Page 5 of Devil's Bargain

Her fingers stop typing.

“I shouldn’t have said what I did. It was mean. You’re my best friend, Nina. I’m under a lot of pressure right now... I’m sorry!”

She lifts her head, searching my eyes. “Promise me that you’ll come to me if you need help!”

“I promise.”

Mr. Scott, the math teacher, clears his throat as he rummages through piles of paper on his desk.

In his mid-thirties, he’s new to the school and not bad-looking for a man his age with blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. He eyes us as he pulls at his tie. “I have graded your tests.” He picks up the stack and makes his way down the aisle, handing us back our sheets.

“I gave chess geek a blowie earlier.”

My eyes bug out. “You didn’t?”

Nina found out the other day that the chess geek in one of her classes keeps looking at her during their lessons, so she decided to seduce him.

She winks. “He came as soon as I put his dick in my mouth. I had to blow him again to save his ego.”

I begin to giggle, but jump in my seat when Scott slaps my paper down on my desk. “I need to see you after class, Miss. Reed.”

When I turn the page over, my heart sinks. I failed another test. Next week, I’ll be homeless and on top of that, I won’t qualify for college if I keep this up.

“How did you do?” Nina asks.

I hold my sheet out for her to see. “I failed.”

Her eyes snap up, searching mine. “It’s not too late. You can still pass maths.”

I press my lips together and blink rapidly, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. Why is all this shit happening now? “It’ll be fine. It’s just another mess to sort.”

* * *

Nina’s eyes shine with sympathy when she puts her backpack on after class. “I’m sure the teacher will come up with a plan for you. I will help you in any way I can.”

I place my book back inside my bag and give her a shaky smile. “Just go. No need to wait for me. I’ll see you in history.”

She pats my arm on her way out.

I shoulder my bag and approach Scott’s desk with the crumpled test clutched in my hands.

He looks up from his paperwork and points behind me. “Pull up a chair and take a seat.”

The last students leave as I plop down on the seat and try not to fidget nervously with the test in my hand.

The clock on the wall ticks loudly while I wait for Scott to talk. It feels almost like a shrink’s office with the sterile white wall behind him, except for the notes on the whiteboard.

“You’ve got yourself in a pickle.” His voice is smooth.

I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I’ll do anything to pass math. Is there an extra project I can take on? Maybe after-school tutoring or something?”

He watches me for a moment before steepling his fingers on the desk. “Why are you failing my class? You’re a bright girl.”

I swallow thickly, tugging on the hem of my tight skirt. It’s too short to be decent. “I have a lot going on at home.”

He raises his eyebrows, waiting for me to go on.

As the sound of students outside filters in through the closed door, I glance at the ticking clock. I’m going to be late for my next class if we don’t hurry this along. “My mom is struggling to pay the bills.”

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