I'm Writing This For You

Chapter 10 || What's In A Name?

"Today, you'll be getting back your papers that you handed in yesterday. I was thoroughly disappointed in the class as a whole. Remember that I do have after-class help sessions, and more of you should be utilizing that opportunity," Mrs. Chung said, as she picked up a stack of papers that were on her desk.

Making her way around the tables, the sound of her high heels clicking against the tiles echoed throughout the room. "But, there were a few individuals that did better than expected," she added, as she stood over Tanya's desk.

When Mrs. Chung handed our papers back, Mike crumpled his up and stuffed it inside his desk. "It's not even worth knowing at this point," he said while his frail fingers danced along his brown hair.

"You know what, I probably failed too," I added. My paper was still turned over, and part of me was scared to flip it. I didn't really want all that hard work to go to waste, as I was almost sure it would.

Snatching my paper, Mike's eyes immediately widened. "I must be seeing things," he said. Taking off his glasses, he wiped them with the fabric of his shirt while I snatched the paper back from him.

"Holy shit," I said. My jaw dropped, as I was just left in a state of shock. I blinked a few times, just to make sure I was seeing this mark correctly. Turning the pages of my story, I noticed that there was a smaller amount of red comments. I could actually see glimpses of the white paper I wrote the report on this time.

"As always, I'll give you some statistics to help you put things into perspective. The highest mark on this assignment was a 90 percent. Congratulations to that individual," Mrs. Chung said, as she walked back to the front of the class, taking a kid's cellphone along the way.

"But, the average on this was a 55 percent. While I do put more weight towards assignments at the end of the year, we're getting to the point where failing an assignment will start to have a serious impact on your grade. Next week, I'm extending my hours and will be open every day for those of you that need extra help," she concluded.

Mike looked back at his crumpled paper, exhaling loudly and slumping back in his chair. "Well, I guess I didn't have the same luck, good job man."

I still couldn't wipe the smile off my face. A 76 percent. While you may look at that and think it wasn't that impressive, this was coming from a class where I had failed all of my previous reports.

But, that upward trend wasn't about to stop there. Over the next few months, something interesting happened. I became a regular attendee of Mrs. Chung's help sessions after school, and so did most of the class. The class average went from an F to a C+, while my grades on assignments in the class steadily improved from a C+ to an A.

Not only that, but I started to do better in my other courses as well, slowly improving my grades from average to above average. While I began to help Mike in English, he returned the favour and helped me out in math. I even started to get more involved in school, as Mike and I joined a gaming club, where we played a variety of video games and board games once a week.

The distinctive accents of Boston residents, and the way they pronounced words like beaver and enter became less jarring. The way the gold dome on the State House shone at sunset became beautiful, and the hold that the Red Sox had in the city started to feel entrancing. Boston began to feel familiar, and it began to feel like home.

Here's a fun fact about your mother – she loves rollercoasters. Seriously, if you're ever looking for a Mother's Day gift, try giving her a season pass to Six Flags or Canada's Wonderland.

But personally, I hate roller coasters. In fact, the only part about rollercoasters I like is the very beginning, when I'm enjoying the steady ride up to the peak. My seatbelt secured tightly, the wind gently dancing through my hair, and the landscape of the amusement park and the surrounding trees slowly coming into view, each moment becoming more and more breathtaking. The sounds of silence ringing throughout the air, as the noises from the park below become more and more distant.