"Then it won't matter if I talk to Coach Baker or not, will it?" Mrs Andrews said. "I'm sorry, dear, but my mind is made up. Maybe this is the motivation you need to buckle up. You may leave now, Tim"
Tim stood there for a few seconds and when he saw that she wasn't going to listen to anything else he was going to say, he walked slowly out of the room.
--------------------------
Chloe Gilbert knew what she was doing was wrong. She knew she wasn't supposed to stay and listen to Tim's conversation with Mrs Andrews. She knew she was supposed to go on to class. She knew this was a private conversation and she shouldn't be eavesdropping.
But her legs seemed rooted to the spot she had taken beside the door, and she didn't even know why she was so interested. She felt so sorry for Tim Packard. He sounded so hurt when Mrs Andrews told him he might not get to play football. She didn't know much about him, but she knew he loved being on his team. She had watched him play a few times, and he was really good at it.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't know when Tim came out of the room, and then they were both staring at each other. He seemed to look even more dejected when he realized that she had heard everything.
"You were listening," he said simply.
It was a statement not a question. Chloe nodded, knowing it would be useless to lie. He nodded, and then turned and began to walk in the opposite direction, obviously he planned to miss the class they had been going for. And that certainly wasn't going to help his situation. Chloe thought.
So she followed him "Tim" she called.
He stopped when she caught up with him and turned to look at her. "You weren't supposed to listen," he said, sounding hurt. "That was private"
"I know. I know" Chloe said quickly. "I don't even know why I did it. I don't usually act like that. Anyways I know I have no excuse, so I just want to say that I'm really sorry. I'm sorry I spied on you"
"It's fine" Tim said, although he didn't look fine. In Fact he looked a bit embarrassed that she knew about his situation. "It's no big deal. It doesn't matter now"
"You are not going to attend the class" Chloe asked.
"Screw it," he replied angrily.
"Look I know it's none of my business...." Chloe began but Tim interrupted her.
"Yes. Exactly. It's none of your business, Chloe" Tim said. "And I know maybe I'm always bothering you and you might want to get back at me but now is really not the time. Maybe some other time but not now. Right now I just want to be alone. So please just go"
He expected her to leave but she didn't. Instead she moved closer. "I'm not trying to get back at you," she said softly. "Really I'm not. I'm just thinking that maybe you don't have to be off the team. You can play football and also pass the test. You can have both. You just need some help.... And I can help"
Tim stared at her for a moment. "I'm bad at math," he said. "I mean really bad. I can study for any other subject, but just not math. So how are you going to help me, Miss Gilbert? You're gonna write the test for me... Or maybe slip some answers to me during the test" he asked.
The look on Chloe's eyes made him laugh. "Relax, Chloe," he said. "It was a joke. Maybe a bad one though. I know you think I'm bad but I'm not that bad. Honestly, I would be too scared to do something like that. Especially now that I'm already in a lot of trouble with my mom. She would kill me if she heard that I did something like that"
Chloe smiled. For the very first time she smiled at him, that Tim thought he had imagined it.
"I meant helping you by helping you study. If you want I could be your study buddy. I'm good at math. And I think that if you really put your mind to it and concentrate you'd be good at it too. I can help you... That's if you want my help" she added.
Tim put his hands in his pocket and grinned at her. "Of course I want your help" he said. "I need it actually. I really don't want to be kicked off the team. I love football..." he hesitated for a while then added. "Why did you decide to help me? You seem to want to be as far away from me as possible... And suddenly you want to help me study? You know that means you are going to be hanging out with me, right?" he asked.
Chloe nodded. "I know" she said. "And even if I think you are an annoying, pompous, brat, I think maybe.... You are not so bad after all"