Take Me There Read Online Free PDF Page B

rings.
    “Not that it matters,” Nicole grumbles on her way to the back of the room. She always sits in the back and I always sit in the front. Unless we have assigned seats. She likes to do that so she can spy on everyone and write down story ideas without them knowing. “I didn’t get any of the other ones, either.”
    “You’re coming to tutoring, right?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    I’m a peer tutor for math on Tuesdays. Nicole comes almost every week. I like explaining math to people. I’m into the finite rules and organized methods. I guess that’s why I rock at math. Which is weird, because you’re not supposed to be good at both math and artistic stuff. But making numbers work has a calming effect on me. Plus, everyone knows that colleges will reject you if you don’t have enough activities. It’s so they know you’re not just some antisocial brain in a jar.
    I sit down. Keith is staring at me. He waves.
    I wave back. I still haven’t told him no. For some reason, I lied to James yesterday and told him I already did.
    “Good morning, leaders of tomorrow!” Mr. Farrell shouts. “Who wants to put number thirty-two on the board?”
    I look back at Nicole. Her eyes say, See?
    “Nicole?” Mr. Farrell says. “Thanks.”
    “But I didn’t—”
    “And who wants to do thirty-three?”
    Nicole sighs this long, dramatic sigh. She pops open her binder. She lifts her homework pages out like they’re made of lead instead of paper.
    “Okay, Jackson,” Mr. Farrell decides. Jackson always looks like he’s about to bust a vital organ over the chance to put a problem up.
    Then Mr. Farrell sits on top of his desk to take attendance. He’s wearing his math tie with the neon numbers and a white shirt and his brown cords. He has this habit of wearing the same pants every Monday for some reason. They look like they’ve seen better days. And his scuffed brown loafers don’t really go with his pants. They’re different shades of brown.
    Nicole is putting the problem up. Mr. Farrell finishes attendance and turns around to watch her. I catch him looking at her butt for a few seconds. I look around to see if anyone else caught it. But the class is dead. It’s always like this at the end of the year. Especially on Mondays. We have these state tests coming up called Regents Exams. You have to pass all of the ones you need or you can’t graduate. The Regents are less than a month away, but no one stresses until the night before. Now we’re just killing time. Stuck in faux-education limbo.
    A police siren screeches by outside.
    Nicole puts the chalk down. The problem is only half done.
    “Not so fast, Nicole,” Mr. Farrell says.
    “But I didn’t get this one.”
    “You need to at least try.”
    “I did. I got half of it.”
    “You need to try harder.”
    Nicole sucks her tooth. She picks up the chalk.
    Everyone’s waiting.
    “Like she’s ever gonna get it,” Gloria informs the room.
    Nicole freezes up. She doesn’t turn away from the board.
    “Can I explain mine?” Jackson begs.
    “Not yet.” Mr. Farrell holds his hand up in a you-must-chill gesture. “Let’s give Nicole a chance to finish.” Then he darts an angry look at Gloria.
    But Nicole just stands there. I send her a telepathic message to hang in.
    “Here’s what we’ll do,” Mr. Farrell announces. “Why don’t we start this worksheet—no, stay where you are, Gloria, you’re working individually—and that way I can walk you through it, Nicole. Okay, who—thanks, Jackson, you can have a seat, we’ll go over that one later—who wants to pass out the worksheet?”
    No one raises their hand. Someone yawns rude loud.
    “Do we get participation points?” Gloria demands.
    “Sure.”
    Gloria gets up to pass them out. She snaps her gum. The snap sounds like a firecracker.
    “Gum, Gloria,” Mr. Farrell warns.
    She’s like, “Sorry.” Even though you can tell that she’s totally not. “It won’t happen again.”
    “I know. Because