3

Everyone's a nerd inside. I don't care how cool you are.

                ~Channing Tatum.

"All these things are absurd and time consuming!" My mum exclaimed as she went through the list of activities later in the evening.

"I could join the music club." I suggested earning a glare and I shut up immediately.

"And what exactly will you do in music club Lyra, please do enlighten me." she taunted.

"Nothing." I sighed chewing on the inside of my cheek. It was a habit I had developed over the years, it sometime helped to calm my nerves whenever I was around my mother or grandparents.

"I thought so" she scoffed. "Cheerleading, you can barely cheer a baby up" she let out the same small laugh like she had been using for the last hour.  "All this is trash, its decided, you are going to a new school."

"I checked the Harvard form, there is a spot for me to fill in my extracurricular activity." I spoke quickly.

"We'll make up on."

"What happens when they ask me questions?"

"You'll be prepped in advance." She shrugged like it was nothing.

"And what if they change the questions?"

"What's your point." She glared tiredly.

"I could just pick on of these activities here." I shrugged

"Like what, basketball, you can't through anything with those weak arms let alone play soccer with those legs." she mocked "or maybe art when you can barely draw a line, stop trying to embarrass us, it is enough as it is."

"I was thinking tutoring, tutoring someone will basically mean me revising." I swallowed hard hoping she got my point.

"I'll think about it."

"But I've got till tonight to pick one."

"Transferring is an option too, now go study."

"Mum-" I looked at her in disbelief.

"I said go to your room and study now!" She snapped making me run off to my room.

Not feeling the mood to study, I locked my door and sulked at how miserable my life was. I've been to numerous schools and I was tired of transferring.

The next morning my mother told me not to bother getting ready because I would not be going to school. 

 I just stayed indoor studying and reading novels, I never had a social life either at home or school, my mother said it would distract me from 'our' main goal. The weekend came and it went by really slow.

"Lyra Robyn Colburn!" My mother's sharp voice reached my ears and pulled me out of my sleep. "Lyra!"

Groaning I got out of bed and went to see what she wanted.

"Why aren't you ready yet?" She narrowed her eyes dangerously at me after eyeing me the grey pyjamas I had on.

"oh" I gasped, I can't believe I had forgotten it was a Monday.

"Stop gasping, go and get ready, you've got 20 minutes." She ordered and I quickly run to my room. 

I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth and over curly hair which my mum had somehow forgotten to have  straightened, she ensured it every weekend. 

Unlike most people, all my clothes where arranged perfectly, I had a outfit set for every day of the week this month, so I just got it out and put it on along with a pair of my converse sneakers. Grabbing my backpack and rushed downstairs where mum was waiting.

"I'm ready." I announced. 

"Its about time." She rolled her eyes and advanced to the door. I grabbed a pack of carrot strips and dip with an apple and sparkling water from the kitchen before following her to the car.

The car ride was quiet as usual which I was thankful for, I didn't want to talk to my mother, I wasn't going to forgive her for making me transfer, again.

"Get out of the car." Mum stated snapping me back to reality.

"Huh?" I looked at her confused.

"It's too early to be daydreaming don't you think" she mocked "out of the car"

Confused, I looked through the tinted window only to see I was in my school's parking lot.

"Why the change of heart?" I asked confused but grateful.

"No school will admit you minus having one of those useless activities so you might as well do you tutoring here." she spoke her voice came out in a bored tone.

"Thank you!" I screamed wanting to hug her but she held her hand up stopping me.

"Don't, go before I decide to home school you." She scrunched her nose in disgust.

"OK, bye, have an amazing day!" I squealed getting out of the car.

Filled with so much excitement, I walked straight to the principals office and luckily Mr Robertson was there too.

"Ah Ms Rosefield." They both spoke at the same time.

"Good morning." I beamed "I pick tutoring for my Extra Curricular Activity." I told them before they replied to my greeting.

"Of course you did." Mr Desmond sighed. 

"You begin after school, come to my office after your last lesson and I'll show you to the student you'll be tutoring."

"Alright." I nodded and turned to leave.

After my last class, I went to Mr Robertson's office.

"You know I was worried you were going to transfer." He told me as we walked down the crowded hallway.

"Why would that be?" I looked at him shocked by his confession.

"I didn't want to lose my top student." He praised making me flash a small smile at him. "And I'm glad you picked tutoring, some of these hard heads can use a piece of your brains." He joked making me laugh.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we  walked to the sport field.

"To meet the hard head you'll be dealing with." he chuckled. "Michelson get your sweaty ass here!" He yelled when we were close enough to the football field where the school team was practicing.

"Why are is he coming here?" I asked as one of the guys jogged to where we were.

"What's up Mr R." the sweaty guy disrespectfully tapped Mr Robertson's back.

"This is your tutor." Mr Robertson pointed at me.

"Excuse me, what!" I exclaimed.

"You heard me, Gavin this is Lyra your tutor, Lyra this is Gavin your student, you get to teach him calculus." Mr Robertson ignored my comment.

"Her, teach me calculus." Gavin scoffed arrogantly

"Yes her and you better pay attention, if you fail my class a second time you'll be benched before the season even begins." He warned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to attend to, have fun and Gavin be nice." He warned before leaving.

"Mr Robertson." I run after him

"Yes-"

"Jocks are the worst." I whined.

"And his all yours." He patted my back.

"I don't want him."

"You picked tutoring not me, so deal with it plus don't judge a book by its cover, maybe your experience together will be great besides you don't have an option." he smiled and left.

"Hey nerd, sit by the benches, I'm still practicing." Gavin told me. "We'll start this tutorial thing when I'm done."

"I have a name." I mumbled under my breath.

"I said sit by the benches!" he yelled clearing not having heard what I had said. Not repeating himself he run back to his teammates.

Huffing, I walked to the benches and got my personal journal out , made myself as comfortable as I could and started writing.

"We'll study from here!" Gavin yelled when he came back all fresh and showered.

"H-here." I stuttered looking up from my journal. I was so engrossed in what I was writing I didn't notice him walk towards me.

"Yes here or is your brain too sensitive to hot temperatures." He teased making his teammates who were a few feet away laugh.

"Nice one." one of them laughed stumbling towards us.

"Take it easy on her, her brain cells are too complex cap." Toby a guy from my AP biology class mocked making the team laugh even more.

"You better get going before I make you give me 50 push-ups." the coach also my Algebra teacher yelled at them.

"Yes sir." They walked off still laughing.

"Where are you lagging in calculus?" I asked as I took out my book.

"Everywhere." He shrugged.

"Please be serious." I pleaded.

"I am." He shrugged and my mouth fell agape.

"OK then, we'll start with the basics of calculus." I told him. "Do you have your note and text books?"

"Hey." I snapped when he didn't respond.

"I need those." He crocked his eyebrows at me finally looking up from his phone.

"Yes." I breathed out. Cussing myself internally for being stuck in such a position. 

This was going to be the longest school year of my life.