Episode 64: Scene Three
Karen let her backpack and binder fall on to the small library table. Thankfully, only a few other people were quietly studying in the large room, which would make her tutorial with Tanner much easier.
All day she had been debating whether Tanner would show up or not. Part of her hoped that he would while another part wondered if he had been so stressed out during the day that he had just decided to go back to the dorms and forget about their session. Her questions were quickly answered.
"Hey," Tanner greeted quietly, coming up from behind her and setting his books on the table.
"Hey, Tanner. I'm glad you came," Karen smiled kindly.
"What do you mean? Did you think I wouldn't come?"
"Well..." Karen's voice trailed off.
"Well, I'm here," Tanner said sharply, sitting down and folding his arms.
"That's, um, great. So how was your day?"
"Fine."
"Did you like your teachers."
"Sure."
"Did you get along okay?"
"What's with the questions?"
His irritated question caused Karen's own temper begin to rise. However, she gathered up all her strength and pushed it down, reminding herself that he was going through a hard time and that such reaction should be expected. "I'm sorry."
Tanner looked down at the gray-carpeted floor and shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I've been acting like a real jerk towards you lately when you've been doing nothing but try to help me."
"No, it's okay. Really, it is."
"I appreciate what you're doing, Karen. Even if I don't always show it, I appreciate it."
Karen felt a strong urge to give Tanner a strong, reassuring hug, but guarded against it. She smiled awkwardly at him for a moment before she turned to her backpack and pulled out a couple of books. "So what shall we start with?"
Tanner groaned and unfolded his arms. "English, bio, algebra, Spanish, health, you take your pick."
Karen laughed before pulling out a thin, crisp blue folder out of her binder. "How about we start with the easy stuff. What do you have to do for health?"
"Besides having to do a personality poster to tell people about me, I have chapter one vocabulary as well as lesson one review questions. It's not that hard, so I could probably do it at home," Tanner paused, a sudden thought occuring to hime. "In fact, I could probably do everything when I get back home. Right now I feel like heading down to Jax's to grab a bite to eat. I'm starving."
Karen put a hand on a rising Tanner's arm. "Tanner, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure," he allotted, though he was confused about her suddenly serious nature.
"Did you go to your parents' funeral?"
Tanner stared at her a moment, seeming to almost be unable to comprehend what she had inquired. Blinking, he replied, "I'd rather not talk about this right now."
"Remember what I told you earlier? You need to talk to someone or else what you're feeling will just get worse."
"Why don't you just stay out of my business?" Tanner snapped, jerking his arm out from under Karen's hand.
"Because you're too stubborn to take care of it your own self!" Karen retorted, and immediately regreted it the moment it came of her mouth.
Tanner grabbed his bag and his books. "I don't need you or your stupid little tutorials. Let's just consider this tutorial and all future ones over!"
"Fine! I have a fundraising session to attend anyway!" Karen nearly shouted back at him, but then remembered she was a library and brought the volume down to a fierce whisper.
"Oh, yes! We can't forget about your little title, can we? God, why did I even sign you up in the first place?" Tanner turned around to leave.
"What did you say?"
"I said-" Tanner halted abruptly when he realized that he had told one of his most carefully hidden secrets. "Forget it. I'm outta here."
"Wait, Tanner!" Karen called after him, but he had already made his exit out of the room.
"If you can't be quiet, then you need to leave to," the librarian, who'd been observing their conversation for quite some time, said. "This is a place of quiet so people can study."
"Yes, ma'am," Karen said, slumping back into her chair. So Tanner was the one who admitted me into the Miss Midway contest. I've got to find him soon. I don't know how or what I'll do, but I've got to find him.