Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2022 02:22:45 +0000 From: Enzo Matrice Subject: math-tutor-2 Math Tutor 02 by EnzoMatrix [enzomatrice@protonmail(dot)com] (boy/teen first time) Please support the Nifty Archive Alliance so we have a place to share and enjoy our stories. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html As my idol Zachyboy once said. "Give a little something today, you frisky little cheapskate." Nifty Archive Alliance also participates in smile.amazon.com! If you shop at Amazon, please consider using amazonsmile and choose Nifty Archive Alliance Inc as your charity. They will donate to Nifty, at no cost to you. If you like this story and want to check out my other stories, search for enzomatrice in the Nifty search bar and they should all appear. All my stories start on AllTheFallen and propagate from there. Constructive feedback is always welcome :) enjoy, enzo =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Enzo is sitting on the couch looking at the door, anxiously awaiting Dylan's arrival. Enzo's mom looks up from her book, "you know, looking at the door is not going to make him arrive any sooner." Enzo sighs, "mooooom." His mom chuckles. A few minutes later, there is a knock at the door. Enzo jumps up and makes a dash. His mom shakes her head and puts her book down. Enzo opens the door and is immediately at a loss for words the moment he lays eyes on Dylan. Enzo's mom walks up beside Enzo and stands beside him, "hi, you must be Dylan, Enzo's math tutor?" Dylan replies, "that's right ma'am, and you must be Enzo? Cool name." Enzo blushes, and in a very un-Enzo way, shyly squeaks out, "hi Dylan." Enzo is not known to be shy, but Dylan makes him shy for some reason. Enzo's mom invites Dylan in, "why don't you come in and sit down." She leads him to the couch, Enzo following like a puppy. As Dylan sits, she asks him, "would you like something to drink before we start?" Dylan says, "a glass of water would be great." Enzo's mom leaves the room leaving Enzo shyly standing there. Enzo is leaning into the couch arm, just smiling at Dylan. Dylan says, "so it sounds like you are having some trouble in math?" Enzo just nods yes. Dylan adds, "oh, I don't know math...I am a science tutor...I hope I don't make it worse?" Enzo's eyes go wide, "but...but..." Dylan chuckles, "gotcha! Just pulling your leg, of course I know math." Enzo smiles. Dylan says, "the first part of learning math is to have a little fun, otherwise this is going to be very boring, right?" Dylan `fake' yawns. Enzo giggles a little but then gets really serious. "Math is just too hard, it's just a jumble of numbers..." Dylan stops him, "little secret Enzo, math is everything. It's all around you. Now, is everything you look at a jumble?" Enzo shakes his head no. "That's right, because you recognize the patterns. We just need help you understand the patterns in math and everything will become clear." Enzo's eyes light up, "really, it's just patterns?" Dylan acts serious, "for the most part, except for Calculus, that's just a jumble of numbers." Enzo says, "really?" Dylan breaks into a smile and starts laughing, "just kidding, more patterns but harder ones to figure out." They both start laughing. Enzo's mom comes in with the water, "well you boys are having a good time already." Enzo says, "Dylan said math is all patterns, he's gonna teach me about how to understand them." Enzo's mom gives Dylan a wink, and Dylan smiles. She asks Enzo, "so do you want to keep him?" Enzo nods enthusiastically yes. Dylan asks Enzo and his mom, "would you like to go over all the details?" they both nod. Dylan continues, "I like to set up a time for two 1-hour sessions per week. I find it best to have two sessions a week with a day to study between them. I usually work on exercises on the first day, followed by a study day to let it settle in, and then a review on the third day. Most students I tutor need at least a couple months before they feel confident enough to go solo. How does that sound so far?" Enzo's mom asks, "I think that is doable, what do you think Enzo?" Enzo says, "I think two days a week is fine." Dylan corrects him, "actually 3 days for you, I expect you to be ready for the second session. No slacking." Dylan looks at him sternly, then cracks a smile. Enzo smiles back. Dylan adds, "also, just as important is the learning environment. Math, as Enzo puts it, is a jumble of numbers. But it really isn't. The environment shouldn't be either. If the environment is a mess, it becomes distracting. Can I see the room we are working in?" "Enzo why don't you take Dylan to your room." His mom says. Enzo, excited says, "come on Dylan, let me show you my room." Enzo enters the room with Dylan. It's a pretty typical 12yo boy's room, maybe cleaner. A twin bed, a dresser, a clothes closet, and a desk with a chair. His mom has already placed an extra chair in the room for Dylan. Enzo asks, "this is my room, what do you think?" Dylan looks around, he puts his fingers on his chin, "hmmmm...well...hmmmm." Enzo says, "what is it Dylan?" Dylan looks around, "hmmmmm...something is just not right...I can't put my finger on it...hmmmm..." Enzo asks quizzically, "what is it? We can try to fix whatever is wrong." Dylan says, "yeah, I'm not sure I can teach you here." Enzo is worried, "why Dylan what's wrong with my room?" Dylan says with a straight face, "how do you think you could possibly learn math with Pikachu staring at you?" Enzo says, "what?" Dylan, in a serious tone, "I could see Squirtle or my favorite Charmander, but Pikachu...I don't think this is going to work." Enzo has a devastated look on his face, "so I can't learn..." Dylan starts to crack a bit, holding back a smile." Enzo says, "hey..." Dylan starts cracking up, "I so had you there! I didn't think I could hold out that long." Enzo, cracks a smile, "you really had me..." Dylan says, "I think you would learn better with Charmander obviously, but I guess Pikachu will be OK." Enzo, cocks his head, "You like Charmander...I mean you like Pokémon?" Dylan replies, "I love Japanese anime, all kinds, including Pokémon. Even, dare I say, Pikachu?" Enzo says very excitedly, "cool, I like anime too Dylan." Dylan smiles, "well then, I guess we have something in common." Dylan continues, "seriously, this will work fine. With most boys your age that I tutor, it's like a cyclone went through. Dirty clothes everywhere, stinky socks and undies laying around. You are not gonna leave your stinky socks and undies laying around, are you?" Enzo shakes his head no. "Good, cause on the list of unacceptable things are dirty undies, dirty socks, and dirty Pikachu." They both laugh hysterically. Enzo laughs, "OK, no dirty Pikachu. Promise." Enzo's mom pops in, "you boys are getting along well." Enzo says, "Dylan says the room is fine if there are no dirty Pikachu." Dylan smiles. Enzo's mom smiles and says, "I think we can handle that Dylan. Is everything else fine here? I brought a chair for you." Dylan chuckles, "yeah this will do fine. I told Enzo about the other boys I tutor and their messy rooms." Enzo giggles thinking of stinky socks and dirty undies. Enzo's mom says, "I can imagine. Enzo is pretty good about keeping his room clean." Dylan says to Enzo, "I have a little time if you need help with math homework. I heard you were a little behind?" Enzo says, "really Dylan, you'll help me? I am so far behind." Enzo looks down, "I might fail..." Dylan reassures him, "yeah, let's not let that happen. Get your books. We are gonna math the heck out of those problems." Enzo giggles. Enzo's mom smiles, "I will leave you boys to it." The boys hear her chuckle, "math the heck out of it..." as she closes the door. The boys look at each other and laugh. Dylan says, "why don't you show me where you're stuck and I can help you." Enzo moves the chair for Dylan and they both sit down. He opens the book and his notebook, which just has the exercise written down and lots of scribbled-out numbers. Dylan asks, "I guess you didn't get very far?" Enzo shakes his head no. "You mind?" Dylan points at the pencil in Enzo's hand. As Dylan grasps the pencil, he touches Enzo's hand. It's like a bolt of electricity goes through Enzo from the connection. He feels a weird sensation in his stomach and...between his legs? Enzo thinks, that was weird. Dylan begins to draw on the paper, "OK, forget the math for a second. Think of a brick wall, and how the bricks are layered. So, in the first row, the bricks are one after another like 1,2,3, and so on. Now, think of the second row of bricks. They don't lay the next row the same way, they offset so the next brick lays over the first two, right?" Enzo nods. "OK, so that is called the offset. You need to add half a brick for the second row. Now, how about the third row?" Enzo thinks, "no offset, like the first row?" Dylan says, "exactly, so first no offset, second offset, third no offset, fourth offset. That is the pattern, you can calculate that in math." Enzo says, "but, what does that have to do with these problems." Dylan points to the book, "for these equations, the first part tells you what the second part needs. So, for this one, the first part is like that first row of bricks. What about the second part?" Enzo looks at Dylan quizzically, "it's shifted?" Dylan, "exactly, it's shifted. So..." Enzo, "so 8?" Dylan, "wow, you're quick!" Dylan scans, "how about this one Enzo?" Enzo looks, "well that is not the same pattern at all?" Dylan says, "Is it? Think of the brick wall, many rows, many layers. Pick a random spot in the middle. Would that be 1,2,3? Of course not. But if you find out if it's an offset row or not. You calculate from that. So, look again." Enzo says, "it's like something is...uhm...changed?" Dylan asks, "like maybe a window or door. That would change the offset maybe?" Enzo's face lights up, "5, it's 5!" Dylan says, "see, I told you it's not just a jumble of numbers." Enzo, side bumps Dylan and smiles. "I think you got it Enzo, now just continue with the rest." He finishes the 10 questions correctly in about 10 minutes; which he struggled with for hours, without even understanding. Dylan says, "wow, that was fast Enzo." Enzo smiles ear-to-ear, "I have a good tutor!" Dylan delivered the side bump that time. Dylan gets up, "well, I gotta get going. I will..." Enzo jumps up and gives Dylan a hug. "Thanks Dylan!" Dylan chuckles, "well I don't get paid money, but I will take hugs." Enzo walks Dylan to the living room. "Mom, Dylan is like a super genius! I finished the problems in minutes once he helped me learn the patterns." Dylan chuckles, "just a genius, I don't wear a cape." They all laugh. "See you next week?" Dylan asks. Enzo replies, "definitely, right mom?" Enzo's mom says, "definitely." And winks at Dylan. After Dylan leaves, Enzo turns, "Mom you won't believe how much he helped me. Thanks so much for getting Dylan as a tutor." He leans in to hug his mom. His mom says, "why don't you get ready for dinner. Your sister and father should be home from her dance class any minute. Dinner is almost ready." =+=-=+=-=+= Enzo lays in bed that night, thinking about the meeting with Dylan. He thinks about how smart and good-looking Dylan is...wait, good-looking? Then he thinks about when Dylan grabbed the pencil and how he felt. A warm feeling starts in his lower regions. That's weird he thinks...before falling fast asleep.