“Before you all leave, please check PowerSchool so you can see what you need to turn in. The rest of this quarter is reserved for making up work in all classes,” said Mrs. Teller, my math teacher.  

I sighed, putting my head in one hand. I hate math. No, hate’s an understatement. I despise it. Don’t get me wrong. My math teacher’s awesome. But just the subject alone makes my stomach turn.

Not wanting to disappoint my teacher, and wanting to go to my electives, I quickly logged into my computer to check. Shoot. I'm glad I looked because I had 6 missing assignments.

“Oh Lord,” I whispered. 

“What?” my friend, Caleb, asked as he collected his things. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Um, nothing. I’ve just got a bunch of assignments due.”

Caleb stifled a laugh. “Ha. Good luck.”

“Thanks,” I grumbled, grabbing my things and shoving them in my bag. Guess I won't be getting much sleep tonight. 

-----

Turns out, things didn’t really go as planned. I got home and almost immediately fell asleep. To say I was mad is an understatement. 

After a long day at school, I get home and, with a sudden boost of motivation, I run upstairs to my room, dig out my computer and set up shop to work. As I worked on a missing essay from ELA, my phone buzzed on the desk. I sighed and flipped it over to see my friend, Caleb calling. I look over to my clock for the time which read 4:30.

“Five minutes,” I whispered to myself as I slid my finger across the screen to answer. But it’s not until 5:30 that I actually get off the call. So, I may or may not have gotten a bit distracted. What can I say? Friends are the best kind of disturbance. 

After that slight wrench in my schedule, I ate dinner, which turned out to be the only break I’d have until 2:00 am. Don’t even get me started on how tired I was the next day. Definitely got a good 3 hours during Math, Science, and ELA. Mrs. Fidgeon, my Science teacher, was a little worried to say the least. 

“This is interesting behavior coming from one of my best students,” she told me after class. It was just the two of us. I was grateful she hadn’t corrected me during the lesson; she’d just let me sleep. “I hope I never see you asleep again, Mr. Davis. I hope you don’t mind me asking why you’re so tired all of a sudden.” I then explained my entire situation to her, and she sat there and listened, which was nice. Adults don't usually do that. 

“Have you thought about talking to your other teachers about it?”

“Of course I have. But what are they gonna do? Give me an A instead of an F like I should have?”

She laughed. “Well, maybe not that, but a couple of extra days from the new quarter to turn it in.” 

“You really think that’ll work?"

“You’ll never know until you ask.” So, taking her advice, I went up to my ELA teacher and explained everything. She’d told me that she’d understood and actually gave me an extension! It was until she left at 3:30, but still. It was only more than enough time for me to work on it. 

When I got back to class, I was smiling so brightly and so hard that not only did my face hurt, but Caleb raised an eyebrow at me and asked, 

“Dude, what’s got you in such a good mood?”

“I have more time to work on my school assignments,” I responded, settling myself down in front of my computer and getting to work. Caleb stared at me for a few seconds and whispered a small “weird” and then looked back down to his own work.

At the end of the day, I turned all my work in, and here we are. My grade, if you’re wondering, went from a 69% to a 75%. Needless to say, I was very happy.

Written by Carolina Leduc

Lay down your weary head, darling,

Just for a moment.

To rest and to seek.

To seek meaning in the words to come.

You, my love, have found purpose.

Maybe not yours, but mine.

And I have found yours as I write to you,

So that you may find meaning in every moment. 

I write to you in a position of vulnerability.

One of sadness,

And worry, 

With a hint of salty tears.

But I also write to you in a position of joy.

One of faith, 

And grace. 

With a sprinkle of eagerness.

And now, reader, I’ve given you my heart.

My purpose.

Do with it what you must.

But first, find the meaning in between.

Written by Lana Harrison