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says.
    I tilt my head with a grin. “I told you I could do it. I just didn’t.”
    “
Lucky for me, huh? I could have been stuck tutoring some techy loser like Reece.” He sucks in a breath and his eyes widen slightly as though he said something he shouldn’t.
    “
Who?”
    He looks surprised as he turns his head and studies me. Rubbing his forehead, he laughs but it sounds forced “No one, just a friend of mine.”
    My shoulders tighten as I try to figure out why he’s acting so weird. The way he described Reece doesn’t sound like he’s a friend.
    Evan closes his trig book. “Before we meet again, you need to read the next history chapter and then Mr. Archer will have you retake your test. We can also go over the study sheet. Do you have it?”
    “
I think I used it as a book mark.”
    He tries to hide a grin. “That won’t do you any good, will it? I’ll get you another copy. Trig’s gonna be your big-time soaker. You have a lot of assignments to make up.” He ticks off a long list, then looks up in amazement. “Did you do any of the work?”
    “
Umm…”
    He shakes his head. “Never mind. Just try to do as many assignments as you can.” He pulls out his cell phone before he rips a corner off a sheet of paper. He taps his phone then writes a phone number, his handwriting neat and legible.
    He slides it across the table toward me. “Here’s my phone number. If you have any questions, call me. I’d rather try to help you through it this weekend than have you wait until next Tuesday.”
    That’s weird. Why’d he have to look up his own phone number? “Tuesday?”
    “
Yeah, today’s Thursday and you don’t have tutoring on Friday. Mrs. Hernandez said Maryann Sweeney was working with you on Mondays, so that means we meet Tuesday.”
    “
Oh.” I feel like an idiot.
    He pushes the paper closer, his eyes burning into mine. “I mean it. Call me for any reason.”
    I swallow, trying to determine if his words mean what they seem to imply. I nod, unable to speak.
    He clears his throat and stands. “Okay, bye.” But he stays next to his chair.
    “
Bye,” I whisper, having trouble finding enough air to push out the word.
    He studies me for a few more seconds. “Jules, don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? Try to show yourself a little mercy.”
    Then he turns and walks away.

Chapter Five

    Dinner is uncomfortable. In my new effort to be normal, I sit at the kitchen table and stuff meatloaf and mashed potatoes in my mouth while my stomach rebels at the intrusion. The tension is thick, my presence unfamiliar and uncomfortable for my father and sister. They keep their focus on their plates while Mom tries in vain to start a conversation.
    “
How was school, Anna?”
    Anna’s eyes raise from her plate and shift from Mom to Dad before lowering again. “Good.”
    “
Did you give your presentation?”
    “
Mmmhmm.”
    I rest my fork on the edge of my plate. “What was it about?”
    Anna looks up, her eyes as big as half dollars. Her mouth drops open, revealing the mashed potatoes inside.
    “
Anna,” Mom prompts, “Julia asked you a question.”
    She closes her mouth and swallows. “It was a social studies project. About ancient Egypt.”
    “
A sugar cube pyramid?”
    She nods.
    “
Who’s your teacher?”
    “Uh… Mrs. Morrison.” She shifts in her seat.
    I lower my face to ease her discomfort. “I had her, too. I liked her.”
    No one speaks, the room silent except for the scraping of forks on plates.
    “
Julia, what did you do today at school?” I hear the hesitation in Mom’s voice, worried I’ll ignore her question as usual. My attempt at conversation with Anna must fuel her courage.
    “
We read ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ in literature, learned about cell mitosis in biology, then the Cold War in history.” I stab my meatloaf. “All in all, it was a stellar day.” My slightly sarcastic tone matches the curl of my lips.
    My dad looks up from his food in disbelief. Mom can’t