MEET MADAM MATH

[First period is math. We're on Algebraic Fractions which I didn't understand, but if I just followed the worked examples, I could produce something like it...]

It's so sad that Lala was just as bad at math as I was in my last life, but I've already finished Term 1 at Winderhill. I knew algebra (in a very distant acquaintance kind of way), and I knew fractions (kind of), so just combining the two shouldn't be a big deal right?

Of course I was wrong.

By the time the lady math teacher went through the first question in our assignment, I realized I was a lost cause. Lala got the answer wrong. I copied the right answer neatly next to whatever Lala had written. Lala's homework was very neat so I made effort not to ruin it. I mean, that was all she had going for her in this subject - most of her answers were wrong, like she had randomly generated numbers into the equation. She was a true mathematician. Like I'm not sure how she conjured up most of it. I was going to fail math. Like, there was no hope for me at this point. I flipped through her notebook just to confirm it. Yup, I'm a lost cause.

"Kayla, is there a problem?" the lady math teacher stopped midway in her explanation to ask.

I guess I shouldn't have been flipping my notebook like that while she was talking.

[I needed to stand up to reply to the teacher!]

I quickly stood up, "No, Madam."

Madam Math didn't look convinced, maybe she had seen my homework. [Madam Lorraine. Math Teacher. Hates Madam Vivian (the Wicked Witch of the West), and likes to gossip about the other teachers to her students.] Which was totally useless information.

"Do you find this hard to understand?" Madam Math smiled, but it looked like it could also be a very mild sneer.

I nodded wordlessly, not entirely sure where this was leading.

"If math is too hard for you, you can always quit." Madam Math walked over to my desk. She picked up my notebook, look at my corrections and dropped it back on my desk, "Why would a pretty princess like you ever need to graduate with Advance Math?"

Wait, why was I in Advance Math? [It's compulsory for the freshman year, as was Advance Lycan, and Advance Literature. We would be given the option to step down to Standard Subjects next year - but I would have to forfeit my seat in the top class if I did that.]

Wow, Lala, this silly girl. How troublesome was your life? Just quit.

Madam Math made her way back to the front of the classroom. On the way, one of the girls asked why her answer was wrong. Madam Math looked at her homework and explained it. And then she went back to the front, "Alright, let's move on to the next question."

Wait, why did she stop to explain to that student, but not to me? Wasn't it obvious that I seriously needed help? If I were at Winderhill, I would be down for pull out classes. Did they have those here? No? Just "Higher Ability" and "Lower Ability" classes? Every year, the girls would be streamed up or down based on their academic performance. From Year 2, there'd be a Special Class. This class was "Special" in inverted commas. Basically, its where they put the girls who couldn't pass anything. They were girls who had other talents the school appreciated, like if they were exceptionally good at music or sports or exceptionally rich and/or well connected. There were only 30 such places, so in a way, it could also be seen as an honor. Everyone else had to actually pass their exams to get promoted.

Madam Math finished explaining the next question, "How was that? Easy right? Did everyone get that? How about you Kayla?"

She didn't wait for my response. I was too busy trying to copy her answer down to notice immediately that my name had just been called.

"No? It's okay." Madam Math did that smile-sneer again, "I'm sure there's a seat in the Special Class with your name on it."

"No fair." Someone complained from the other side of the class.

"Well you can only blame your parents." Madam Math shrugged, "Are there any other questions you want me to run through?"

Wait, you only went through the first two questions!

Someone raised her hand and asked for question 8. Someone else asked for question 11.

"Choose 1. 8 or 11." Madam Math said.

The two girls glared at each other.

"8" Another girl raised her hand.

"Okay, who couldn't do 8?" Madam Math asked.

About half the girls raised their hands. Including me.

"So many?" Madam Math shook her head, "Who couldn't do 11?"

About three girls and me. I had to raise my hands both times.

Madam Math laughed, "8 is a challenge question, but everyone should be able to do 11. Only Kayla's allowed to raise her hand for 11."

WTH?

"I'll show you how to do 8 now, and those who don't know how to do question 11, ask your friend next to you." Madam Math decided.

My desk partner wasn't here today, so the desk next to me was unoccupied.

"It's okay, Kayla. You don't have to bother with corrections." Madam Math graciously allowed, "It's not like you understand what you're copying anyway, am I right?"

Well, yes, but… I looked down feeling extremely small and miserable. I never thought I'd say this, but I missed Mrs Hen a lot right now. Mrs Hen wouldn't have left anyone behind. Mrs Hen actually cared about us. I guess I didn't know a good thing till it was gone too.

Madam Math went back to the board to show the class how to tackle question 8. I decided to just copy it anyway. I didn't understand the answer, but I didn't know what else to do either.

"Alright class, that's all for today. Finish up and hand in your work. I'll be going around now, if you have any questions, you can ask me now." This was how Madam Math always taught. She did approximately 3 questions on the board, wrote down the pages we should do for homework, and then walked around the class. Sometimes she'd stop and tell a girl she had made a careless mistake. Her tone was always friendly, and she would explain where the mistake was. Sometimes, she'd remember something that happened earlier in the staff room and talk about it. Sometimes, she'd tell us stories about Madam Vivian's personal life.

The girl in front of me turned around, "Hey, do you need to copy question 11?"

What? I looked up at my savior. She handed me her notebook turned to the right question, "Copy it quick. Don't let Madam Lorraine see."

Then she turned back to the front and pretended to do her work on another notebook.

Question 11 must have really been an easy one. It was very short. I copied it out and returned it to the girl in front of me.

"Thanks." I said.

"It's okay." She said and quickly turned back front.

"Kayla." Madam Math called my name. I quickly turned to face her.

Madam Math came over and picked up my book again, "Who helped you? So kind of her."

She put my book back on my desk, "Do you understand the solution?"

I shook my head, "No Madam. Why is it like this?"

The other answers took four to five steps to solve. This one was solved in two.

"Why?" Madam Math smiled at me, "Why are you asking me? If you don't understand, then just give up."

And then she walked away.

WTH?

After that, the lesson continued for another 45 minutes. I attempted to do the homework on the board but of course I couldn't. I tried to check my red textbook, but I couldn't understand the worked examples either. Maybe Advance Math wasn't for dumb pups.

Meanwhile, Madam Math continued to walk about and help anyone who raised her hand. When no one needed help, she told us that Madam Vivian caught some girls running in late this morning. They literally ran too, and when Madam Vivian caught them, they kept running. Madam Vivian managed to catch them though, "Don't think just because she's old and in high heels, she can't run!"

But by the time she caught the latecomers, she was bright red. You couldn't see it through the thick make up she wore, but she was also wearing a low cut v-neck today. Her heaving bosoms were red all the way up to her jawline."

Are you sure this was something you should be telling us Madam Math?

Madam Math chuckled and shook her head and concluded, "So don't come to school late, girls."

Really? That was the moral of your story?

But that was another red thing. Madam Vivian's heaving bosoms. Hahaha. Do you think Ben would cut his heart out for that?