Night and Day

Dyslexia Problems

After first period, me, Jake, and Apollo go to second period, English, and I do have dyslexia, which doesn't make it any easier, but Apollo usually helps me in it, and I also have Jake now. When we get to class, and sit down, the teacher, Mrs.Lacy, begins the class.

"Ok, Class today we will be reading a very famous story called, "A Tell Tale Heart," by Edgar Allan Poe, can anyone tell me what year this was written?" Mrs.Lacy asks us, to which no one raises a hand.

"Ok since no one wants to answer, I guess I will pick someone, how about Artemis," she says and my heart speeds up, and I get nervous. I don't like being the center of attention, and being dyslexic doesn't help, because I can't read extremely well, when I read the words float off the page.

"Um....um...can someone else answer," I say, looking down.

"No you know it, just look at the page, it says it," Mrs.Lacy says. I look at Apollo and Jake, and Apollo mouths something to me that I don't catch.

"Um.." I start but get cut off.

"Mrs.Lacy if Artemis doesn't know the answer and someone else does, just let them answer," Apollo says.

"I'm sorry, Apollo, but your sister probably needs help, and it's my job to help," Mrs.Lacy says.

"Making her find the answer, in a story, isn't going to help, she's dyslexic it's just going to be hard for her without help," Apollo says back.

"Apollo sit down, this question is for Artemis," Mrs.Lacy says.

"Just answer the question, idiot," someone says from the back of the class, and I recognize it as Blake's voice, and the whole class breaks out in laughter, and Jake, who is sitting behind me, leans over and whispers the answer in my ear.

"The answer is, 1843," Jake says to me, and I nod my head.

"Is the answer 1843?" I ask.

"Yes good job Artemis," Mrs.Lacy says. I put my head in my hands, because of my dyslexia, I couldn't answer the question, and it caused an interruption with the class.

"Pss, Artemis, you good?" Apollo asks me.

"Yea, I'm fine," I say. When we start reading the story, I get called on to read, the longest paragraph of the whole story.

"Can someone else please read, I can't read that, I'll just butcher the words," I say begging Mrs.Lacy to pick someone else.

"I'm sorry Artemis, but you have to also participate," Mrs.Lacy says, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Apollo scoot his desk to right by mine.

"Hey sis, I'll help you with the words," Apollo says.

"Fine," I groan.

I start reading and I can't even get through the first sentence without having Apollo's help pronouncing a word. This is so embarrassing.

"What's this word?" I ask my brother, and point to it.

"That is, dreadfully," he tells me, and when I try to say it, it comes out like a cuss word, so now the whole class is laughing. I put my head in my hands and feel Apollo rubbing my back.

"Hey it's ok-"Apollo starts but gets cut off.

"MS.BLAKE PRINCIPALS OFFICE NOW!!" Mrs.Lacy says. I look at her in shock.

"That's not fair, she didn't mean to say that," Jake says.

"Yea, that's not right, Mrs.Lacy you know she is dyslexic, she can't pronounce words exactly like others, and she can't help it," Apollo says, and I stand up but he pulls me back.

"Would y'all like to join her?" Mrs.Lacy asks. I look at Jake and Apollo shaking my head telling them no, but what do they do they stand up.

"I'll go with her," Apollo says.

"Me too," Jake says, and I look at them in shock and they stand up, and Apollo gently pulls me up, and we walk out.