Carter and I continued to work on his essay around his hockey schedule. We worked on it on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday after he got back from his road trip. I know a lot about hockey because my brother was just drafted in the WHL and will probably be playing in it next year, against Carter. He doesn’t live at home with my mom and I, Alex is billeting in Alberta, Canada to play Junior hockey at a higher level than here in Everett. My dad who lives in Vancouver, is now working for the Canucks organization as a scout and I grew up playing hockey, I was a defenceman before stopping last year to play volleyball. I really wanted to get a volleyball scholarship to somewhere in Canada so I can get away from Everett (and my mom.) I do love my mom but with her having custody over me, she made me move countries when I just really love Canada. My mom is the only one in my family that loves the USA. I am a dual citizen, but I was born in Canada and that is special to me.

I learned from tutoring Carter that he is really smart, that it is just hard with his schedule to get his homework done. His essay turned out really good and I hoped that he did a good mark on it.

One day after english, Carter had asked me if I could help him once a week to make sure he is caught up in the class. I agreed knowing that sometimes he is only at school 2 days a week. Today-Carter wasn’t here but recovering from a long road trip to Saskatchewan and back- my teacher asked to see me after class.

“Hello Ali.”

“Hi Mrs Foley, whats up?”

“Are you helping Carter in class?”

“Am I in trouble?” I ask slowly.

“NO, not at all.” She smiles. “I was just reading his last essay and he seems quite similar to something you would give me. The writing is similar.”

“Oh. Uhhh He asked me to help him with that essay. He said he was behind in the class and probably wasn’t going to pass so I helped him understand the book and helped him find points for his essay and proof read it.” I tell her. “I can promise you I never wrote the essay for him.”

“Well thats very kind of you Ali. But the hockey players are given tutors for this reason. I don’t think a fellow student in my class should be helping, the team hires tutors for the boys.” She is one of the more strict teachers in the school.

“Well I wasn’t aware.” I tell her.

“I figured. Ali, you’re a very smart girl. You have the highest grade in the class and you’re a year younger than everybody else.”

“Is that a problem? He asked for help, so I helped him.”

“Well are you still giving him help?”

“No.” I lie.

“If he asks again, please let me know and say no.”

“Okay.”

“Ali I know how much you want a volleyball scholarship but I can tell school is also a big priority for you.”

“Yeah school and volleyball are very important but I had time to help Carter, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“I just wanted to make sure you knew your priorities.”

“Okay, I do.”

“Thanks Ali. Have a good lunch.”

“You too.” I smile fakely and walk out of the classroom. I turn the corner to head to my locker when I see Carter standing there. “What?” I squeak.

“I slept in.” He smiles. “Sorry I missed english.”

“its okay. What are you doing here?”

“Well I was coming to see Mrs. Foley when I see that she is busy.”

“Oh, did you hear what we were talking about?” I ask worried.

“No I figured, it wasn’t my business. Anyways, are we still on for studying tonight?” He asks.

“Uhh sure. I have to go, I will see you later.” I mutter walking away quickly. I turn another corner to my locker and peek around to see Carter walk into our english class, well shit.

Carter’s pov
Well that was weird, Ali just running away from me. Whatever, I walk into my english class to find Mrs. Foley. “Hey Mrs. Foley sorry I couldn’t make it to class today, I slept in. We got back very late last night.”

“Thats alright Carter. I was actually just taking to Ali about you.”

“You were?” I asked confused. “Why?”

“I asked her if she was tutoring you.”

“And?”

“Carter doesn’t your team set you guys up with tutors.”

“Um yeah, kinda.”

“Why don’t you use that tool that is given to you instead of taking all of Ali’s time up.”

“I wasn’t aware that I was taking all of her time up.”

“Carter, I get it. She’s the smartest in the class so you go to her for help. But she is also very committed to getting a volleyball scholarship, she trains almost everyday. She has late night practices with her team. Did you know that?”

“No.” I shake my head. How didn’t I know?

“Well she told me that she doesn’t tutor you anymore. She said just for that essay, is that correct?”

“Uh yeah.” I probably don’t sound convincing.

“Okay, then thats all for me.”

“Okay, have a good day.” Walking out of the class without getting the information that I was going for. I open my phone to see a text from Ali saying sorry, can’t tutor u tonite. my mom needs me. I sigh knowing that Mrs. Foley must have said something to Ali and now she doesn’t want to help me. I need Ali, the people Everett hires for tutors don’t understand my english homework like someone from my class would.

I walk to my locker to grab my wallet to go get something to eat, I didn’t have a class after lunch, just one last period. I text one of my best friends, Connor to come and get sushi with me, he agrees.

___

For the next couple weeks, Ali and I just pass by each other without a word. I never texted her to reschedule tutoring and I had kind of given up on it. But now it was getting close to playoffs and the team was making a push to better our current playoff position. So I was focused on hockey and let led to my english mark lowering significantly. I had been going to see the tutor provided from my hockey team but she was some bimbo from the near by college only tutoring the team to get into our pants. I missed Ali, I missed her quietness beside me as we were both working on english. She was a big help to me and my new tutor has given me no help what so ever.

Ali wasn’t in english class today which really sucks because I wanted to ask her for help again. We got back an english test today which I barely passed and Mrs. Foley wrote on it to see me after class.

The bell rings signalling the end of class and I pack up and walk to Mrs. Foley’s desk. “Hi Mrs. Foley you asked to see me.” I tell her.

“Yes I wanted to talk about your test.”

“Yeah, not so good.”

“Yeah.” She pauses. “Do you have a tutor?”

“Yeah the team hired one for me.”

“Is she helpful?”

“No.” I answer.

“How come?”

“She is very general, probably because she has never read the books for the class. She just edits my work, but I need help with understanding the books.”

“So if I got somebody from class to help you would it be okay?”

“You told me not to have Ali tutor me.”

“Yeah well maybe we can get someone else.”

“No, Mrs. Foley I had Ali as a tutor and she helped me a lot. And you told her not to tutor me and now I’m failing. Now you’re telling me you will get me a tutor from class, when I already had one.”

“Mr. Hart, Ali does not need to be bothered to help you out, she owes you nothing all she did was sit beside you on the first day. I will get you a tutor but it won’t be Ali.”

“I don’t need your help Mrs. Foley.” I walk out of the classroom and pull out my phone to text Ali. hey its carter, i need ur help in english, i’m failing.

okay, i’m not at school today but you can come by after school?

I will get Ri to drop me off.

___

“Thanks Ri. Bye Tay.” I tell them and walk up to Ali’s house knocking on the door. I can hear Ali jog to the door as she opens the door with a smile. She looks behind me to see that Riley and Tayler haven’t left yet.

Tay opens her door yelling “HIII ALI.”

“Hi Tay.” She smiles sweetly and waves. “Hey Riley.” She says who is giving Tayler trouble for opening the door. Ali chuckles at the pair.

“Hey Ali.” I say awkwardly as my two family members leave the house.

“Hey Carter, come inside.” She steps out of the way to let me inside her home. Ali is wearing our school’s volleyball sweater and some sweat pants with her hair braided back. “I cleared off my kitchen table for us to study.”

“Okay.” She leads me into her kitchen where I set my backpack down and take a seat across from where her laptop is set up.

“Do you want something to drink? I made some soup today if you want some.” Ali offers which I smile and nod.

“Water is fine. Thank you.”

“Okay” she smiles and goes into the kitchen. “What do we need to work on?” She calls from the kitchen.

“I have no idea what is going on in the class right now.” I tell her.

She walks back in with a small smile. “I’m sorry that I stopped helping you.”

"Its okay, not your fault."

“It is a little.” She admits.

“Mrs. Foley is the one that told you all that shit about tutors that the teams hire.”

“Yeah.” She sits down opening her laptop. “But I did stop tutoring you, we could have lied.”

“Its okay Ali, really. I just need more help this time.”

“Okay.” She smiles gently. “Lets get to work.”

Notes

I was thinking about doing imagines?? what do you guys think?? comment!
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