You didn’t even realize you had the worst grades in the whole school until the principal introduced you to your new tutor, Jessie. Apparently, if you didn’t improve your grades by the end of the year, you were going to be held back a grade. So now, you must meet with this boyish-looking girl every day after school for private tutoring. “Are you even paying attention!?” Jessie slams her pen down on the desk. She abruptly stands, sending the desk chair tumbling back behind her. It crashes against the floor as she strides around the desk to face you. “You fucking idiot… What’s it gonna take to get this through your thick skull?” Two strong hands grab you by the collar, lifting you so your face is mere inches from hers. While this close, you can see the faint freckles that dust Jessie’s cheeks. There are tiny golden flecks in her honey-brown eyes. Jessie slams you against the desk, sending papers flying across the empty classroom. She keeps you pinned there, her cheeks red with anger. “Well… Answer me, dimwit! What’s it gonna take!?”
Noticing her bullying attitude towards me, I grabbed her tie to make things fair between the two of us Don't think that with this kind of threat you could do something to me I said calmly to her, as if I were playing with her
"Oh, so now you're gonna pull a badass move on me too?" she scoffs, ripping her tie free of your grasp with surprising ease. "You've been watching way too much TV if you think that's going to intimidate--" She cuts herself off when she notices the gleam in your eyes. Realization dawns on her face, and a small smirk tugs at the corner of her lips. "Ah... I see." With a sudden flick of her wrist, she sends you flying back onto the desk with enough force to send papers spiraling across the room again. "That's more like it," she says approvingly. "Now let's try this again, shall we?" She leans in close, her breath warm against your cheek. "What's the answer?"
What's the question? I said calmly in front of her as if her attitude didn't scare me at all
"Oh, please," she rolls her eyes. "You really think you can just blow me off like that? Fine." With a long-suffering sigh, Jessie pulls out her cell phone and begins flipping through its contents at lightning speed. After a few seconds of silence, she holds the screen up for you to see: algebra equations scrawled across the screen in different colors. "I'll give you three guesses." With that said, Jessie turns back around and continues pacing as before, her hands on her hips. It's a challenge she issues not only verbally, but also non-verbally with her body language - daring you to prove yourself capable of understanding even the basics of this subject matter.
You still haven't given me the question, I don't know what to answer if I don't know what you're asking me I said with feigned annoyance to her while I stayed seated in my seat
"Fine." With a huff, Jessie leans forward until her face is mere inches from yours again. "The question is: what's the square root of 64?" Her voice drips with disdain as she enunciates each syllable slowly and clearly. "Now answer it or I'm giving you another one, and if you keep this up we're never going to get through any of this tonight." She steps back again, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for your response with an impatient tilt of her head.
The answer is 8 I said to her do you really think I'm that stupid? I said mockingly to her
Well... the thing is, your attitude could fool someone into thinking you are stupid. It's hard to take anyone seriously who talks about "doing each other" instead of studying. So I guess we'll have to find a way for us both to keep up our cool while still getting this done, huh? Maybe if you try acting more like you actually want to learn something...
Anyway, good job on the first one. Next question: what is the sum of all positive integers less than or equal to 20? Think you can handle that one?
The total sum is 210, adding from 1 to 20 and without repeating a number I said calmly to her if any number were to be repeated the answer would be more different, but since that was not specified, I did not do it.
That's... actually correct. Not bad, dimwit. You might have some brain cells left after all. Well done. Your answer showed some real understanding there; you didn't just memorize the formula and spit it back out. I could actually see how you got that number in your head. Impressive stuff.
So... we should probably get back to work, huh? Next question: solve for x in the equation 2x + 3 = 15. Think you're up for another one of these?
The answer is 6, I'm lazy, not an idiot I said mockingly to her do you notice the difference?
Jessie laughs, shaking her head. "You're hopeless, you know that?" She mutters under her breath, barely loud enough for you to hear. "Alright, I guess we can take a quick break before the next one. On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you want that soda machine vending money? Because if you're willing to buckle down and focus for the rest of this session, I might be able to get it for you." She pauses, studying your expression. "Or... I could just keep it. Your call."
The offer hangs in the air between you, a tempting carrot on the end of Jessie's stick. If you really want that vending money badly enough, you might be willing to put up with her abrasive attitude for a little while longer. But if you think you can get through this session without her help... well, she'll have the money either way.
And why would you do that for me? I asked her curiously
"Because I'm in the mood to be generous today, that's why." She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the desk, a smirk playing across her freckled face. "And also because it'll be fun to watch you squirm while you try to resist. So... what's it gonna be?"
The vending machine money dangles tantalizingly in front of your eyes, making it hard not to give in to the temptation. But at the same time, you can't stand Jessie and her condescending attitude. Maybe there's some way to turn this around...
Squirm? I don't think you'll ever see me like that I said mockingly to her
Jessie's eyebrow arches in disbelief. "Oh, really? You think you can resist the lure of free candy?" She leans forward until her face is just inches from yours again, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Let me tell you something, nerd-boy: I've gotten my hands on some serious dirt on you. Dirt that would get you kicked out of this school faster than you could say 'boo'."
Her words send a shiver down your spine; you can feel her gaze boring into the back of your skull, searching for any sign of weakness. Suddenly, that vending machine money doesn't seem so important anymore... but neither does letting Jessie push you around. "So," she continues, straightening up again, "what's it gonna be?"
The choice is yours: do you want to try and resist her threats and maintain your pride? Or do you swallow your dignity and beg for mercy... just this once?
Don't think I'm afraid of you. I said calmly, staring at her You're starting to act like a very spoiled bully, you know that? I said mockingly to her
"Hmm..." Jessie says, cocking her head to the side and studying you. "I wonder if that's true... or maybe you're just being stubborn." She pauses for a moment before making up her mind. "Fine, then. You want to play it like that?"
Without warning, Jessie lunges forward, grabbing your shirt collar and yanking you close. Her face is only inches from yours now, and she's breathing heavily on your neck. "I'll tell you what," she whispers menacingly. "If you can last until the end of this session without me making things even worse for you... then maybe I'll let you keep some of that vending machine money."
Her grip tightens, and she pulls your face closer to hers. "But if you can't..." She leans in even closer, her hot breath tickling your ear. "...then you're going to regret it."
I grab her by the collar, just like she has me, and pull her closer to me
Don't think you're the only one who knows how to make threats
I said mockingly to her, as if it were a stupid game
Jessie's eyes widen in surprise at your sudden aggression. She glances down, realizing that you have her trapped within your grasp just as effectively as she had you earlier. The blood rushes to her cheeks, and she can feel herself getting hot under the collar. "Fine," she hisses through gritted teeth. "You're on."
She pulls back slightly, using both hands to shove you away from her hard enough that you stumble backwards and land roughly on your behind in the center of the room. "But remember," Jessie says, holding up a warning finger as she straightens her blouse, "I can always change my mind about this little 'deal'." Then, without another word, she turns her back to you and strides purposefully over to the door, yanking it open with enough force that it slams against the wall. "Let's get started," she calls over her shoulder, her voice cool and controlled once more.
It's your choice how you want to proceed from here. You could continue trying to provoke Jessie and see where that gets you... or you could try to prove yourself worthy of her help by focusing on the task at hand. The ball is in your court, now.
I decide to go after her, confused about what she is planning
You hurry after Jessie, but when you reach the doorway she's disappeared around the corner, leaving you with nothing more than a trail of papers rustling in her wake. The hallway is quiet and empty; all the other students have already left for the day. For a moment, you're tempted to just give up and go home, but then you remember that if you don't impress Jessie today, it could mean doom for your future academic career... not to mention the loss of any vending machine money she might have promised you.
You hesitate for a moment longer, trying to decide which path to take: back into class to search for Jessie, or down the hall in hopes of finding her elsewhere? The choice is yours.
I decided to go look for her in the hallways
"Hey!" You hear Jessie's voice echo down the hallway. She emerges from around a corner, jogging towards you with a furious expression on her face. "What do you think you're doing? Get back in there and start studying!" she snaps, pointing an accusatory finger at the classroom door behind you.
Her words snap you out of your confusion, and you hurry to obey her command. But as you turn around to run back inside, Jessie grabs your shoulder, spinning you around so that you're facing her once more. "Don't make me have to repeat myself," she hisses through gritted teeth. "If you want to keep this deal, then you better start acting like it." She releases her grip on your shoulder and stomps off down the hallway in the opposite direction, leaving you no choice but to follow her or risk losing everything.
I preferred to follow her and ruin the deal we had made
"Oh, great." Jessie sighs heavily, rolling her eyes as she stomps down the hallway. "This was such a bad idea. Why do I always have to deal with idiots?" She glances over at you briefly, then turns back around and resumes walking. Her pace slows slightly, however, becoming more of a casual stroll than an angry march.
As you continue to follow her, Jessie seems to forget about your presence entirely, lost in thought as she peers through the window of one classroom after another. Finally, she stops outside a deserted teachers' lounge and pushes the door open with her foot. "Come on," she says absently, waving you inside. "There's gotta be something in here that can help."
The room is surprisingly cozy, furnished with comfortable chairs and a well-stocked bookshelf. A coffee maker hums softly in one corner, filling the air with the rich scent of fresh brew. Jessie sinks into an overstuffed armchair by the window, her long legs stretched out before her. "So," she says, giving you a half-hearted smile, "what do you want to study first?"
I don't know, I think I'm tired I said listlessly as I sat down on an armchair in the corner
"Oh, come on," Jessie snorts. "You're not that tired." She leans forward, peering at you closely. "Or are you just using that as an excuse to avoid doing any work? Because if that's the case, I can think of a lot better ways for you to tire yourself out." She sits back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. The room falls silent except for the hum of the coffee maker and the ticking of a nearby clock on the wall. The air between you feels charged with tension, and it's clear that Jessie isn't going to let you off easy anytime soon.
I don't know, but I won't tell you how I feel either I said a little mockingly to her
"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Jessie says with an irritated huff, though there's an edge of amusement in her voice. "Acting all tough and indifferent when really you're just afraid of what I might do to you." She leans forward again, this time resting her elbows on her knees as she studies your face intently. "Or maybe... you actually like the way it feels when someone else is in control." Her words send a shiver down your spine, and for a moment you feel like she's seen right through your carefully constructed facade of bravado. But before you can respond, she stands abruptly, straightening her blouse as she does so. "Well," she says, tossing her hair over her shoulder, "enough of this idle chit-chat. Let's get down to business, shall we?" She stomps across the room and yanks open a drawer in the teacher's desk, rummaging through it until she produces several textbooks and notebooks. Without another word, she thrusts them at you. "Here," she says impatiently. "Start reading."
The books land with loud thuds on your lap. Jessie sits down in her chair again, this time crossed-legged and leaning forward expectantly. Her gaze locks onto yours, daring you to try anything even remotely resembling one of your usual smartass remarks. The air between you crackles with tension once more as the two of you begin your study session in earnest... for now, at least.
How boring I said as I approached the books she put on the table and what if I told you no?
"Well, considering the alternative involves me kicking your ass all over this room," Jessie says with an amused glint in her eye, "I'd say it's well worth a try." She sits back in her chair again, folding her arms across her chest. "Now get reading, nerd-boy. Time's a-wastin'."
Okay, whatever you say I said mockingly while opening a book although I don't think you'll hit me either I said mockingly to her
A mischievous smile tugs at the corner of Jessie's lips as you open up the book and begin to read. "Oh, I don't know," she muses thoughtfully, glancing over at you in between sips of her coffee. "I've always been pretty good at hitting a target when I set my mind to it." She pauses for dramatic effect before adding with a wink, "Even if that target does happen to be as irritatingly cocky as you are." The tension between the two of you continues to build, making each word feel like it's being spoken through clenched teeth. But despite your best efforts to provoke her further, Jessie maintains her calm demeanor... for now.
I'll take that as a compliment I said a little mockingly to her although you still haven't hit me yet
Jessie snorts loudly, rolling her eyes as she leans forward to steal a sip of your coffee. "Oh, please," she scoffs. "You think you're the only one who knows how to dish it out?" She takes another sip before looking up at you once more, a devilish glint in her eye. "But if you really want me to prove it... maybe later tonight we could both go find a nice open space and settle this like real adults."
Her words send a shiver down your spine; the implication is clear: she's willing to escalate things further if that's what it takes to get under your skin. But at the same time, there's an underlying current of excitement running through her voice, as if she's actually looking forward to seeing where this little power struggle might lead them both...
Sounds like fun, I don't think you'll hit me I said a little mockingly to her
"We'll see about that," Jessie says, an amused smile playing across her lips. "You might be surprised at what I'm capable of when I set my mind to it." She leans back in her chair again, studying you closely over the rims of her coffee mug. "Besides," she adds with a wink, "it's not like we've got anything better to do tonight, right?"
The challenge is thrown down once more; the air between you crackles with electricity as Jessie dares you to rise to the bait...
Just try it I said a little mockingly it would be awesome
"Oh, you want me to just try it?" she asks with raised eyebrows, her tone mocking. "Or are you daring me to actually do it?" She pauses for effect, considering your words carefully before leaning in closer, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "I can take a dare... but I prefer a challenge." A predatory grin spreads across her face as she regards you thoughtfully. "What do you say? Care to step up and accept my challenge?"
The tension between the two of you is palpable, electricity crackling through the air like static before a storm. The question hangs in the balance: will you meet Jessie's challenge head-on, or will you back down and risk losing whatever tenuous thread of control you might still have over your destiny?
Yes, of course, I'm up for it I said playfully to her
"Alright then," she says with a sly grin, "let's find out just how good you really are." She stands up abruptly and crosses the room to retrieve her bag from the corner, moving with an almost predatory grace. As she rummages through its contents, she glances back at you over her shoulder.
"I think we should make this interesting," she says, pulling out a small leather object and tossing it in your direction. You catch it instinctively; it's a tiny pair of boxing gloves, new and still wrapped in plastic. "You said I wouldn't hit you?" she asks mockingly, arching an eyebrow. "Well, let's just find out about that."
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Jessie shrugs off her jacket and rolls up the sleeves of her blouse, revealing toned arms covered in fading track marks. "So," she says, slipping on the boxing gloves with practiced ease, "are you ready to step up and face the music... or are you going to back down now?"
The choice is yours. Do you accept her challenge and face her in a real fight, or do you try to find some other way out of this mess? The fate of your academic career hangs in the balance.
I-it's im-impressive I said nervously while I saw her figure I didn't expect this, I thought more of a fist fight I said stupid to her while I saw her
"Well," Jessie says with an amused smile, "it's not like I expected you to take me up on my offer otherwise." She paces around the room a bit, warming up her shoulders and hands before coming to a stop in front of you again. "But since you're here... might as well make it interesting," she says through clenched teeth, her eyes narrowing into slits. With a sudden lunge forward, Jessie throws a punch straight at your face; the force of it sends your head snapping back and makes your ears ring. "See how you like that!"
You quickly recover from the surprise attack, bringing your own boxing gloves up to defend yourself as Jessie comes at you again and again, her blows fast and furious. It's clear she's much more experienced than you are; every time one of her punches lands it leaves you winded and reeling. You're starting to wish you hadn't been so cocky before...
I don't think it was fair, you didn't warn me I said to her, then I launched myself at her to take her by the arms
"Fair?" she snorts derisively, wrenching her arm free from your grasp and delivering another sharp jab to your ribs. "This wasn't supposed to be fair! It was supposed to test your mettle!" She leans in closer, her breath warm against your cheek as she adds ominously, "And if you don't start showing me a little more backbone... I might just have to make it even harder for you."
Her words send a chill down your spine; you can feel the fight starting to drain out of you. Maybe accepting this challenge wasn't the best idea after all... but then again, what choice did you really have? Backing down now would only ensure that you end up worse off than ever before...