Understanding Zoey

I stood in Times square watching, waiting. Yet she still hadn’t shown face. I was not accustomed to any of my students being late to extra sessions and if one was late, I would be infuriated because that might mean they did not enjoy mathematics as much as they say they did. Of course Hannah Gradilla was no exception no matter how gifted she was. Yet instead of leaving a note to her inclusive mother saying she was a no-show I continued rocking back and forth with a sweaty brow waiting for her. After 5 more minutes of what felt to be the most uncomfortable 15 minutes of my 16 years of teaching I saw a girl running through the flood of people and she looked…cheerful? She had long frizzy blond hair that blew gracefully in the wind and piercing blue eyes that stood out in the warm March afternoon. There was an unknown energy to her, as if one day it was guaranteed everything in the world would be right. I shook the feeling off telling myself that no matter how hopeful this girl looked, she was my late student and I would put on a good act. “Hello by any chance are you Gertruid Shampelton?” she asked me. “Yes” I said sternly “and who might you be?” even though I knew the answer. “I’m Hannah’s little sister” she said and I was suddenly very taken aback by this and lost my powerful act. “I came here to inform you she will not be joining the session today.” Zoey said completely unfrightened by me. I have never met a strange child like this one in my life even out of my job but pretended that her demeanor did not affect me. I straightened up and asked “And why is that?” to which Zoey replied “She’s missing” her bright face suddenly sank into an expression of pain and sadness. It felt like the whole world was ending. All I could do was lose my act entirely and manage an “Oh I see” Zoey nodded and then continued speaking “My mother was wondering if I could fill her place?” she asked, rocking back and forth. She seemed nervous as if I could reject a new student. But maybe my face seemed stern or too stunned because I could not say a word to the strange girl. Zoey did not, however, do anything like cry or get emotionale like I would in her shoes, instead she remained completely calm and neutral as she continued speaking “I understand this must be inconvenient for you but I can assure you I will do just as well as my sister.” she seemed like she would become a very good student so I accepted her offer. I thought that maybe she could be lying but I shook that off since, if she was who she said she was then I had one less student and this was my chance to not only get her back, but to get a new one. “I need an approval” I said, because no matter how much I wanted this “Zoey” to be one of my students I had to stick to rules no matter the cost. Zoey immediately pulled out a piece of paper from a pocket in her jacket. The  paper had her mother's handwriting on it so I naturally assumed that that was the permission slip, I was correct in my assumption. It very briefly explained their family situation and had a $100 bill in it as well. All the note said was “Due to the fact that my 17-year-old daughter Hannah Gradilla  is currently missing I have requested my younger daughter Zoey Gradilla  to take her place for the remaining lessons,  keep the change - Meredith Gradilla”  I was quite surprised that that was how brief the letter was due to the fact that Mrs.Gradilla has already lost her husband in a tragic car crash,  her being so brief about this was very strange. But I did not question it nor did I object when Zoey handed me a math notebook twice the level of her sister. “May I ask your age?” I asked as properly as I could. “Well I’m 16 according to the law but I like to think myself 20” Zoey said very promptly. “And why is that?” I asked in a judgemental tone because surely she was just being extremely way too arrogant to think herself 20! “Well I do have a full time job that pays for our rent, I cook I clean of course I go to college-”

“You are in college?!” I was too surprised, surely I was mistaken, but if I wasn't that meant she was more of a genius than her sister! “Yes, college. As I was saying, I also take care of my mother and keep my sister out of trouble and-” Once she was complete with the list I had no words and thought she could truly be 20. “Well…shall we begin then?” I asked, realizing we just wasted another 15 minutes, “Yes of course!” She exclaimed as if she was about to get the gift of her dreams. She was the opposite of her sister, always late and sulking, trying to get me off topic every 3 minutes…but Zoey was focused, determined and happy to get to the harder problems. By the end of the lesson she had completely changed my perspective of her in less than 30 minutes! “Thank you for the lesson, next time let's meet up at my apartment, 1245 Chalk Road bye!” She seemed to be rushing somewhere but I was too stunned to think about it.Never in my 16 years of teaching have I met someone so extraordinary. The lessons with Zoey continued for a week and were the best hours of my life. Not only did she have a logical, mathematical explanation for everything, but she taught me some new things too. “Given f(x) = x^3 - 6x^2 + 11x - 6 and g(x) = x^2 - 4x + 3, find g(f(x)).” I said one day at their apartment  “To solve it, you'll need to substitute the expression for f(x) into the expression for g(x), simplifying as much as possible along the way.” She said thinking har “So the answer is…22!” She exclaimed, correct yet again. Just then the door burst open…and Hannah walked in. “I FEEL ALIVE!” she said dramatically, clearly she had been drinking. “What are you doing here?” Zoey asked, giving her older sister a long hard cold stare. Hannah laughed like it was nothing “I’m back what's the big deal sis?” 

“You're on drugs” Zoey said like it was an obvious factor “That's the big deal!” 

“Also the fact that you do underaged drinking AND YOUR BUDDY TRIED TO SUFFOCAIT ME!” 

“LEAVE SARAH OUT OF THIS!” Hannah yelled 

“BUT SHE DID AND YOU KNOW IT!” Zoey yelled back standing up

“SHE TRIED TO THROW YOUR OWN MOTHER OUT! KILL YOUR LITTLE SISTER AND YOUR STILL DEFENDING HER!?” Zoey said, looking ready to kill someone herself.

“LOOK SHE JUST GOT A LITTLE WAISTED! IT'S NOT LIKE SHE ALWAYS DOES THAT!” Hannah screamed out and then wailed and fell on the floor at Zoey's feet “Please take me back! She snitched on me to the cops so she could get away!” Hannah cried out

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?” a frail but dominant woman was standing in the doorway, she had the girls eyes and hair so I figured she must be Meridith Gradilla, the mother “HANNAH?!” she cried out at the sight of her older daughter “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! GET OUT, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” she screamed “YOU SELFISH GIRL! YOU DARE COME BACK AND EXPECT TO BE WELCOMED! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOU RAN AWAY!? THE COPS CAME SAYING THAT YOU ARE ON DRUGS!!! THEN THEY DISCOVERED THEN IN YOUR SISTERS ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!THANK GOD THEY FOUND A TAPE OF YOU SLIPPING THE DRUGS THERE OR THEY WOULD’VE TAKEN ZOEY! THEN SHE WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR CRIMES!” In that instant Hannah was out the door running down the stairs and down the street. Then we heard sirens and police raging outside, it was New York after all but we all knew who those sirens were coming for:Hannah. Zoey and her mother hugged each other on the kitchen floor and cried, they seemed to have forgotten I was there. “Oh” Zoey said, straightening up and sniffling when she realized I was still there. “I’m sorry Ma’am, family trama we can con-” I held up a hand for silence 

“There's no need to explain Zoey, but if you would like, I could help you out, financially that is” the words came out very clear, as if I had been rehearsing these words for a while. “That would be lovely” Meredith said smiling and we all held onto each other on the kitchen floor. Now I know what family feels like.