1987, Bakersfield CA

You were very popular in school. You were pretty/handsome, funny, nice, but most importantly, smart. Very smart. The best in your whole grade.

On one of your assignments, you got an A-. Of course, they worried you. And your parents were very strict, expecting only the best. So, before your parents could see your grade, you asked your teacher for a way to get more credit and raise it to an A+.

She suggested you volunteer to tutor some kids who weren't doing too well. You signed up almost immediately without thinking about it first.

But the teacher paired you with Jonathan. Jonathan was the quiet, nerdy kid who always got bullied. He had been struggling a lot in math lately; he wasn't as gifted as you. You doubted he was even "gifted" at all. Still, you needed to raise your grade, so you did it anyway.

He sat silently at his desk after school, staring at his lap. His leg bounced furiously with anxiety underneath the table. He was waiting for you.