Math Problems

“Dave, you look terrible,” Melissa said earlier that same Thursday at school.

“Thanks for the pep talk,” Dave muttered, shaking his head.

They lingered outside the door to Mr. Millen’s classroom. Dave was leaning against the tile wall, his black hair scragglier than usual, his dark eyes red rimmed, ringed with dark half circles.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night,” Dave said, scratching his jaw. “This math exam. I’m really sweating it.”

Melissa tsk-tsked sympathetically.

“Hey, how’s it going, Kinley?” Donald Metcalf gave Dave a hearty punch on the shoulder as he headed into Millen’s classroom. “You going to ace this test?”

“Yeah. I’ll ace it if I don’t copy off you!” Dave replied, rubbing his shoulder. “Metcalf is really a big ox,” he whispered to Melissa.

“You’re in a great mood,” Melissa said sarcastically. “Metcalf is your buddy, remember? From the wrestling team?”

“I’m sorry I talked my parents out of getting me that math tutor,” Dave confessed, changing the subject back to the exam. “I really thought I could get this stuff. But I don’t understand it. I missed three days with the flu, and I’ve never caught up.” He yawned noisily and shifted his backpack on his shoulder.

The bell rang right over their heads, startling them both.

Josie McClain hurried past them into the room, diving into her seat as the bell stopped ringing.

“You’ll do okay,” Melissa told Dave softly, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“No, I’m dead meat,” he said forlornly. “Dead meat.”

“Millen’s tests are never that bad,” Melissa assured him. She tugged affectionately at a scraggly strand of black hair that had fallen over his forehead. “Come on. Let’s go in before Millen starts to howl.”

She grabbed the sleeve of his sweater and pulled him into the room. Dave slumped into his seat behind Josie. Melissa continued on down the front row and took her seat in the corner.

Mr. Millen began passing test papers back down the rows without saying a word. A few seconds later he gave the okay to start.

The room was silent, so silent Melissa could hear the buzzing of a fluorescent light on the ceiling above her head. Melissa read over the entire test. There didn’t appear to be any surprises. She dived into the first problem, scribbling calculations on lined paper, referring back to the test paper as she worked.

She was halfway through the fourth problem when she saw Josie walk up to Mr. Millen. Josie leaned down to speak to the teacher, who was slouched at his desk, poring over a magazine.

The teacher glanced up, startled. Josie began to whisper close to his ear.

From her seat in the front row, Melissa could hear Josie’s whispered words clearly. “Mr. Millen, would it be okay if I move my seat?” she asked.

“Move? Why?” Mr. Millen stared at her suspiciously.

“Well...” Josie whispered reluctantly, glancing toward the back of the room. “Dave Kinley is copying off my paper.”

Melissa could feel her face grow hot.

Dave is in big trouble now, she thought unhappily. I can’t believe Josie is doing this.

Josie and Mr. Millen whispered a bit longer. Melissa strained but couldn’t make out any more words. She saw Josie gather up her test and scrap paper and move to an empty seat by the window.

Melissa wondered if Dave knew he was in trouble. She returned to her test, struggling to concentrate.

Why didn’t Dave ask me to help him with this stuff? she wondered.

Too proud, she decided.

Sometimes Dave was just plain weird. He never liked to let on that he had a problem, that he was human. He always liked to pretend that he was on top of things, that he had everything under control.

At least he could have asked me to study with him, Melissa thought, shaking her head.

Now what’s going to happen?

She didn’t have to wait long to find out.

When the bell rang ending the period, the test papers were passed to the front. Mr. Millen collected them all, then dismissed the class.

“Oh, Dave, could you see me for a minute?” he called, his face expressionless.

Melissa saw Dave hesitate at his desk. “S-sure,” he stammered.

Melissa closed her eyes. Poor Dave, she thought He’s dead meat, just as he predicted.

She gave him a worried glance as she passed him and headed out the door. She stopped across from the classroom, greeted a few friends who were passing by, then leaned against the wall to wait for Dave.

He appeared a few minutes later, his face bright red, his expression glum. “Josie turned me in,” he muttered and uttered a few curses.

Her head bowed sympathetically, Melissa began walking toward her locker. Dave followed, muttering angrily.

“Can you believe it?” he demanded. “Can you believe that little rat would do that to me?”

Melissa stopped at her locker and raised her eyes to his. “But did you do it, Dave? Did you copy off her paper?”

“So what if I did?” Dave snarled.

Melissa dropped back, startled by his anger.

“Are you going to get on my case too?” he cried.

“I just asked,” Melissa replied softly. She unsnapped her combination lock and pulled open her locker. “So what did Millen say?”

“That big jerk? He said he was giving me a zero,” Dave told her, his voice breaking. “That test counts for half the grade. So I get a zero for half my grade.” He kicked a locker angrily. “You know what that means? It means I get kicked off the wrestling team.”

“Oh no!” Melissa cried.

“Yeah, I get kicked off the wrestling team,” Dave repeated bitterly. He cursed some more. “And that means I don’t get my wrestling scholarship. And that means I can’t go to college. All because of that—”

At that exact moment Josie came walking by.

Dave reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Ow!” she cried. Her eyes flashed at him. “Let go of me!” she screamed nastily.

“Why’d you do it?” Dave demanded, squeezing her arm.

“Let go of me!” she repeated shrilly. She jerked her arm out of his grasp.

“Why’d you turn me in?” Dave insisted, his dark eyes wide with fury.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Josie said coldly, glancing past him to Melissa. “I mean, what choice did I have? You were leaning over so far to see the answers, you were breathing on my neck!”

Dave sputtered in rage but no words came out.

Josie spun away and hurried around the corner. Several kids had stopped to stare at the angry confrontation.

Dave uttered an angry cry and slammed Melissa’s locker door shut, the sound echoing down the hall. “She’s wrecking my life!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “I hate Josie McClain!”

“Dave, stop! You’re totally losing it!” Melissa cried.

He didn’t seem to hear her. With another angry cry, he took off after Josie.

“Dave, come back!” Melissa screamed, terrified by his rage. “Come back! What are you going to do?”

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20