tutor||ponyboy curtis ✓

01

Jacqueline

"Tick...Tick...Tick"

I watched as the seconds on the clock etched by, only 13 more minutes. I can totally make it through 13 more minutes. I glanced back down at my blank page. Not a single letter on it, no punctuation, plain white with no words. I racked my brain for a quick and easy idea I could whip out. The topic was easy enough,

Describe your happiest memory.

The difficult part was figuring out a memory. I glanced around the classroom, trying to find an ounce of inspiration. My eyes wandered onto Diana Britt's earrings. I remembered overhearing her rave about how she got them for Christmas. Good enough. I began to write about the first Christmas I could remember. 4 years old, I got a hula hoop and roller skates. I loved the toys even if they made me dizzy and have me fall on the floor.

"And that's time, bring your essays up and then you may leave." Mr.Jones called from his desk. I dotted my last 'i' and smiled in satisfaction. I didn't have time to read it over as I followed in line with everyone else, but at least it was finished. I walked up to his desk and he stopped me.

"See me after class." he muttered and I nodded, holding in my sigh. I hated how unintelligent I can be, sure I was in a couple honors classes, but just barely. It puts a bad look on black people. After all, I'm 1/3 of the black kids in this school. Dustin and Susan are real brainiacs and breeze by in honors. But I have to spend all night and day working to barely get a C+.

"Yes?" I asked Mr.Jones approaching his desk after the class had emptied out and it was only him and I.

"Ms.Clark, I don't know how to say this," he started off and I refrained from rolling my eyes. I knew I wouldn't like this.

"But your grades are slipping in my class and if you don't raise them soon then you'll be back into the remedial classes." he said, a look of pity in his eyes.

"Oh," I mumbled.

"But, that's where Mr.Curtis comes in, Ponyboy. He sits two rows in front of you,"

"Mhm?"

"I've talked to him and he said he'd be willing to tutor you in my class." I nodded and gave him a small smile, even if my grades being discussed with a peer is one of the things that makes me want to crawl into a hole and die from embarrassement.

"So, in hopes to stay in my class would you be willing to be tutored by Mr.Curtis?" he finished off, resting his head in his hands.

"Sure, I really want to stay in these few honors classes I have." I answered politely with a small smile.

"That's what I thought Jacqueline. I see how hard you work in my class and I wouldn't want you to have to leave. You are dismissed." I nodded and left the classroom feeling pretty embarrassed. Luckily now the hallways were pretty empty, so I could get to my locker in peace.

"Hey." Dustin smiled approaching me and my locker. Him, Susan and I were best friends. Kind of by force, but whatever.

"Hi." I smiled back, grabbing my backpack and slinging it over my shoulder.

"What were ya doin' so late in Jones' class?" he inquired. I sighed,

"I don't wanna talk 'bout it." I huffed. Usually I'm not so touchy about these things, but I didn't know what Ponyboy was like. What if he turned into my bully and is just usin' this studying thing to pester me? I'd never even talked to the kid before. I only knew two things about him, he had a cute older brother and he had a really weird name. Like c'mon now? Ponyboy? That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard.

"Alright Miss Sensitive." Dustin chuckled. I hit his arm playfully laughing and we left the school building together.

"Hey nigras!" I didn't even bother turning, I knew it would just be some socs. Socs act all high and mighty 'cause they don't call us niggers like the greasers do. I've come to loath nigra more than nigger 'cause of that. I hate the south side socs more than the east side grease ball. Socs get all the easy breaks, greasers at least have a good reason to be so cold.

***

I entered the school library, the smell of old, old books coming into my nostrils. I scanned the area for Ponyboy, Mr.Jones said he'd be here. I spotted him at the farthest back table and approached it. It was so far back you'd have to be looking for it to see it. He probably did that bit on purpose. I glided between the blockading tables and the dirty looks that sat at them. Didn't matter if it was a Socs or a Greaser at the table, they hated me all the same and seemed to be the only thing that they agreed upon. I made it to the far far table and stood in front of him.

"Ponyboy?" I asked with a polite smile. He didn't look up and just nodded.

"Er- yeah. Jacqueline?" I nodded and sat down across from him at the table. He flipped between the pages of his vocab book,

"Mr.Jones said you're good with your vocabulary. Said you use a lot of big words and know when to use them. You just need help with the basic stuff. Like your their's and your's." Great, I know when to use aplomb, but can't tell the difference between there, they're and their.

"Mhm, yeah I'm not so outstanding with grammar." I agreed nodding.

"I ain't great with it either honestly, but I can try." he muttered and kept flipping throughout the pages.

"Alright we should start with..." he trailed off as he finally looked me in the eyes.

"Somethin' wrong?" I arched an eyebrow at him. He shook his head and whatever it was seemed to be gone as soon as it came.

***

"Uhm thanks." I smiled as I packed my things into my backpack. He nodded smiling a bit,

"It's no problem, do you wanna meet up here same time next week?" I nodded straightening out my skirt as I stood up.

"Yeah sure, sounds good." I replied. I left the library and the school, starting my long long departure to home. I hated how long the walk was, I live on the whole other side of town and walking in Mary Jane's wasn't the easiest task.

Ponyboy

I made sure that Jacqueline had left the library when I got up to leave as well. She drifted into my mind as I walked down the sidewalk to my house. She sure was pretty, and smart even if she didn't think so. She was real modest 'bout her writing, but it was real good even with the grammar mistakes. I never really noticed her though, I like to think I don't know why, but I do. I know exactly why. It's 'cause she's a nigger. I knew it was the truth, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. I sighed as I rounded the corner. The gang didn't seem to mind colored folk too much, or maybe it's just 'cause the subject never comes up. Well, everybody besides Steve. He seems to go out of his way to bug 'em. Two Bit can't be bothered to tell the truth. Johnny has too many problems of his own to pick on anybody. Darry and Soda both never really have had a problem with 'em, there was even one colored on Darry's football team and he came over every once in a while 'fore he graduated. Dallas even dated one of them colored 'fore he started goin' out with Sylvia, I think it was just to stir up trouble. Probably to get a reaction out of people, but I don't know to be honest. She was pretty as well, real curly hair and was fairer than some other nigras. But you could still tell she was one of 'em. I walked into the empty house, nobody would be home. Soda works 'till 4 and Darry don't come home 'till God knows when. I sat down on the couch and pulled out my own homework.