The Childe (17 page)

“Colvin! In my office! Now!” Coach’s voice echoed around the locker room. Cat sighed as she made her way to the office. Not making eye contact with anyone, she could hear all the girls in the locker room whispering.

“Sit down Cat, we need to talk,” Coach Hutchins said as she reclined in her chair.

“I know what this is about. I’m failing Algebra and I’m off the team, right?” Cat interrupted her.

“No Cat, you’re not off the team. We just need to get you a math tutor. You see, I know Mr. Crawley would love nothing more than to have you kicked off my team. I guess I’ll need to remind him of our school policy. I pulled up your file and saw that you are making A’s in all your other classes. So I feel that something’s not quite right here. I called the office and had them set up a meeting with a counselor to arrange for a tutor ASAP. You’ll report there before you come to class tomorrow. Don’t worry about missing class. Your meeting shouldn’t take that long. The most you’d miss is about twenty minutes and I’ll just make you do laps or something to compensate,” she said smiling brightly at Cat, determination shining in her eyes. “Don’t look so defeated! I’m not about to lose one of my best swimmers to…well I better keep my mouth shut. My mother did always say, ‘If you can’t say anything nice about someone, don’t say anything at all’.”

“Thanks coach! I promise I won’t let you down!” Cat exclaimed, hope filling her heavy heart.

“I know you won’t Cat. We need you out there especially with our regional meet coming up soon. Now get your butt in gear and get dressed,” she said sternly, smiling at Cat as she turned and walked out the door.

“Now don’t be mad. Hear me out before you respond, please!” Biting her lip, Cat faced her parents sitting across from them at the kitchen table. She waited until the dishes from dinner had been cleared and stowed in the dishwasher to tell them of her
creepy
Crawley situation. “I took a pop quiz in Math today and…I didn’t do too hot,” she murmured.

“What do you mean, you didn’t do too hot?” Rachel asked confused.

“Well, I’m kind of, in a way…failing,” she replied sheepishly. “No! Wait I haven’t finished! Please, listen!” Cat pleaded as her parents looked at one another and then faced her again both looking grim. “I talked to Coach Hutchins today and she informed me that she’s going to arrange for a tutor to help me. I’m going to meet with a counselor tomorrow so that I can start ASAP. She also told me that I’m still on the swim team as long as I agree to get a tutor.”

“Cat, why is this the first time we’re hearing about this? Have you not done your homework? Did you not study for your tests? I know Math has never been your favorite subject, but you never had trouble at your other school. Why now?” Rachel asked confused.

“Mom I do my homework every night, but Mr. Crawley keeps giving us pop quizzes on problems we haven’t even covered in class yet! He doesn’t explain anything! He tells us to read our books, but if we have a question he won’t answer it,” she expressed, looking intently at her parents.

“I can’t believe a teacher won’t help if you don’t understand a problem. Maybe there are just too many students in the class. You see! If you were still in private school this wouldn’t have happened. I told you Sam, public school wasn’t for her.” Rachel glared accusingly at her husband.

“Now ladies, let’s look at the problem rationally and not jump to conclusions. Rachel, yes the classes were smaller at her old school, and yes many a time children can fall through the cracks in public school. But I think that with help, Cat can bring her grade up. This is a great idea,” he stated confidently, placing his hand on Rachel’s shoulder.

“You are clueless Sam! If she’s doing everything she should be, then why is she failing?” she asked in frustration, shrugging his hand off.

“Mom, I told you,
creepy
Crawley doesn’t teach. He tells us that if we don’t get it the first time then forget it. He’s a mean and spiteful man who loves to see people fail!” she spat out. “He especially hates me!”

Sam chuckled, “
creepy
Crawley, that’s a good one Cat.” He flinched as Rachel gave him a love tap on the arm.

“Don’t encourage her Sam!” Rachel chastised. “Cat, why would he hate you? Teachers have always raved about you. They always say they wish they had a classroom full of students like you. I think you’re wrong about creepy, I mean Mr. Crawley.” Rachel glared at Cat and Sam as they giggled. “Anyway, as I was saying, I think you shouldn’t put the blame on others when clearly it’s your fault. You should be grinded until you bring up your grade,” she said crossing her arms angrily.

“Grinded? Don’t you mean groused?” Sam asked confused.

“It’s grounded! That’s the word you’re looking for!” she interjected, rolling her eyes at the fact that her parents, even though they were well educated, didn’t know the word grounded. In all their years of parenting they never had to use this form of punishment on her or Taylor.

“Well, whatever it is I think you should be
it
until we see improvement in your grade and that’s my final word.” Rachel stood up, “I knew public school was going to be trouble and I was right. Now, I’ve got a women’s meeting tonight so I’ve got to go get ready,” she announced leaving the room not making eye contact with either of them.

“Dad that’s so unfair! Even you said Mr. Crawley couldn’t get a teaching position anywhere else. He’s evil!”

“Now Cat, I’ll talk to your mom. Maybe you can be grou…grounded, right?” Cat nodded her head. “For this weekend so you can study ahead in the chapters. I’ll help you, as will this tutor person. I know you can do it. I believe in you. Your mom didn’t want you to go to school here in Astoria. So she’s just a little upset now. Run along and I’ll talk to her, okay?”

“Thanks dad,” she said bending down and kissing his cheek.

The next day, Cat made her way to the front office after her third period. Mrs. Starks, a rosy cheeked, portly woman smiled as Cat walked up to the counter. “Miss Colvin, Mrs. Brooks is on the phone right now, but as soon as she becomes available I’ll take you back.” Cat looked at her, confused at the fact Mrs. Starks knew who she was. “Oh yes, I know who you are. My daughter Shannon will be coming here next year and she loves to swim. So we attend every meet so she can watch and learn. You’re a wonderful swimmer, so graceful. You make it look so easy. She talks about you all the time,” she said peering at the phone. “Oh great! She’s off. Follow me.” Cat couldn’t have said a word if she wanted to, as Mrs. Starks continued talking about her daughter until they reached the end of the hall and knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Mrs. Brooks looked up. Her red glasses perched on the tip of her nose. “Thanks Joan. Hi Cat, have a seat. This shouldn’t take long, just waiting for your tutor to show up.” Cat sat down, just as someone knocked at the door. “Come in! Hello Ryan, please have a seat next to Cat.” Cat didn’t turn around. She felt Ryan’s eyes staring at her back, and then heard him move, sitting down beside her. “Cat, I’ve picked Ryan Beckford to be your tutor as he had Mr. Crawley last year. Surprisingly he was the only one who received an A. Which I’ve heard, is hard to do in his class.”

Cat kept her eyes on Mrs. Brooks.
Oh great, the one person I wanted to avoid at all cost was going to be thrust upon me every day,
she thought.

“Cat are you okay?” Mrs. Brooks asked.

Cat looked up, “Sorry, what…”

“I was just saying, that if Ryan could spare an hour after practice Monday thru Wednesday. And then maybe a few hours on other days, which you can work out amongst yourselves. We could get you back on track by the end of the semester finals.”

“But Mrs. Brooks, I don’t think that’s fair to Ryan! I’m sure he has a full schedule with practice, games and playoffs-”

“It’s no problem,” Ryan said interrupting her and forcing Cat to turn and look at him for the first time since he came into the room. “We can meet after our practices and on Thursday, after your meets. I try to make every one.”

Cat groaned inwardly.
Of course he did, how could I miss him staring at me from across the pool? I need to get a different tutor? I just have to! I don’t like how I feel when I’m around him,
Cat thought to herself.

“So it’s settled, today’s…Wednesday, so…maybe you two can have your first study session today?” Mrs. Brooks said looking at her calendar. “Where does the time go? Anyway, you kids skedaddle. I know we’ll get great results from this union. After all Astoria High can’t afford to lose one of our best swimmers now, can we?” Embarrassed, Cat stood abruptly and moved toward the office door. Ryan, grinning at her discomfort, stood to the side as Cat exited and then he followed closely behind. “Don’t forget to fill in that schedule I gave you! And when you have it worked out, drop it by the office and we will make a copy.” Her voice filtered down the hall.

What schedule? She didn’t give me a schedule!
Turning and bumping into Ryan, Cat saw that he had a paper in his hand.

Steadying her, Ryan’s grin seemed to grow. “You forgot this.”

“Oh.” Cat’s legs felt weak at his touch. She caught herself gazing into his eyes and she blushed. Quickly glancing at the floor, she nervously brushed her hair over her ear and took the schedule from his hand. Leaving the office she noticed the hallways were empty. Ryan reached out and put his hand on Cat’s arm. Startled, she turned to face him.

“I get out of practice at five today, how about we meet in the library? It doesn’t close until seven.”

“Alright, well I guess I’ll see you later then,” she uttered quickly. He began to say something else but then decided to just walk away. Cat leaned against the lockers as Ryan walked in the opposite direction from her.
What a fool Cat! You looked so dumb! Why didn’t I speak up and tell Mrs. Brooks I didn’t want him for a tutor? No, I just gave in! Well maybe after one session, he’ll get so frustrated with me he’ll quit. Yeah like that’ll happen. He enjoys watching me act like a total moron!

“Young lady aren’t you supposed to be in class?” Cat turned to face a teacher whose face looked familiar but she didn’t know his name. “Just came from the front office. Heading back to class now,” Cat replied striding down the hallway calling over her shoulder. “I wish I could run but I’ll only get in trouble for that,” she mumbled to herself.

Towel drying her hair and sitting on the bench in front of her gym locker, Cat thought about what transpired an hour ago. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as she recalled the way she had acted in front of Ryan.
Damn those baby blue eyes of his, damn them!

“Hey Cat, what’s up?” Hannah’s soft voice broke into her thoughts.

“Nothing much, just a little tired after all those laps.”

“Why were you late?” she asked, smiling at Cat as she began to pull her things out of her locker.

“I was getting a tutor for Math. Why does it have to be him?” she groaned.

“Him, who?” Hannah asked.

I didn’t say that out loud did I?
Cat thought to herself. “Oh, Ryan,” she said trying to sound nonchalant. “Well anyway, Mr. Crawley is purposely flunking me, so my only option was to get a tutor. So I was given one,” she rambled.

“Oh, I hate Mr. Crawley! He’s so mean!” she said fiercely slamming her locker closed. “I was having a lot of problems with him, always picking on me, because he knew I hated being called on. So when I told Isaac, he went to talk to him, and I haven’t had any trouble since.”

Cat looked at Hannah with surprise.
Wow, I’ve never seen Hannah mad before.

“Wait…Did you say Ryan is your tutor?” Hannah asked. Cat nodded. “Ryan Beckford?” She nodded again not making eye contact with her. “That’s awesome! Ryan’s really good at math, he’s very helpful. He’s such a great guy once you get to know him. He’s shy at first, but he grows on you,” she said noticing Cat rolling her eyes.

“Well I don’t doubt he’s a good guy Hannah. But the whole shy thing, I just don’t know. And he hangs out with your brother…no offense,” she said quickly turning to face her.

“None taken. I know my brother and his group can be a little…much, but Ryan’s different. He hangs out with them mainly because they’ve been friends since they were in diapers,” she said with a smile. “And he is shy. Have you ever seen all the girls falling all over him? He avoids them, but they don’t seem to get the hint. I think it’s funny.” She giggled.

Good, well maybe I can get him to avoid me,
Cat thought.

“So, I heard Isaac warned you again about speaking to me. I get lectured almost every day,” Hannah said with a sigh. “But, if he hasn’t convinced you otherwise, I’d like to continue being friends.”

“You are my friend Hannah, and your brother can just…go screw himself for all I care!” she declared, seeing the sadness in Hannah’s face. Grabbing their bags off the bench, Cat gave her a quick hug. “Let’s go to lunch, I’m starved.”

Lunchtime was a peaceful affair. Hannah followed Cat through the lunch line and then sat at the table with her and her group, blushing when Matt said hello to her. Looking around Cat noticed Isaac’s group was absent from their regular table. She kept an eye out during lunch just in case they showed up. She didn’t want to be blindsided.