The bell for lunch break finally rang and everyone was out the door in a flash. Kagome went with her friends to spend the five minuets she had to cram down her lunch before she had to take one of her many makeup tests. She got to hear some more news and got a visit from Hojo who was overjoyed to see that she was feeling better. He also took the opportunity to ask her to go to the movies that Saturday, to which her friend gave the usual answer. Kagome really did wish they would stop doing that, it always made it harder when they found out that she had canceled on the poor guy.
Kagome made her way to her math class for her test. She really wasn't ready for it but had no choice. She entered the quiet room to see her math teacher, Mr. Sato typing away at his keyboard. He didn't bother looking up when she entered. This had become such a regular occurrence they had an unspoken system. Kagome would come in at her lunch break on her first day back from her latest absence and that weeks test would be waiting for her on the center desk in the first row. She would take her tests and he was still free to surf the Internet or whatever it was he spent all his time on the computer doing. Lately he had even been nice enough to leave her some extra credit assignment to help her bring her grade up. She took her seat and stared blankly at the test in front of her, she was getting so far behind that she was barely able to pass the last test and this one looked even harder.
Kagome head began to hurt as she struggled through the math problems. She was guessing on half of them and a pit began to form in her stomach as she stumbled through. Feeling that she would be sick at any moment Kagome finally reached the end of her test, and made her way to the teacher's desk to turn it in. She placed the test on the teacher's desk and turned to leave without disturbing him.
Mr. Sato looked away from his computer screen to the test. Just at a glance he could see that half the answers on the first page were wrong. He didn't want to see Kagome fail, it was bad enough the poor girl had so many health problems.
"Ah, Kagome" He called after her.
Kagome froze for a moment. This can't be good..She thought to her self. She turned to meet the concerned look of Mr. Sato.
"Kagome, I know this last spell of yours was rather bad you were out for longer than usual. You have fallen way behind the rest of the class."
"Great" she thought, "Here it comes I'm failing I know it. He's going to fail me and I will have to do this whole year over again."
"Have you gotten a tutor?" The blank look on the girls face answered the question for him. "Well Kagome, I think you should find a reliable tutor. You have missed a lot and you will need some one to help explain things, I know the book can be unclear sometimes and you wont be able to catch up on your own. Take this test and use it as a study guide and I will have a new version for you to take at the end of the week."
"Thank you Mr. Sato" was all she could manage to squeak out. Kagome was so relived to find out she was getting another chance. She retrieved her test from Mr. Sato and gave him a warm smile before heading for the door.
"Remember to get a reliable tutor Kagome, I don't want to have to fail you" He said as she rushed out the door.
Kagome walked through the empty school hall back to the lunch room to find her friends. She didn't know who she could get to tutor her, her friends were doing well in math but she wasn't sure she wanted them to know how bad she was doing. She pondered the problem a little longer as she walked.
A movement to the side caught her attention. When she looked over she saw the new girl, Chase, sitting alone typing away at on a laptop. "This could be a good time to find out a little more about this girl". With that thought Kagome made her way over to were Chase was sitting.
"Hello, Chase right?" She asked taking a seat next to the girl.
Chase looked up from her laptop to see Kagome taking a seat. She was slightly startled she had not even noticed the girl walk up. Not to many people had spoken to her other than the teachers.
"Um. Yes, hi" Her voice was quiet and shy but her smile was big and warm.
"I'm Kagome, I am the rude staring girl form this morning." She returned Chase's bright smile with her own. "Sorry again about that, I was a little distracted. So how are you liking it here so far?"
"Actually you are really the only person I have talked to. I'm pretty shy around new people. The city is great thought, and the school seems really good." Chase was beginning to relax. Kagome made her feel comfortable and that was a first fo the day.
"It is good school, not that im here to enjoy it that much. Anyway what part of town are you and your family living? Maybe I can make some suggestions on restaurants and places to visit." Kagome's stomach grumbled at the thought of food, she was still hungry. "This girl seems nice, but there has to be a reason for that jewel shard"
"Well its just me, and for now I am staying at a little inn down the street from here until I find a place I like." Chase's expression changed for just an instant. She looked away from Kagome, and looked as if she would cry. She turned back to face Kagome and gave a small smile.
Kagome was not fooled, she knew that smile. It was the one she gave her friends every time they asked how she was when she was fighting with Inuyasha, the one she tried to convince them that everything was ok with. She didn't want to pry and this girl hardly knew her, but felt bad for Chase and wanted to help.
"Why is it just you? Did your family not come with you?" Kagome saw the sadness in the girls eyes and immediately felt bad for pushing the situation. "I'm sorry I didn't want to upset you, you don't have to answer."
"It's ok. I don't mind, I just haven't talked to anyone about it in a while so its just a little hard." Chase paused and took a deep breath. "My parents were in an accident about a year ago, and I don't have any living family that I know of. I was really depressed and needed a change so I convinced my guardian to let me move here on my own. My Fathers family originates from here and I thought it might be nice to come and learn more about that side of my family. That's the whole story well the short version anyway." Chase took another deep breath before looking over to Kagome. When she did she found Kagome on the verge of ears herself.
"That's just so sad. I'm so sorry I had no idea." She didn't know what else to say. When she had started the conversation she had never expected it to go like this. She sat there in awe.
"Don't worry." Chase had shaken the conversation off and had a big warm smile on once again. "Lets change subjects, how is your day going?" She was trying now to cheer Kagome up.
"How can I whine about a stupid math test after that story" She couldn't help thinking. "Oh it's been alright. So what classes do you have?" She asked in an attempt to change the subject yet again. She scanned the stack of books sitting on the floor next to Chase's bag.
"Oh just the usual I guess" Following Kagome's gaze down to her books.
"Your in the advanced math class?" She asked as she saw the book on the bottom of the pile.
"Yeah, why are you in it too?" Chase replied.
"Hah, are you kidding. I'm barely passing the regular math class, I miss so much school." Kagome said without realizing she had just blurted out she was practicaly failing.
"I remember the teacher this morning mentioning something about you being back. Why have you missed so much school?" Chase asked her.
"Well I get sick a lot but its no big deal." She said trying to play it off hoping that Chase would not continue to ask about it. Kagome was getting really sick of lying to everyone but the truth would just make her seem crazy. "Do you think you could tutor me? I have missed so much and I did so bad on this last makeup test that Mr. Sato didn't even grade it. He told me to gt a tutor and retake it at the end of the week." She pulled out the test as she talked and handed it to chase.
"Wow. This is bad." Chase laughed. "No, really you are fine on the problems until you get to this one point. Your just missing a step and its really not to hard." She gave Kagome a grin as she handed back the papers.
"So will you tutor me this week? You can come home with me after school and my mom will fix us some great snacks. Please!!" Kagome begged. She was desperate to get help on this, math had become her worst subject.
"Sure I can." Chase answered her. "Are you sure it will be alright for me to come home with you though, do you need to check with your mom first?"
"Oh she wont mind. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if she insists that you come stay with us when she hears your all alone." Kagome smiled.
The bell rang just then and Chase began to put her laptop away and gather her books. Kagome did the same and before they parted they arranged to meet at the front steps after school to walk home.