The sound of the bell pierced the ears of the students at Jorden State High School. "Okay, that's the bell, have a good weekend everyone."

Tiffy grabbed his book and pencil case, "Tiffy, could you stay?" Mr Cockburn asked as Tiffy stopped putting his equipment into his bag.

Tiffy sat back down at the desk. He wondered what his English teacher needs to talk to him about, a part of him was worried that he was in trouble but another part of him knew that he hadn't done anything causing him to get in trouble.

"Benji, you too." The boy three years younger than Tiffy whipped his head around, a shocked expression on his face, Tiffy could tell Benji was just as confused as him. "Wait at the door."

"Sir, I can't. Maddilynn is p-picking me up if I'm late-"

"I'll be quick."

The curly-haired boy let out a sigh before leaving the classroom. "Why do we talk?" Tiffy asked, he wanted to go home and enjoy his two-week holiday.

"Your grades Tiffy, so far you have had two assessments in this class and you got a d- on both of them," Mr Cockburn's voice was warm, like a hot chocolate, concerned but not scolded.

"I try but English is new," Tiffy explained, Plagg has helped him out tons with bettering his English but Tiffy couldn't get Plagg to help him with his studying even if he wanted to, each question would probably cost him a wheel of cheese and Dandelion sleeping outside for the night.

"I understand that and truly, for a beginner your English is excellent but for a year ten student it's not enough for you to get a certificate of education."

"It's not?"

"To get a certificate of education, you need to have a c- or over in all four of your core subjects, meaning you would need to pass this class."

Tiffy looked down, how is he going to find time to do all this extra studying with being Night Noir?

"Benji, you can come in," Mr Cockburn called.

Benji opened the door and popped his head in. He looked at Tiffy. Benji and the new boy hadn't really talked, Quartz goes on and on about how cool Tiffy is and how fun it would be if Benji and Tiffy collabed, "A-am I in trouble?" He asked his teacher.

Mr Cockburn shook his head as Benji let out a sigh, a wave of relief leaving him. "Benji, last week Maddilynn and Oskar called me, they are concerned about your social skills." Benji looked down, his cheeks flushing a deep red, 'i have friends,' he thinks to himself, 'andy, quartz, lex, lacey...'

Benji looked over at Tiffy, "Why does this involve Tiffy?" He questioned, hiding his face in his jumper.

"Well, I explained to Maddilynn and Oskar that we have a new kid in our class who needs some help adjusting and how tutoring would benefit both of you."

"Me? A tutor?"

"Your grades are an a average, you are more than qualified Benji."

Benji's cheeks flushed, "I know but-"

"Maddilynn and Oskar already know that you will be staying late today." Benji wanted to continue arguing, but he knew that since his foster carers already know, he would get in trouble if he didn't do this.

Benji clicked his pen nervously, he was waiting for Tiffy to get out his pencil case and notebook so they can start. His eyes looked around the library, it's small, there are about five shelves and fifteen painfully slow computers. "I am ready," Tiffy announced as Benji looked to his perfectly set up side of the table, Benji looked to his side of the table and felt his cheeks warm up. His galaxy-themed pencil case was awkwardly placed on the table while his notebook was turned on a ninety-degree angle to help with his handwriting.

"Your pencil case- it's very pretty."

"Thank! I did it myself," Benji looked at the cat-themed pencil case and saw the rough bumps where the paint had been added to the white fabric, a new sort of admiration being shown towards it.

"Thanks," Benji corrected, "T-the proper thing to say would be thanks or thank you, not thank." The younger boy kept his head down as he spoke, he felt rude correcting Tiffy but he knew that was what Mr Cockburn was telling him to do.

"Oh! Thanks you!"

Benji nodded, close enough, he figured.

"So, creative writing, do you like it?"

"Not really..."

Benji grinned, "Neither do I, I enjoy reading but writing... It can never think of the right words."

"Are you not a singer?"

"I'm a cover singer, I don't write original music."

"Oh."

Benji nodded. He was quite proud of his Instagram account, although a part of him always wanted to write his own songs, he even had a few drafts at home but after becoming Souris he hasn't had the time. "Our assignment will be a creative writing task, we will be writing a diary entry from the point of view of Sue Charton from the movie Crocodile Dundee," Benji read the paper in front of him, this assignment was also new news to him (not be giving them the exact same assignment I did in year ten 😅)

"What is Crocodile Dun-dun-d..."

"Dundee," Benji helped Tiffy say. "It's a really old movie from like 1986, I did a film assignment on it last year."

"Is it educational?"

"Not really..."

Tiffy tilted his head to the side, "But school-"

"Is dumb, especially Australian schools."

Benji giggled as he watched Tiffy's face turn from confusion to horror.

"You're not at all what I thought you would be like," Benji explained as an embarrassed blush appeared on his freckled cheeks.

"What did you think?"

Benji shrugged, he fidgeted with his nails, "I wasn't sure. You confused me. Quartz says only compliments about you and Nessa but your friends with Aja."

"Aja is not a friend."

"I don't understand, you always sit them. That's actually probably one of the reasons you're not doing good in English."

Tiffy frowned. Benji lowered his head, "I- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No."

"No?"

"You are correct," Tiffy looked at Benji a strong emotion in his eyes, Benji wondered what it was, he knew it wasn't anger or sadness... Determination, that was what he was seeing.

"I am?"

"Yes! You are helping me, teaching me, so I can pass!"

Benji grinned, "I suppose I am."

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

It's been like a month and a half since my last chapter 😭

I have gotten a full-time job since then and I'm still adjusting so it's been hard to find time to write.

Like, comment and tell me what you thought!

1160 Words