Change For Me

46. tutoring someone

~~~~

"Are you sure you're okay? It's been a week Ellie." Sofie looks at me with concern. I try and smile to diminish her doubts. It doesn't work to say the least.

"It's noticeable right?" I look down at the floor.

"Not that really." She helps to reassure me but we both know that I don't look the greatest.

We both enter French class and gasp when we see Eric sitting front row. "Omg Eric!"

"How are you?" I hug him as a welcome back.

Even from the traumatic event, he smiles up at us. "Better," he shrugs.

"You must've used your month well." Sofie rolls her eyes sarcastically although she's obviously jealous of his vacation.

"I'll take any excuse." He justifies. "I didn't want to come to school with crutches. Do you know how embarrassing that is?"

"At least it's healing." I offer a positive outlook on it while Sofie strolls to her seat.

"Yeah, but I can't play basketball anymore. I'm off for the whole season." He doesn't seem affected by it. I thought he may be worried as this injury can be detrimental to a basketball career. I heard it was a sport he wanted to pursue which is a reason as to why he enrolled to a few programs for post-secondary.

"That's too bad..." I frown. "But hey! You have many years ahead to catch up and make it happen."

"Nahhh," I'm not perplexed by his casualness. "Basketball is just my side chick. Nothing to worry about." He notices my eyes widen. "Kidding!"

I laugh, "I got what you mean. It still sucks because I heard how much you wanted to go to Alberta with Jae." He goes quiet while I start to think I was too intrusive.

"Are you...okay?" His head tilts and I realize he's been staring. Then it dawned on me that I'm rocking puffy eyes.

"Yeah? Why?" I look at the clock as bell rings at the same time. I take that as my cue.

"Your eyes are swollen." He appears to be even more curious because he leans closer.

"Morning allergies." I shake my head, and reason. "I'll talk to you later." I wave, escaping to take a seat at my desk.

"Heyy." Eva has already settled down and greets me happily.

"Hi." I put on a smile.

"What's wrong?" She asks and my instant reaction is to lay my head low.

"Nothing." I shrug and distract myself by taking out my notebooks for the class.

"All right..." She circles back in her seat, glancing at my slouched figure once more before turning to face the front.

I let out a breath and focus.

~

"I don't even know why I cried." I laugh at myself.

"You always do that." Sofie looks up from her textbook. "You always laugh at yourself after crying."

"Because it's funny." I shrug.

"It's okay to cry you know. We need to let it all out and binge watch movies." She continues to write formulas after formulas in her notebook.

"I feel weird when I cry."

"Same, it doesn't come out of me easily." At least she gets me. We stay in comfortable silence, both of us busy with some task.

"I have to make a few copies upstairs. The printer is broken here." She jumps down the desk.