The football player and his teacher

Chapter five - We need your help

Ashley's POV:

Sometimes I try to be nice to people. Then everyone takes it the wrong way. It's better if I don't talk with anyone. What mister Fitz said wasn't good. I know it wasn't for me, but I feel bad. Teachers are supposed to support us. I mean, they are the ones who have to tell us to follow our dreams, not to crush them. Everyone has a goal and wants to achieve it. Take Avery, for example. He wants to be a professional player. I want to go to New York. Just because we are not good at something doesn't mean we are a failure. That's why teachers need to be more supportive. If you are like Avery, they won't be on your side. The boy doesn't want to study at all. I don't know why. Maybe he has a bad memory from this, or something has happened. It's not like I care. I still haven't found a way to fix my PE grades. In the beginning, I wanted to ask the player for help. Now I don't want to do it. I know all the time he will make fun of me. Also, I have never seen him helping people. The chances of him accepting this are zero. I can ask the other boys from the team, but I bet they won't help me. I will deal with this by myself. Somehow I will find a way to pass this subject. It's not impossible. After all, many students pass it. That won't be easy, but I have to try. I want to have a perfect diploma. Maybe my parents are right. I am stressing too much about it. I study all the time, but it's not helping me much. Probably it's better if I take a rest. One day without books won't be that bad. The thing is that I don't know what I will do. I don't go out with anyone. Whatever it is, it will be good. I hope that I will find a solution to my problem. I don't want to fail the class.

Some people go to school to study, and others waste their time. I got tired of teachers calling out Avery. It's getting annoying. At least for me. Everyone knows he is failing. They don't need to remind us every class. Also, he doesn't care. I have no idea why they keep trying. They want to educate us, but some people don't accept that. Teachers are wasting their time with this boy. I gladly will help him, but no. There is no way that I will help the joker. He is always making jokes, so I will call him that. I am the single lady, and he is the joker.

Currently, I am in the hall waiting for my next class. I have ten minutes. Also, Nicole told me to wait for her. I had no idea what she wanted, but I got curious. After all, I am a girl. I need to know what is going on. She is one of the few people with who I talk. Let's say that the others don't suit me much. Soon, she came running.

- Hey, what's up?

- Big news.

- What?

- Avery might not graduate.

- That's the big news?

- Also, you might need to repeat PE class.

- WHAT?

- I'm kidding.

- Don't give me heart attacks.

- Take it as a wake-up call.

- I will wake you up.

- Please, don't.

- Why do you care so much if he will graduate or not?

- Because this means he will get suspended from the team. Do you know how mad Avery will get?

- Nicole, that is his problem. I have nothing to do with the fact that he doesn't study.

- True. By the way, did you find a way to get higher grades in PE?

- No. I don't know what to do.

- You can always ask for help.

- I won't ask him anything.

- I didn't say who.

- But I know who you mean. I prefer to fail than let this joker help me.

- Joker?

- That's what I will call him. He always makes jokes.

- The single lady and the joker. Not bad.

- Nicole, stop it!

- Face the reality. Your paths will cross.

- I won't let this happen.

- We'll see, shall we?

- Why do I keep talking with you?

- Because we are friends.

- Sad but true. Let's go to class now.

Both with Nicole went to our next class. Maybe I shouldn't respond to mister Fitz that way. Now he is looking at me every time. Well, I can apologize. It's not like this will make things better. All I did was give my opinion. That is not a crime. Some teachers don't know what they want. We are here to learn things and stand for ourselves. Not to do what others tell us. Some people can't understand that. Maybe that is why Avery doesn't want to study. No one can understand how important the team is to him. Avery made a mess, and he will deal with it by himself. I don't mess with jokers.

During the lunch break, I went to leave my books. I was about to go for food when the principal's secretary stopped in front of me. It's rare for her to talk with students.

- Hello, can I help you?

- Yes, the principal wants to talk with you.

- Why? I didn't do anything.

- Don't worry. You are not in trouble. He only wants to talk.

- Ok, no problem. I'm coming.

I won't lie that I got nervous. I have been to the principal's office only a couple of times. Mostly to tell me how great I am doing in school. The good news is that I'm not in trouble. Then, for what will I be there? It's better if I don't think about it. Soon, I walked in. The principal was there with my PE teacher. Also, there were a man and a woman.

- Hello. You wanted to talk with me.

- Yes, I did. - principal Adams said

- How can I help you?

- I'm glad that you know why you are here.

- Your secretary told me that I wasn't in trouble.

- No, you are not. I need a favor from you.

- What is it?

- These are miss and mister Robinson. Avery's parents.

- Hello. - I said to Avery's parents

- You know that their son doesn't have good grades.

- It's a public secret.

- Yes, it is. About the favor. Can you be Avery's teacher and help him get better grades?

- What?

- You are one of the best students.

- I'm sorry, but no. There is no way that I will teach him.

- Why? - miss Robinson asked

- No offense, but your son is a devil. He always makes fun of people and doesn't take responsibility for anything. I don't want to be around a person who all the time makes jokes and wastes his time.

- Ashley, please think about it. - the principal said

- If he changes his behavior, I will change my decision.

- I will give you higher grades. - my PE teacher said

- What?

- It's a public secret that you are failing my subject. If you help my boy, I will let you pass.

- Isn't this cheating?

- Don't you want a perfect diploma?

- I do, but not that way. I understand the situation, but Avery doesn't want to study. What are the chances of him listening to me?

- Ashley, you can make people do whatever you want. - principal Adams said

- No, I can't.

- Yes, you do. The way you talk makes them listen to you.

- I don't know. Avery doesn't want to hear anything about books.

- Don't worry. We have a plan.

- Should I be scared?

- No. Listen. You know that Avery attends detention often.

- Yes, I do.

- You will go there and talk with him.

- What? I am not going to detention.

- Ashley, listen to me. I'll ask one of the teachers to write you a fake slip. I mean, the reason for your detention won't be real. You don't have to do anything against the rules. You will use the slip to go to the detention room and do your magic.

- Please, help my son. I want him to graduate. - miss Robinson said

- So it's true. Avery is at risk of not graduating.

- Not only that. The boy won't be on my team, and I need him. The season started, and I can't make changes. - my PE teacher said

- Ok, let's do it like that. For one week, I will try to talk with Avery and see if he wants to study. If there are no results, I will quit. I don't have much time to waste.

- Is this ok for you? - the principal asked Avery's parents

- Sure. Every help is good. - mister Robinson said

- When will I have my fake detention slip?

- Tomorrow. I will ask miss Benson to write you one.

- Thanks.

- I hope this will work. I don't know why my son doesn't want to study. - miss Robinson said

- Weird question, but can I have your address? In case I have to talk with your son at home.

- Yes, sure.

- Here, write it on my phone.

- Done. Thank you for the help.

- Don't thank me because I don't know what the result will be.

- I don't care. Even a minimum effort from Avery is enough. All he does is play with his ball in the backyard.

- Your son is the best player on my team. He trains like crazy.

- Excuse me, sir, but football doesn't pay bills.

- I'm sorry, but that's not true. There are many successful players. Not every career needs a book. - I said

- Look, I want him to have a stable job and not worry about money.

- Ok, I won't argue with you.

- Thank you, Ashley. You can go now. I don't want you to get late for class. - the principal said

- No problem. Call me if you need anything.

With that, I walked to my next class. I won't lie that this will be tough. It won't be easy to make Avery start studying. First, I have to find the problem. I don't want it to sound like that, but miss and mister Robinson remind me of mister Fitz. All of them think negatively about football. As I see, this is Avery's passion. There is nothing wrong with that. As his parents, they need to support him, not cut off his wings. Maybe this is why he doesn't study. It's like a protest against his parents.

After school, I walked home. I wrote my homework and did all my work for tomorrow. Until dinnertime, I watched movies. Usually, I study more, but I decided to listen to my parents. I will take a rest. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. Well, this won't be a habit. I have to study. I want to get accepted into at least one university in New York. When dinner was ready, I went into the kitchen. Dad was already at the table. Someone is hungry.

- Hey, honey. How was your day?

- Interesting.

- Did something happen? - dad asked

- I have to be a teacher for some time.

- Who is your student?

- A boy who doesn't want to study.

- Tough mission. - dad said, chuckling

- It's not funny. The boy wants to be a professional football player. The thing is that he is failing almost every subject. PE is his best one. His parents went to talk with the principal. I met them during my lunch break. I have to attend detention and talk with him.

- Wait, you are going to detention? - mom asked

- It won't be a real one. One of the teachers will write a fake detention slip. The reason won't be real. We have to make it believable. Let's say that the boy doesn't want to hear anything about books and lessons.

- I understand.

- I'm not sure I can do something, but I have no choice. Four people were hoping that I would say yes.

- You will do it.

- It's not easy. Also, we hate each other. That will be fun.

- Why does he hate you? - dad asked

- He is making fun of me because I am single. My nickname is the single lady. - I said, and dad laughed

- The boy is not wrong.

- Dad! I call him the joker.

- Why?

- Because he always makes jokes. It's not funny. He is doing this with everyone. I will try to understand why he doesn't want to study. There must be a reason. Once he said that I didn't have to do it. No one will say thank you for your effort.

- That is a reason. - mom said

- What do you mean?

- Maybe he doesn't want to study because no one appreciates the effort he is putting into this.

- I never thought of that.

- Talking with someone is never a bad thing.

- I'll see what I can do. After all, I don't have superpowers.

- You have the power to make people do whatever you want.

- Why do people keep saying that? It's not true. I can't make people do whatever I want.

- Honey, when you were little, the only word you needed was daddy. He was melting around you. Ashley, you were one little manipulator. - mom said, chuckling

- It's not funny. I don't want to manipulate anyone.

- Ashley, talk with this boy and make him understand that studying is good for him.

- It's easier said than done. The boy is not from the people who listen to everyone.

- I know you can do it.

- Well, I can try.

The rest of the night, I talked with my parents. I'm not happy about my detention, but I have no choice. I need to face Avery. He is not that bad, but I don't think he will want to listen to me. Let's say that he accepts other people's opinions hard. Well, I won't give up. I have a week to make things work out. If talking doesn't help me, I can use my PE class. Maybe I should ask him for help. I know he can help me, but I think he won't do it. Well, I can't force him, so it's his decision. That will be hard. I have never done anything like that. I hope that Avery will talk with me.