Chapter 2 Why Don't You?

"So," Iggy said as he stood at the front of the room with a pointer in hand. "That is a basic summary of the commutative property of multiplication. Obviously, it works for addition as well, as the order in which you use the numbers does not matter with both of those operations. However, it does not work for subtraction or division. Trying to apply the commutative property to either of those operations will result in the core of the equation being changed." He caused the pointer to retract and turned toward Celia. "Is that comprehensible to you?"

Celia nodded without looking up from the paper she had been jotting notes down on. "Makes perfect sense to me." She jotted one last period and looked up at Iggy. "This is...what, fifth grade stuff?"

"Typically, this subject matter is taught in primary schools, yes."

"Ah. Okay." She looked down at her handwriting. To an outsider, it might look like a bunch of messy scribbles. However, Celia could read and follow it, and that was all that mattered.

Iggy grinned and approached her as she sat at her desk. "I admit, I am proud of you."

Celia snickered. "Proud of me?"

"Indubitably. You have already gotten through a lot of course work without much trouble."

Celia sighed, her shoulders slumped. "Yeah, but it's elementary school stuff we've been covering. When I get to the high school stuff….I mean, there are letters in math equations! That makes zero sense to me." She ran her hands through her hair. "I'm doomed when we get there."

Iggy laughed. "Doomed is a hyperbolic statement, as this is not a life and death scenario." He leaned in closer. "However, I can see the source of your unease, and I sympathize with you. Coursework can be stressful to deal with, especially at the high school level." He smiled. "But I know you can do it."

Celia raised an eyebrow. "Know, huh? That's a very generous choice of words."

"It isn't generous at all; it's accurate." Iggy stood up. "You are more than capable of doing this successfully. You've just gotta believe in yourself."

Celia's heart sank. Believe in herself, huh? She didn't do stuff like that. After all, no one ever believed in her growing up, and those who did believe in her were the same people who she gave mental scars to. How could she believe in herself after stuff like that?

Regardless, she still cleared her throat and smiled. "You're right. I just...I won't know what I am capable of until I try."

"Precisely. And applying hard work and discipline is also an exceptional thing to do. If you develop a work ethic at this time in your life, it will benefit you down the road. To be more specific, it will aid you when you are trying to work toward the career path of your choice."

Celia directed her head down toward the desk as she chewed on that statement. Career path...this reminded her of the questions Roy and Larry had asked her at the restaurant yesterday.

"A career path sounds...good."

"It is, it definitely is. I was...I was fortunate when it came to mine. I discovered my knack for science and technology when I was a child, and I was able to turn my passion into a career of sorts." A wistful look appeared in Iggy's eyes. "That's why it breaks my heart, on some level, when I see people waste their lives away. They do not dream big; they just become satisfied with being...being…"

"Waitresses?" Celia asked, her eyes at Iggy's feet.

Iggy chuckled. "I suppose. Yes, they delude themselves into thinking that they will never amount to anything, and as a consequence, they really do never amount to anything. It's a shame; a very sad shame when someone wastes their potential because they do not believe in themselves."

Celia's face burned like the surface of the sun. These words stung. They scratched at her heart and lodged themselves there like horrible, spiky splinters.

"That...that is sad."

Iggy nodded. "Mmhm." He then smiled. "But I know that will not happen with you, as you have a dream of being a...a…" Iggy thought about this, snapping his fingers to make the thoughts flow more naturally. When they didn't, he went slack jawed. "Huh. I appear to be drawing a blank here; what is your dream, Celia?"

Celia sucked in a very painful breath. "Uh...um…" she scrunched up her eyebrows, choosing to go on the defensive. "It doesn't matter."

Iggy raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't matter? What do you mean? Of course it matters!"

"No, it doesn't; it really doesn't."

Iggy leaned over the desk again. "It is the life ambition of my student. I cannot fully help my student realize their potential unless I know. What is your dream, Celia?"

Celia bit her lip, her cheeks burning up. "I...I don't have one."

"What was that?"

"I DON'T HAVE ONE, OKAY!" Celia yelled. She stared into Iggy's gawking face. His eyes, filled with disappointment, only made the wound that had just been opened hurt all the more. She sighed and grabbed hold of her pencil. "There. I said it. I don't have one."

Iggy's irises looked like they were wavering. He gawked at Celia, no sound coming from his mouth for a good three minutes. This caused Celia to blush even harder, if that was even possible.

"Can we just get on with the lesson?" she asked.

Iggy didn't comply. He just stared at his pupil with...was that disappointment? Oh great.

"You do not have a dream?" he finally asked.

"No," Celia exhaled.

"You do not aspire to be or do anything?"

"I don't; no."

Iggy shook his head. "That is impossible. Everyone at your age has a goal."

Celia shook her head. "Not me."

"You do not have a place where you want to be in the next ten years?"

Celia snickered. "In my bed, sleeping." She laughed, but Iggy didn't seem to appreciate the joke. "I don't care where I end up. I'll just go where the wind takes me."

Iggy scrunched up his brow. "How can you say that?" He rested his palms straight down on the desk. "The wind does not blow forever. Someday, it will stop blowing you along, leaving you wondering where the World Eight you're supposed to go. Do you want that?"

"Sure!" Celia said without a hint of irony. "I mean, it's better than the alternative."

Iggy narrowed his eyes. "What's the alternative?"

"Having a great, big life plan; mapping everything out down to what you're going to have for breakfast in thirty years...only for it all to be dashed by life and its ugly, snarled face."

Iggy crossed his arms. "Who hurt you, Celia?"

Celia blinked. "Pardon?"

"Who hurt you? Who dashed your dream?"

Celia scoffed, shaking her head as she did so. "Do you not know me at all? I was bullied day in and day out in my time in elementary school, so the kids hurt me. I had my dad abandon me before I was born, so there was him. Oh, and I also lived in a sewer for six years. I couldn't even come out; I was so ashamed. My life was hell." She looked right up at him. "So, to answer your question, everyone and everything hurt me."

Iggy stared her down. "And now, you're hurting yourself."

Celia sharply exhaled and crossed her arms. "Oh really?"

"Yes." Iggy leaned closer. "Think about it. You have absorbed all the words that these bullies have said to you. You have allowed yourself to think that you are worthless for years, so much so that it's become part of your personal idiom." He placed his hands down on the desk. "You were so focused on survival in the sewer. Well, you aren't in the sewer anymore. You thought you were worthless because no one told you otherwise. Well, now you have me telling you otherwise. You have your Mom, your Dad, Roy...everyone in your life currently believes in you." He adjusted his glasses. "Why don't you?"

Silence. Celia tried to think of a rebuttal, but she couldn't. It seemed like everything she had ever said, everything she had ever thought was now being exposed for everyone to see. She was at a loss for words.

"Answer me, Celia. Why don't you?"

Celia let out a breath. Perhaps answering would be better than having to deal with this uncomfortable silence. "I don't know."

"That's what I thought." Iggy turned around and walked back to the front of the classroom. He erased the writing on his whiteboard. "No homework tonight."

"Okay." Celia was relieved that this discussion was over. She sighed and smiled as she put her things in her bag and strapped it over her shoulder. "When's the next class?"

Iggy didn't respond. He just stared at the board, gripping his eraser. The silence returned, which caused Celia's skin to crawl.

"Iggy?"

Iggy put the eraser down and turned around so he could face her. "That depends on you."

Celia blinked. "What?"

"These classes are a waste of time if you do not have anything you want to do with them. They are a waste of time for me and for you. Especially you, as you are paying money for me to teach you. So, as your teacher, I am laying down the law." He looked at her, but not with anger. With sadness. "Unless you can pull your act together and figure out at least some semblance of a plan, I will not continue these classes."

Celia's heart skipped a beat. "That's…" she laughed. "That's a pretty tall order, Iggster."

"Well, I am willing to wait. I am a very patient Koopa. I will wait for as long as I need to. I just want you to figure out which direction your life is heading."

Celia looked down at the floor, staring at it for a few seconds before she let out a sigh. "Whatever." With that, she made her way out of the classroom.