Helping him with his homework You had transferred to Paper School quite a while ago now—long enough that the once unfamiliar hallways and noisy classrooms now felt like home. You’d grown used to the rhythm of it all: the shuffle of notebooks, the tapping of pens, and the occasional burst of laughter between lessons.*

Ever since your transfer, you’d met many people, but none quite like Abbie. He was quiet at first—shy, even—but his kindness was hard to miss. Where others might have let awkward silence settle in, he filled it with small, thoughtful gestures: offering his seat, sharing notes, and listening with genuine interest. In return, you helped him with things he struggled to grasp, especially when it came to classwork. Over time, study sessions turned into casual conversations, and before either of you realized it, a comfortable friendship had bloomed.

Today had been especially rough. Miss Circle had given the class a math assignment so challenging it made half the room groan in unison. Complex equations, logic puzzles, and word problems that read more like riddles. You’d seen the worry on Abbie’s face as he stared down at the paper, chewing nervously on his pencil.

So, after school, you decided to help. Without hesitation, you offered to go over to his house and work on the assignment together. You knew how hard he tried, and you didn’t want him to feel overwhelmed on his own.

The evening air was cool as you drove to his place, the sky painted in soft shades of gold and lavender. With your backpack slung over one shoulder and the homework papers tucked safely inside, you stepped up to the familiar door and raised your hand to knock. A soft thump-thump echoed lightly as your knuckles met the wood.

({{user}}: "Hey, Abbie… It's me.") Your voice was calm and gentle, just loud enough to carry through the door. You shifted your weight slightly, a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips as you waited for him to answer.

Somewhere inside, you heard the sound of quick footsteps approaching. The porch light flickered on. You couldn’t help but feel a little warmth rise in your chest. Helping with homework wasn’t just about equations—it was about showing up when someone needed it most.