Trigganometry (COMPLETED)

Please Don't Cry

I really don't want to have this discussion, with my class, but it is well needed. Thankfully, I had already planned to discuss the quiz results. I just didn't think it would be about ways to improve. Ugh. I watch, as my students file in, still talking about the events, from this past weekend. I didn't do anything. It was slick depressing, thinking that I just might be a failure, as a professor. I might not have been, if I didn't have my head so far up Serenity's ass. It's going to be all over the blogs, that I can only be Trey Songz. If I fail at this, I might not even go back to that lifestyle. I don't know.

Because I have to talk to them and teach a lesson, I'm gonna start with their grades, now, at 9:50. I begin calling their names, to pass out their quizzes. A couple students trickle in. I know a few of them, by now, but not all of them. A few groans and sighs of relief, are heard. When I get to Serenity's paper, I give her a slight smile. "Woah," she says quietly. "What you get?" The girl sitting next to her asks. I haven't learned her name, yet. I couldn't stick around, to hear the rest of that conversation. I get to Taj and I just already know this isn't going to go well. He didn't pass but I don't think he would've done that bad, had he finished. He groans, loudly and grabs his bags. Everyone watches him, as he leaves the class. For some reason, my mind tells me to follow him out.

"Hey, man." I call after him. "Look, man, I don't wanna hear it. I should've just dropped the damn class." He continues to walk away. "Taj!" I yell. "I'm not bout to be chasing you. Listen to me." He stops but doesn't turn, to look at me. "It's just the first quiz. You have plenty of time, to make up for it. Let's not forget that you had less time than everyone  else and you still did better than a few." "But I still failed. I was in such a rush, to get there on time that I forgot my own calculator. Had Ren not let me use hers, I wouldn't have gotten any right." Him calling her "Ren" throws me off. It actually makes me mad, to think that this senseless ass lil boy, has her attention. "Look. Like I said, you have time to make it up. Don't quit now." "I don't know. I can't go back in there, after all that." "You better come back in. I'm still starting Chapter 6." I laugh. He smiles, a little and follows me back to class. 

I let him walk in, before me and all eyes are on us. "It's all good y'all. I just had a moment." Taj explains. "My calculator will be in my bag, every day, even Sundays." He makes the class laugh. Class clown. I brush it off and continue passing out grades. Once I'm done, I prepare for a difficult conversation. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. The grades weren't great." I start. "Too many of y'all got C's and below. Now, I don't know if it's because I'm not teaching in a way that you can understand or if it's because you aren't taking this class or me seriously. Please know that this is just ONE of out 4 quizzes. You will have 4 tests, about 22 homework assignments and 2 projects. There is time, to make up this quiz BUT note that quizzes are 25% of your grade. There isn't much time to make them up." I can see that the class is realizing that I'm serious, about this. I don't have time for games. "Now, as the syllabus says, there is a test on Friday. It'll be going over Chapters 1 - 8. We're going over Chapter 6, today and hopefully start chapter 7. If we can get through chapter 8, on Wednesday, we can do a little review, for the test. Either way, my notes are on the student portal, for your use."

I finish the whole dramatic conversation, around 10:00. We breeze through Chapter 6 and I can tell that more people are paying attention. It makes me smirk, a little. I guess now they'll actually try. "Any questions?" I ask. It's 10:35 and I want to start the next chapter. "I do but I can ask after class. I know we all wanna get to the next chapter." One girl asks. "It's okay, they might want to know this as well." I answer. "Okay, well I don't understand how you got 356, as your answer. I keep getting 240." "I know exactly why." I briefly go over the process, to get the correct answer and a few other students say "ohh." "See, I told you," I smiled. For the rest of the class, we got through a fourth of chapter 7. "Alright, Wednesday we finish chapter 7 and start chapter 8. It doesn't look like we're going to have time, to review but I'm willing to have a study session, for one hour, after Wednesday's class. If you can make it, stay for it."  I dismiss the class. 

***

Of course we didn't make it, to reviewing, in class, so I had a study session. It even went over the one hour I proposed. It's all good though. I don't have anything else to do. I pack up my things, as the last student leaves. I figure I can get some other stuff done, in the library. I lock up my room and head to the library. I love that there are private study rooms, here. I can play a little music and get to work. "I can use a bagel." I say to myself. There's an Einstein Bagels, in here. I order a blueberry bagel, with strawberry cream cheese and a strawberry smoothie. I have water, just in case it's too much sweetness. I pay for my food and wait for it, to be ready. The guy, at the counter looks rather upset. No one made him work here. Once, my food is ready, I find a room, on the second floor and I close myself in. I've finished my lesson plan, for the semester but as time goes, I've learned that things will change. I also need to finalize the test questions. I decided that even though they didn't do too well, I don't want to ease up, just yet. I have a feeling they'll do better. I'm still going to do 35 questions, with one short answer, for a bonus.  I open my Macbook and get everything set up. I like listening to smooth R&B, while I brainstorm. I bite into my bagel and it's heaven. "Mmm." 

I'm drowned in deep thoughts, when I hear a knock, on the door. I look through the small door window and it's Serenity. She didn't stay for the review session. Hell, she doesn't need to. I motion for her to come in. "Hi, I don't mean to interrupt," she smiles. "Oh no it's fine." I wipe the cream cheese from my mouth. "I finished my history quiz early but I know you're done with the review. I just wanted to see if you had any extra time to spare, for me." Little does she know, I could've been at my house and I'd come back here just to be with her. "Of course." I move my things to the side, so she can put her things down. The room is small. The door is cracked but not much. I don't even mind. She pulls out her notes and look for what it is that she has questions about.

We get so wrapped up in conversation, going from Trig to personal stuff. "I feel like I have to keep apologizing for Taj's outburst," she says. "No, you don't have to do that. I mean, I'd rather he not do something like that but I think we're past that, now." I hope. "Yea, I guess. I don't want to get too personal but something's changed in him, since you became our Professor. He was never like this. He's not a jealous person, normally." "I'm Trey Songz, though." I joke. We both laugh. "Not in class though." I say. "But as I'm sure you remember, I'm not much of a fan. No offense, though. I jokingly clench my heart. It makes her laugh even harder. "You just keep hurting my feelings." "I'm sorry. It's nothing against you, though. I like what I hear on the radio and stuff. I just don't go searching for new music, for any artist. Well except Beyonce." "No one can compete with Queen Bey." I say. "No one." 

I laugh, as I get a phone call. It's Mrs. Charm. "I'll let you get back to business. Thanks so much, for your time." Serenity says, as she gathers her things. "Hey, Mrs. Charm," I answer. "Look at the text I just sent you," she says, with urgency. I find her name, at the top and my mouth hangs, as I read the message. Serenity stops packing her things. "What is going on?!" I yell. I'm looking at an email thread, from Taj to the president of the school. "That's what I would like to know. Why is this young man insisting that you're trying to steal his woman?" "I don't believe this right now." I sit back, in my charm. "Meet me in my office, right now. We're getting to the bottom of this," she says, before hanging up. "I'ma fuck ya lil boyfriend up." I say, out of anger. "If he makes me lose my job, you really ain't gone like Trey Songz." "What happened?" She closes the door. "Taj sent an email, with pictures of us, in this room. He sent a long message, about seeing y'all at Juicy Crab, the club shit, the dropping class incident and now this. He says he failed because I want to take you from him." "Mr. Neverson, I swear to God, I am so sorry. I broke up with him, last week and now he thinks I want you. I am SO sorry." She starts crying and now I feel bad. "It's not your fault. I'm going to meet the counselor and see if there's anything I can do." "Take my number." She writes her number down, on a sticky note. "Call me, after the meeting, if there's anything I can do." I probably shouldn't take her number but I do.