Driving Force

chapter 6

"Mal I thought you knew calculus?" I whine as I hit my head against my textbook. I've been a little behind in my school work since this camp is lasting longer than the other ones because we keep having matches between it. Remote learning is only making it harder to grasp concepts even though the teachers are trying their hardest to help me out.

"Listen, I took that a couple of years ago and dropped out of college. I guess I didn't retain anything from that class." Mal shrugs sitting on my bed looking at me. "The others on the team are no help either. I tried to ask for their help once, and it was the worst decision to ask them."

"Great, so how am I supposed to pass the test I have in four days?" I grumble. I then hear a knock on my door and go to answer it.

"Well don't you look sophisticated in your glasses," Tobin says standing in the hallway.

"I don't feel sophisticated," I reply heading back to my chair and desk. "Why do I even have to learn calc to pass high school?"

"Honestly, I don't think you failing one class will stop you from graduating." Mal shrugs.

"Mallory Pugh!" Tobin pointed to her. "Don't go putting ideas in her head."

"Wait, you are right!" I say realizing she has a point.

"No, Madi. Don't listen to Mal here. You will get an education and graduate high school WITHOUT failing a class. The team will make sure of it." Tobin swears.

"And how am I supposed to do that if nobody here can help me with math?"

"Give me twenty minutes." She says and heads out scrolling through her phone. "Just trust me on this."

"I'm also going to head out and leave you to try to figure this out. I'm probably distracting you anyway." Mal says getting up from her seat on the bed. "But some of us are going to the cafe later if you finish up early, come join."

"I'll text you." I reply as she heads out the door leaving me alone with my school work.

I try to work out the problem and end up giving up after a couple minutes. I managed to doodle in my notebook being frustrated and bored with the curriculum. A knock on my door pulls me from my doodles and only frustrates me more as more distractions trickle in here. I get up and drag my feet, not bothering to check who it is before I open it. I see Tobin and a girl who looks familiar but I can't seem to pinpoint how.

Before I get a chance to speak, Tobin cuts to the chase. "I went to Sinc, captain of the Canadian team, to see if anyone on their team is good at calc, and I found you a tutor."

The brunette girl with freckles besides Tobin timidly smiles and offers a wave. "Hi, my name is Jessie."

"Jessie meet Madison aka Madi. Madi meet Jessie, one of the players from the Canadian team and your tutor." Tobin smiles. "I'll let you guys be. If you need anything let me know."

"See ya, Tobin." I wave as she leaves me with this Jessie girl. Well isn't this awkward. "Uh you can sit there." I point to my chair at the desk and pull a stool next to her for me.

"Thanks. So what about calc do you need help with?" She says already opening up my textbook and skimming it through.

"I guess we are going right into it." I say under my breath looking at the textbook for the hundredth time today.

"That's what I am here for right?" She smirks. "Listen, take a deep breath. I'll try my best to get you to understand this."

"Sorry, I'm just frustrated. Um, I need help with all of it. Everything." I rub the back of my neck and chuckle.