Tutoring Olivia

Elle sat with her computer at a library. "She stood there..." She said as she wrote. "Hmm..." She shook her head; "No... That doesn't sound right". She sighed and erased. "How should I start this?" Elle whispered to herself staring at a completely blank screen.

"Umm... Hello" A small meek voice said. Elle looked up to see a brunette seemingly the same age as her. "Oh hey! I know you. We were in the same grade last year, right? How can I helped you? Emm, Olivia if I'm not mistaken?" Elle greeted the girl with a bright smile

Olivia's eyes widened. "Y-yes! That's right. I'm Olivia. You remember me?" Olivia asked ticking with her fingers on her books. Elle clasped her hand together, placing her head on it. "Yes, you were the quiet, pretty girl who all the boys were after. You always were writing something in your free time though I never knew what it was." Elle answered.

"Oh that... That was just prepping plans for ballet class. Anyway can you help me with physics? Since you're an honor student and all..." Olivia stated and looked at the seat in front of Elle. "Can I sit here?"

"Yeah sure, I'm free to help you" Elle nodded her head and laid back in to her chair; "but don't sit there. Sitting next to me will be much easier". Elle patted the seat next to her. "Oh... Okay... So..." Olivia hurriedly took place and looked through her books.

"Hey, Olivia. Calm down." Elle calmly said touching Olivia's shoulder; "Take a deep breath in and out, hmm?". Olivia took a deep breath in and out. "That's it... What's wrong? Do I look like I bite?" Elle teased and laughed; "Sorry, but I only do that for SunSun".

Olivia raised her eyebrows and twisted her head a little. "Sun...Sun?" She questioned. "Hmm?" Elle faced Olivia with her bottom lip a bit out; "What's with the bewildered look?" 

"Is SunSun someone's name?" Olivia further inquired. Elle laughed "Yes. Well more like... It's my nickname for the boy I like." Elle replied with a smile on her lips. "You, Elle, the honor student, actually like a BOY?" Olivia said with wide eyes. "Yes?" Elle said then laughed; "What's wrong? You look like someone proved you pigs could fly".

"You just seem like you're the type to immerse yourself in books 24/7. You don't really associate yourself with boys like that either." Olivia explained herself her shoulders visibly relaxing. Elle hummed.

"I do immerse myself in books. Just... Not study books nor 24/7 for that matter. I prefer romance, comedy, fantasy or action. Plus I'm not blind to what's in front of me either." Elle corrected Olivia; "But I guess it would indeed come as a shock that I like someone..."

 "Yeah you're right. I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. But what boy actually managed to get your heart. Must be special." Olivia laughed and wiggled her eyes. "Well look at you. Not acting like a scared bunny anymore, Eyy?." Elle smirked; "So the topic of boys scares away your anxiety, huh?"

 Olivia rolled her eyes. "It's not like that... It's just I have social anxiety when meeting new people..." Shes voice lowered and played with her fingers. Elle looked at her and blinked. "Uh-huh... You sure? Didn't seem like it when you were telling off those boys." 

"First of" Olivia held up her hand; "those were annoying boys, okay? They irritated me to the bone". She rolled her eyes; "Second, you're like an unreachable smart person who always seems so busy..."

"I'm not unreachable. Busy perhaps, but I always make time to help people if I can..." Elle stated; "Now... Lemme see the material you need help on and what exactly you don't get." 

"Oh, yeah. I needed help on the chapter of Electricity and then also on Gasses." Olivia said as she took out her Physics notes. Elle listened and observed her intently.

"Okay... Let me see how you solved the problems. Which one do you understand more?" She asked. "Neither of them. I'm terrible in both" Olivia shook her head and opened her notes to the designated page; " See?"

Elle read the material and teacher's examples. Then looked at the exercises with Olivia's answers. "Alright. You're actually not that bad. Perhaps your professor's teaching method and your learning method just don't match up." Elle remarked only to see Olivia drawing. "Olivia?" Elle called to her and tapped her shoulders. Olivia looked up. "Huh? Oh... Sorry, I get really immersed in art." She said playing with her fingers.

"I can see." Elle said and looked at Olivia's drawing. "Very beautiful butterfly. You seem to have quite a passion for it. A talent too." 

"Yeah, I love art. It just brings me into my own world. You know?" Olivia's face beamed as she spoke; "But... I always get scolded cause it distracts me from classes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you for help. I'll just be a waist of your time." Olivia looked down in shame and stood up.

"And where do you think you're going?" Elle asked with a serious voice; "If you don't want to be a waste of my time then sit down and let me try to help you". "Huh?" Olivia asked stopping in her tracks. Elle smiled at her. "What would really be a waste of my time is having me read your study material and assigned exercises and then walking out on me." She stated and pointed with her eyes to the chair; "Now come sit and let's put that artistic side of yours to use, huh?"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait." Olivia waved her hands blinking her eyes; "Do you wanna do art? Or physics?" "Both." Elle laughed as Olivia's face morphed into more confusion; "Sit down and you'll see". Olivia scooted over to the seat next to Elle with cautious eyes.

"I don't see how physics and art go together." She says.

"Why not? Electricity exists in the real world and art contains things of the real world." Elle said. "Yeah but I can't see electricity." Olivia answered. "But you can feel it and see it's aftermath." Elle reasoned. "But I can't draw what I feel." Olivia replied. "Really?" Elle looked at Olivia; "You, an artist, can't draw what you feel?"

"Well, of course I can but-" Olivia said. "Good then we shouldn't have a problem." Elle cut her off with a light tone; "Now... draw a series circuit for me."

"What's a series circuit?" Olivia asked. Elle's eyes widened. "You don't know?" She asked. Olivia shook her head. "No.Short focus remember." 

"Hmm. Then do you know..." Elle drew the battery symbol; "what this is?"

"Emm... A long line and a short line?" Olivia said. Elle smiled. "yes it is... but it's supposed to represent a battery" She explained; "Can you draw a battery for me? A small one like a remote battery."

"Okay but a quick one or fully detailed one?" Olivia asked; "Because a fully detailed one might take some time."

"Which ever you like more. I'm not in a rush. Just enjoy yourself." Elle answered; "And make sure to leave room for some lamps".

"What're you gonna do in the meantime then?" Olivia asked; "I don't wanna bore you."

"Oh no, don't worry. You won't bore me." Elle assured her. 'I'll just draw the rest of the symbols with the names and then a series circuit. Perhaps even a parallel circuit too. And if there's time left I'll try to write a story on my laptop".

"Oh okay." Olivia replied and started sketching a batter; "So you like writing, huh?"

"Yes, Indeed." Elle said with a low voice and laughed; "I like art too. Although I prefer Landscapes and perspective".

"Hmm. I like Landscapes, still-life and people but I don't like perspective." Olivia answered; "Okay, I'm done now."

"Really? Let me see!" Elle looked at Olivia's drawing; "Oooh nice work. Whereas mines just..."

Olivia looked to Elle's drawings. "A horizontal line? Is a cable?" Elle hummed. "Okay... I can see that. But how is an x in a circle a lamp? and these two stripes with circles at the end is a switch? and this square a resistor? and this is a volt meter? and this an Ampere meter? And what this plus and minus on the battery symbol?" Olivia bombarded Elle with multiple questions.

"Olivia." Elle chuckled. "I like that you're using your intelligence to ask questions. That's a very good trait for learning. But give me a chance to explain first."

"I'm sorry, did I go overboard?" Olivia asked with her head down. Elle played with her pencil. "No, you didn't. I'm here to help you so it's okay to ask me many questions. But you have to try it in small amounts first and out of the small will come something great and big."

"But I want to lean it quickly and just do things in big steps." Olivia complained and pouted; "Just get things over and down with. Like you finish the exercises in minutes. I wanna do that too ...But I'll never become like you..."

Elle listened intently to her. "I know what it's like to feel useless and helpless. But you learn line upon line, precept upon precept, Olivia." She answered; "For example. Could you draw as quickly with skill and as intricately when you began as you can now?"

Olivia sat back and tapped with her pencil. "No... I wasn't as experienced and familiar with the patterns back then." Elle hummed and grabbed her glass.

"Exactly, solving Physics problems as quickly as I can is exactly like that... I didn't always write and understand as quickly as I can now. In fact..." Elle looked at her glass as she leaned on one hand. "I even used to be made fun of for my slow writing and taken advantage of my obliviousness. It's only through guidance and my interest to learn things that I got this far."

"That's sad... So you weren't always the perfect honor student, Elle?" Olivia said. "You just seem like a goodie two shoes teacher's pet." Elle laughed. "I am known for it perhaps because I tend to have a more similar view as the teachers but... I'm not perfect nor the perfect honor student. You shouldn't aim to be like me. Become better than me but do so little by little with time. You have more potential..."

"You think I can actually become good at math and physics?" Olivia asked with hope in her eyes. "I could never be you."

"Of course not. Everyone is their own person. Being you is what makes you unique." Elle said; "And with that everyone learns in different ways and has different needs."

"Still. Even so... It's hard to believe though. You're like. The perfect daughter every parent wants..." Olivia replied. 

"Yeah, I get that a lot even my own friends but..." Elle sighed. "I'm eally not, I have so many faults... And they make me feel so useless at times."

"The perfect daughter?" Elle laughed; " Sometimes I feel like I would trade it all just to be with the one I love..."

"You okay?" Olivia asked with a bit of concern. "Sounds like trouble in Paradise. That boy must be really special for you to want to give up all that." Olivia laughed. Elle laughed at her too. "Yeah, he is special to me but we aren't meant to be. It's to complicated to explain. I wouldn't be so selfish to really trade it all though. There are way to many people that can use my help."

"And when there aren't?" Olivia inquired; "What then?"

"I don't know. Perhaps I'll learn to love myself by that time." Elle replied with a smile. "Or perhaps I will actually enjoy myself. After all the future holds many things and I want to be thee to see it."

"Anyways!" Elle looked to the assignments; "Sentimental time's over. Let's get back to work."

"Aww mannn." Olivia pouted; "But I want to know more about your life. It's interesting."

"Oh so my sadness is interesting, huh?" Elle sarcastically said; "Don't worry. I'll tell you more as a treat for your hard work."

"Oh yes! Now we're talking." Olivia said doing a happy dance but stopped in her tracks; "Wait... hold on. Are you gonna charge me for the tutoring?"

Elle chuckled and shook her head. "Nah, don't worry. I do it for free as long as you're diligent. I just hope you'll improve."