#9 – Apathy

Marco

It was a nightmare scenario if I've ever seen one.

I was sitting in the desk at the front and center of the classroom, the one reserved for teacher's pets and suckups. I was the only one in the room aside from Mrs. Grayson.

She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt – she's one of those teachers who likes to think she's "down" with the students. She thinks she's got her finger on the pulse of the school. She's just as clueless as the rest of them, only she doesn't think she is. She sat on the top of her desk, legs swinging in front of her. She had a hurt expression on her face.

"So I guess you know why I asked you to stay after class," she said, sort of shaking her head sadly. I decided to play dumb and shook my head like I didn't have any idea.

Unfortunately, she'd brought her ammunition. She dropped my last five test papers onto the desk, one after the other. F, D-, C, D+, F. "You're smarter than this. Don't you think so?"

Trap question. If I said yes, then it looked like I wasn't trying. If I said no, I'd be sent to the counselor for having self-esteem issues. I sighed and chose the lesser of two evils. "Yes, I know I am," I said in a resigned voice.

"Then what's the deal?" she asked, and she sounded so genuinely concerned that it didn't even sound cheesy. "I don't know where this apathy is coming from. I keep laying off of you, hoping you'll pull it together on your own…but it seems like this is what I can expect out of you now."

I considered playing the "I'm having a hard time because my mom is dead" card, but that was something else that could land me across from the school therapist. "I've been really busy," I said truthfully. "Too busy to study like I should. Can you assign me some work for extra credit? I'll work harder on the tests, I promise."

She hopped off of her desk, picked up the test papers, and went and sat in her chair. She looked at me for a long minute before saying, "Yes, I can assign you extra credit. And I will…if you promise you'll actually do it. I want five pages on the causes of the Great Depression, and I want it to be insightful and original. I do not want a repeat of the stunt you pulled in Mr. James' class." Ah, so she'd heard about the Cheap-Term-Papers-Dot-Com Spectacular.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, trying to sound humbled. It just came out as exasperated, and she caught it.

"You'll want to keep in mind that this is me doing you a favor. I could tell you tough luck, let you try – try – to pull your grade out of the gutter on your own."

"No, no. I really do appreciate it," and I was actually able to manage to sound a little grateful. She relaxed a little.

"I want it by Friday," she said. Two days? Gee, thanks. I nodded and got up to leave, and she said, "Marco? Make this the last talk I have to have with you about this. No more barely passing test grades. Get this extra credit in, and make it good. Because the next time we have to sit down like this, Mr. Chapman and your father are going to be involved."

As far as threats go, it was a good one. I'd get the paper written – somehow. I turned around and gave her a smile before I left the room, trying not to grit my teeth as I did it. "I sure don't want that. Thank you."

A/N – Thank you to everyone who's taking the time to review, notably: MasterShaper, iris129, and jesusisabiscuit. Especially you, Sweetbriar and all the principles of heroism; your reviews are always detailed enough to help me with the next one. It's helpful to hear what you liked (and didn't) about the pieces so I know what to include (and exclude) in the next one. So, thanks again!