WE'VE ALL GOT HEARTS

Chapter 1

"Ivy!"

"Yes? Sorry!" I fell asleep in class again. Shit. Thank God, the math teacher understands.

"Ivy, did you get the answer for number eight?" She asks gently, the whole class staring at me, laughing.

"Yep. On the board?"

Mrs. T nods her head, so I go up to the board and attempt to copy my math homework onto the board, only to realize that I had done the problem incorrectly. I shut my eyes, sigh, and set my paper on the ground. Calculus makes sense to me, which I thank my lucky stars for now. I finish up the problem, pick up my paper and head back to my seat.

"Mrs. T," one of my lovely fellow classmates questions. "I don't think that's the right answer. She didn't divide it in the right spot."

Mrs. T just looks at the board, examining my work, then says, "No, Ivy got this one right. Let's go through this problem." She looks back at me and gives me a quick smile.

Awhile later, the bell rings, and the entire class forces their way through the hall to get to lunch. Well, the entire class except for me.

"Ah, perfect. Ivy, I was wondering if you would do me a favor?"

I smile. "Depending on what that favor is."

"I was wondering if you would possibly help tutor one of the kids in my precalc class? He's been struggling, and I know that you like precalc, so I figured I would try to get you to do it."

"Sure. Who is it?"

"I have to decide that yet. There's a few kids that I'm just going to teach after school, but one of them will go to you. Well, thanks, Ivy."

"No problem, Mrs. T. Sorry for falling asleep again."

"Are you getting any sleep at home? Any at all?"

I smile rather sarcastically before responding, "Yeah, if it's during the day and Dad doesn't yell at me. He thinks that that's the reason that I can't sleep at night. He's doing his best, though. I'm not upset with him by any means."

"Have you explained it to him?"

"Tried to. Oh well. It's no big deal. I just need to make sure I don't fall asleep in class."

Mrs. T is worried about me much more than she needs to be, but I am thankful for her kindness nonetheless. "Oh yeah, when does tutoring start?"

"Today, after school, if you're able."

"Sounds good. I'll be here."

And with that, I head to lunch, where I will try to find somewhere far enough away from people that I will be able to fall asleep to the din of my classmates' booming voices.