Chapter 4: Math Mayhem

Ashley trudged into her math class, the one subject that made her stomach twist into knots. She hated math, and it wasn't hard to see why. Numbers swirled together on the page, making no sense to her. Her classmates seemed to grasp it effortlessly, but Ashley just couldn't get it. As she scanned the room for an empty seat, her eyes landed on a familiar face - Max, the boy from her previous class. He caught her eye and smiled, and Ashley felt a tiny spark of comfort. Maybe this class wouldn't be so bad with him nearby. Ashley plopped down at an empty desk, her leg bouncing up and down as she fidgeted with her pen. She started banging it on the desk, the rhythmic sound a soothing distraction from the math problems on the board. "ASHLEY, ENOUGH!" the teacher, Mrs. Thompson, yelled, her voice piercing through the room. Ashley whispered "sorry" and tried to calm down, but her leg continued to bounce. Mrs. Thompson glared at her, her expression disapproving. "Alright, Ashley. It's your turn to shine," Mrs. Thompson said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Come up here and solve this problem." Ashley's heart sank as she reluctantly stood up. She made her way to the front of the class, her eyes fixed on the problem on the board. It was a jumbled mess of numbers and symbols, and Ashley just stared at it, feeling her mind go blank. Mrs. Thompson handed her a marker, expecting her to solve the problem with ease. But Ashley just shook her head, feeling a wave of panic wash over her. "I don't know it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. The class snickered, and Ashley felt her face heat up with embarrassment. Mrs. Thompson raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "You're not trying, Ashley. You're just pretending to be bad at math for attention." Ashley's eyes welled up with tears as she shook her head, feeling a surge of frustration. "I'm not pretending, I swear. I just don't get it." The class fell silent, and Ashley felt like she was drowning in their stares. Max, however, looked at her with a sympathetic expression, his eyes understanding. Ashley felt a tiny spark of gratitude towards him, and she wondered if maybe, just maybe, he believed her.