|| Friday, late afternoon ||
Callum felt nervous while he walked down the stairs, towards the living room. His parents just got home from whatever they had done that day—either some official government stuff, or something for the schoolboard.
Callum guessed the former, since his parents had been really busy with government business lately. He had no idea what it was, they would never tell anything about their business before it was made public by press and other official announcements.
But something bis was coming up, Callum knew that much.
Whenever his parents were fully focused on their governmental tasks, something big was coming up. Last time his parents had worked long days, they issued a new law which made it possible for children of the age of 14 to get a scholarship to go to a boarding school.
Callum had been glad they came up with a fund for said kids, even though he knew only a few lucky kids would be chosen.
Those who weren’t that far behind and still had an actual chance to graduate their primary education.
Elliot wasn’t one of them, and neither was Ayla if Callum was being honest. But Callum already knew his parents would make sure Ayla would get one of those scholarships. No matter how much money they had to send her to a boarding school themselves, his parents would always try and find a way to make more money, or spend less.
And getting Ayla a scholarship was one of those ways.
It was one of the few things Freddy and Callum agreed on; their parents were hypocrites. Why else would they have battled for the fun as hard as they did, as soon as they couldn’t deny the fact Ayla was failing her education?
But it wasn’t what made him nervous.
It was the fact he wanted to tutor Elliot, one of the teenagers in town that had already been given up on. Elliot, like Callum, was 17 and with less than a year to go, he was simply too far behind to catch up, if he wouldn’t get the best of the best to help him.
The only chance Elliot had, was Callum tutoring him.
But Callum knew his parents wouldn’t agree with it. They would wonder why he’d bother to waste his time on Elliot.
Earlier that day he had been adamant and had even told Ayla and Freddy it didn’t matter what his parents would say; he’d do it anyway. But standing in front of his parents, he wasn’t too sure anymore.
“Mom, dad?” Callum cleared his throat to gain their attention, while Freddy was making noise while cooking dinner in the kitchen.
“Yes, dear?” his mother answered him, looking up from some official files.
“I wanted to talk to you guys about something…”
“Is it important? Because we’re kind of busy right now,” his mother was already focussing back on the documents, while his father was still looking in his direction.
“What is it that you wanted to talk about, Cal?” he asked, as usual showing interest while his mother wasn’t.
“So, you both know I’ve been doubting if I want to become a nurse, or a teacher in primary education, possibly even boarding school—”
“I thought we already talked about that, dear. You’re going to start a study to become a teacher, right?” his mother said, glancing in his direction.
“Yeah, so, since I still have a few months without school, I was thinking about things I could do in the meantime. Things that are useful for my study.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” his father said, agreeing with him. “You can never have too much experience. What is it that you thought of doing?”
“I want to tutor someone who’s… well… a bit behind in his primary education.”
“Can’t you tutor Ayla? She could use every help she can get.”
“Freddy is already tutoring her and she’s making progress. I want to focus on someone who needs it more than her. Ayla can still go to boarding school.”
“More than her? If you want to tutor someone who’s worse than her, they’re not a bit behind,” his mother told him with a sharp voice. “Who is it?”
“Eh… Elliot Ainsley.”
“Elliot Ainsley is a lost cause, honey,” his mother said as if it was the end of the discussion. “He’s seventeen, and I think you could use your time to help others who’re, well, better.”
“I want a challenge. I tutored classmates, and that was too easy. I don’t want to tutor just anyone. I want to teach in boarding school. Lost causes like Elliot are exactly the type of people I want to educate.”
“Well, honey, the answer is no. I don’t want you to spend time with people like the Ainsley’s. What do you think people will say if they see the two of you together? We have a reputation to maintain.”
“And isn’t helping less fortune teens something that would help our reputation? I bet people will admire it if we tried helping them. I mean, even more than you two already do at work,” he quickly added the last part, even if it almost made him throw up.
His parents? Helping less fortune? Yeah right.
They helped themselves. They helped the upper class to remain upper class.
“Callum has a great point, honey,” his father said, gesturing to Callum. “I think it’s a great way for Callum to learn how to teach the less fortunate and in the same time helping Elliot. It’s good for his reputation, and it’ll help him later in on in life when he’ll be searching for a job.”
“Elliot Ainsley is a lost cause. It’s a waste of time.”
“Mom?” Ayla sounded angry, when she stepped up to them with her arms crossed in front of her chest. “I heard everything you said and you think I’m the worst case possible and if you think Elliot is a lost cause, than you surely think I am one too.”
“Oh, no, darling…” their mother started, pushing aside the documents to get up. “You’re young, you have time…”
“And Elliot has time too. He just turned 17. There’s plenty of time to at least try.” Callum crossed his arms too, sending her an angry look. “Isn’t Terraqua all about equality and peace, and support? Isn’t tutoring Elliot a wonderful example of what we stand for?”
“Callum is right,” his father spoke up, while he pulled Ayla towards him to hug her. “Elliot isn’t a lost cause until he turns 18, and Ayla still has years and years to catch up. We want Ayla to have the best possible future, and Mrs. and Mr. Ainsley want that for their son too. So, Callum, I think it’s a wonderful gesture and I fully support you. End of discussion.”
Callum smirked victoriously, Ayla buried her face against their father’s chest, and their father sent their mother a warning look to tell her not to disagree.
And she didn’t, which meant Callum was allowed to tutor Elliot, and he couldn’t be happier about anything in that moment.
At least now he could try and help Elliot.
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