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“What is she studying?” I ask, although I can tell by the images on the screen that it’s science related.
“Physics,” Meagan supplies. “I can limp through a lot of things, but this isn’t something I learned. I-I can’t help her.”
My heart breaks for the pause and redirection. I have no idea what this woman has been through, but I know she isn’t here because she has had a great life filled with love and laughter.
“I’m Beth,” I tell her, holding out my hand and smiling when she takes it quickly. “I’m not wanting to step on any toes, but math and science are what I studied in college. It’s what I taught with my online job.”
Meagan looks to Victoria before looking back at me. “If Vic is okay with it, I’ll take any and all help I can get.”
Victoria’s smile grows even wider as she spreads her arm out to indicate that I should help the student.
Maybe I should feel nervous because I have no doubt this is a test of my skills, but of all the things I struggle to find confidence in, math and science are two topics I know I’ve mastered.
“It’s too hard,” the girls says the second I approach.
“It can be,” I tell her. “I’m Beth.”
Being younger, the girl doesn’t offer her hand. I know shaking hands is considered a little old-fashioned so I don’t press the issue with her.
“If you want, I can explain it to you,” I offer. “Is it okay if I call you Brielle?”
She has a name tag taped to the top of her computer.
“You don’t have to speak to me like I’m a child. I’m almost twenty-one.” She huffs as she sits back in her chair. “I don’t know why I’m even bothering with this shit. I should’ve just gotten my damned GED like all the other losers here instead of thinking I could get my high school diploma.”
Her words tell me a lot of things. She’s quite possibly one of the abused women here, rather than one of the children. She’s angry at the world, but, honestly, why shouldn’t she be? There’s no telling what has happened in her life before now.
“I think it’s commendable,” I tell her, trying not to sound condescending.
“We’ve spoken about the language, Brielle,” Victoria warns. “Please be mindful of the children around you.”
Brielle huffs but she doesn’t fire off anymore inappropriate language.
“Bet you five bucks you can’t help me understand. Meagan already tried.”
“I’m not going to take your bet, but I promise I can help. Just give me a chance.”
The woman narrows her eyes at me, but she scoots back a little, waving a mildly disrespectful hand toward her computer. She wouldn’t be the first angry student I’ve had to deal with. The online school I worked for had a vast array of students, including many who were either on house arrest for crimes committed or they got into so much trouble in school that an online program was their only option.
“Kinetic energy can be tricky,” I begin, before spending the next fifteen minutes using the pen and paper beside her computer to draw diagrams and explain. I pull up a website that explains all the different subtopics in physics to help her as well.
She works through a couple of problems on her computer and I see the moment it clicks for her.
She’s slow to turn her head in my direction.
“Thank you,” she whispers, a drop of moisture catching on her lower lashes.
I shrug. “No big deal. Glad I could help.”
“It is a big deal. Where did you learn all that stuff?”
“College. I think it was the only thing I was ever good at.”
Her smile falls away almost as quickly as it appeared on her pretty face.
“I’m never going to get into college.”
“You won’t with that attitude.”
I roll my lips between my teeth, instantly regretting those words popping out of my mouth unchecked.
She huffs a humorless laugh as if everyone she’s ever met has told her the same thing. As if they’ve all had no expectations of her because they only see her as a failure.
“I received scholarships,” I explain.
“Because you’re so smart?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Math and science have always been easy for me, but I struggled with things like history and English. I got some of the weirdest scholarships. There’s money out there for all sorts of things.”
“Like what?” she challenges.
“I got a thousand-dollar scholarship once in a greeting card competition, and another one for an essay on the dangers of texting and driving.”
“Where in the world do you find those things?”
“Online,” I tell her as I lean in a little closer.
She moves back, not wanting me in her space, and I feel like a total fool for invading it in the first place.
“I’m hoping to be invited back very soon, but in the meantime,” I say, grabbing a pen and using the paper I used for her assignment to write down a web address. “Go to this website and do a little searching to see what you might qualify for. The applications can be a little daunting, but I can help you with that. Don’t forget to use that other website I showed you when you get stuck in physics. At the top of the page, there’s a link for their math classes as well.”
