Rory looked blankly at her textbook, her mind wandering to more pressing
things. She didn't even notice the teacher calling her. Without warning, a
ruler descended sharply onto her desk, dangerously close to her hand. Rory
squeaked and stared into the stern face of the instructor.
"Is there another Rory Gilmore in this class I'm not aware of? You certainly seem to believe so, seeing as how you aren't answering."
"Sorry," Rory whispered meekly.
The teacher moved on in the lesson plan, and Rory sighed as she slumped lower into her seat. As the bell was about to ring to signal the end of the day, she passed out the results to the test.
"I'm pleased to see that many of you are prepared for college next year, but there are a select few, who aren't exactly up to paw." She glanced pointedly at Louise as she slid a stack of papers also known as a test onto her desk.
The bell jangled raucously, ending the day abruptly. Groaning, Louise glared at her test. Madeline pulled up beside her.
"Couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Madeline chirped optimistically.
Louise flipped the stack over to reveal a large 'F' written in gaudy red marker.
"Ouch."
"Ouch doesn't begin to describe the way I'll be feeling when my parents find out," Louise grumbled.
Rory stopped cramming the textbooks into her bag, unintentionally overhearing their conversation. The wheels in her mind were working furiously.
"I think we can help each other," Rory was surprised to hear herself speak.
Turning around, Louise looked incredulously at her. Madeline smiled.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Ms. Caleburg is going to hold a retake, and I could help you study for it." Louise looked expectantly at her for more. "And in return, you could do a little something for me."
Beckoning for the duo to come closer to her, Rory bent to whisper in their ears. At first Louise was dubious, but began to brighten considerably as she continued to speak. Nodding her head in agreement, she smiled. Rory extended her hand, and Louise responded in kind. They sealed the deal, both satisfied with their benefits.
"Is there another Rory Gilmore in this class I'm not aware of? You certainly seem to believe so, seeing as how you aren't answering."
"Sorry," Rory whispered meekly.
The teacher moved on in the lesson plan, and Rory sighed as she slumped lower into her seat. As the bell was about to ring to signal the end of the day, she passed out the results to the test.
"I'm pleased to see that many of you are prepared for college next year, but there are a select few, who aren't exactly up to paw." She glanced pointedly at Louise as she slid a stack of papers also known as a test onto her desk.
The bell jangled raucously, ending the day abruptly. Groaning, Louise glared at her test. Madeline pulled up beside her.
"Couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Madeline chirped optimistically.
Louise flipped the stack over to reveal a large 'F' written in gaudy red marker.
"Ouch."
"Ouch doesn't begin to describe the way I'll be feeling when my parents find out," Louise grumbled.
Rory stopped cramming the textbooks into her bag, unintentionally overhearing their conversation. The wheels in her mind were working furiously.
"I think we can help each other," Rory was surprised to hear herself speak.
Turning around, Louise looked incredulously at her. Madeline smiled.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Ms. Caleburg is going to hold a retake, and I could help you study for it." Louise looked expectantly at her for more. "And in return, you could do a little something for me."
Beckoning for the duo to come closer to her, Rory bent to whisper in their ears. At first Louise was dubious, but began to brighten considerably as she continued to speak. Nodding her head in agreement, she smiled. Rory extended her hand, and Louise responded in kind. They sealed the deal, both satisfied with their benefits.