, despite doing it more for their own status than for me. I guess high wealth and prosperity does that to people. It's all just about appearing good rather than being good. But there's some genuine compassion in them, at least I'd like to think. At least they've stuck with me all these years. At least they didn't leave...

Grades grades grades. See what I mean? It's all anyone cares about. Appearance. Whether it's the school faculty trying to look good by assigning tutors, my foster parents by making me go to this school, or-

I glanced at the girl. She was alone. Where were her parents? How come they didn't show up? I wondered what they looked like; their daughter's features were definitely admirable. Nicely tanned skin, black, long, lavish hair, and myterious eyes that glowed like moonlight. She wore a beanie, but the lettering on it was impossible to read. HKNA MTTA? It was faded and torn and looked like a million years old and from the dumpster. I didn't recognize her from anywhere. Does she even have friends? In fact, I don't think I've seen her ever before in my life. I think I would've remembered.

All I did know is that she didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea.

"Look Mr. Smith, I can do better if you give me a different tutor. I mean you did say before he has poor behavior" she had suddenly said.

And then it hit me.

Maybe..just maybe! She might be just what I need!

Call me bad, all you want. But reagardless of what happened, my idea was brilliant. I didn't even notice that I was grinning at her like a creep.

I was about to wipe the smirk off my face, didn't want her to get the wrong idea. But I stuck with it anyway. For this to work, I need her to like me.

"Now now, Ms. Jones", I said, all formal and official-like, "is that really how you want to talk in front of your new tutor?"

"Very well then!" said Mr. Smith. "That settles that. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Kai, for coming. And thank you, Ms. Jones, for complying. Now excuse me, the period is almost over, and I must get back to other matters. You two will have your first session tomorrow. Report to me tomorrow at lunch"

Tomorrow?!? That's sooner than I had hoped. Sheesh, oh well. I'll just have to improvise.

I couldn't help but crack another smile. This was going to be fun.

Or so I thought...