The Girl Who Turned in Alexander Carter's Math Homework | Teen Ink

The Girl Who Turned in Alexander Carter's Math Homework

January 10, 2013
By TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown


"Shut up, you nerd. Nobody cares."

I watched as the helpless, tiny boy with glasses that barely traced his eyes was shoved against the wall, papers flying everywhere and evil laughter sprinkling through the air. My eyes hurt just looking at the poor boy, and I stumbled forward to help retrieve his paperwork. He sent a half-smile in my direction, but it was replaced by wide eyes and a twisted, confused mouth when I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw a shadow pass over the boy's face.

"So, you've decided to help him out, eh?"

I gulped and did not turn around. I had no nerve, my hands were shaking, and my glasses were about as bad as the boy's had been.

"Cute. Nerd love. See this, guys? It's nerd love."

Laughter peppered the air again, and I could feel it burning my tongue, persuading me to speak.
The hard hands pushed me against the wall, spraying the boy's papers that I had been trying to retrieve all over the hallway.

"Nerd love," he whimpered sarcastically, "Too cute."

He followed his words with another shove on my shoulders and more peppery laughter. He turned slowly, but whipped himself around again and said, "Better watch out, nerds. The teachers are watching."
He and his buddies laughed together and walked away.

I turned to look at the boy and collect the scattered papers.

He was gone.

I bent to pick up the nearest paper; it was some complicated math that I had yet to solve. However, the boy had easily deciphered each problem with neat script. I looked at the page behind it, expecting to see the complicated work behind the neat answers.

That is not what I saw.

There was a note from the boy.

The note was in neat script.

I read:

To whom it may concern,

I've been bullied throughout my entire existence up until now, and I honestly can't stand it anymore.
My name is Alexander Carter, and I don't want to live on this Earth anymore. Don't try and stop me. By the time somebody important reads this letter, I'll be long gone. Don't miss me.

Make sure my math teacher gets my homework.

Sincerely,
Alexander Carter


The author's comments:
I hope that this is insightful and that you can get a great meaning and moral from this story. Thank you so much for reading. It honestly does mean a lot.

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This article has 44 comments.


on Mar. 29 2013 at 10:43 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

Thank you SO much! I am kind of different. ;) We all are, though.

alex2512 said...
on Mar. 29 2013 at 3:33 pm
alex2512, X, Other
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments
Wow, that was really different, from the format to the unexpected ending, and I mean that in a good way :) I really liked it :D

on Mar. 28 2013 at 11:43 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

Thanks! I tried to make the title grab the reader's attention but still make a TON of sense when you reach the end. Thanks for the feedbacK!!

on Mar. 27 2013 at 10:32 pm
bookmouse BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1 article 90 photos 251 comments
I love how the title says what happens after the end! Wow!

on Mar. 26 2013 at 7:19 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

Thank you so much! It really does mean a lot. (:

on Mar. 26 2013 at 10:35 am
GuardianoftheStars GOLD, Shongaloo, Louisiana
17 articles 0 photos 495 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Let&#039;s tell young people the best books are yet to be written; the best painting, the best government, the best of everything is yet to be done by them.&quot;<br /> -John Erslcine

That is so sad!!!! D': And what makes it even worse is that this could very well be a true story.  You really captured this moment very well. I had shivers when I read the last of it! You are super talented and you earned that editor's choice award!!

on Mar. 25 2013 at 6:10 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Thank you so much. (:

on Mar. 25 2013 at 6:09 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Many thanks!!

on Mar. 25 2013 at 5:11 pm
austenite77 GOLD, Appleton, Wisconsin
13 articles 0 photos 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
Die my dear? Why that&#039;s the last thing I&#039;ll do

This is so chilling, and scary. I wonder how I would even respond to something like that. Great story!

on Mar. 25 2013 at 4:44 pm
PrincessClaire BRONZE, Fayetteville, North Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
don&#039;t do me do your hair

That was so good I really loved it. I liked how you described everything- the boy, the laughter, the homework- so well. You're a good writer! XXX- Claire

on Mar. 24 2013 at 2:40 pm
readaholic PLATINUM, Tomahawk, Wisconsin
27 articles 0 photos 425 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather fail because I fell on my own face than fall because someone tripped me up<br /> ~Jhonen Vasquez

You're welcome!

on Mar. 23 2013 at 11:16 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

I completely understand! I  don't think it's meant to be inspirational; rather, I think it's just supposed to open the reader's eyes to the obvious world around them. Thank you so much for the feedback, though! I'll be glad to check out your work as well.

on Mar. 23 2013 at 11:14 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Gosh... Thank you SOO much! Wow... I honestly wrote this on impulse, and I never thought that it would be this well-received... Thank you!!

on Mar. 23 2013 at 11:13 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Oh my gosh... Thank you SO much! It really means a lot! ((: Wow, that made my day. I'll definitely check out some of your work. Thank you again!

on Mar. 23 2013 at 2:37 pm
Apollo77 PLATINUM, Brunswick, Ohio
20 articles 0 photos 103 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.&rdquo;<br /> &quot;Madame, all stories, if continued far enough, end in death, and he is no true-story teller who would keep that from you.&quot;<br /> -Ernest Hemingway

This is beautiful. I really think it is nice, i don't know about inspirational because, what, am i inspired to turn in some kids homework so he wont kill himself...thats sad, but I'm being harsh...i loved it really, and i like how the title is the ending, thats really cool. Great job

on Mar. 23 2013 at 10:49 am
WhenItRains21 GOLD, Magnolia, Texas
12 articles 0 photos 54 comments
Oops! Forgot. I especially loved the "peppery laughter." 
I had to add that. xD

on Mar. 23 2013 at 10:48 am
WhenItRains21 GOLD, Magnolia, Texas
12 articles 0 photos 54 comments
I've honestly never read something that has given me chills like this. Not just because it's such a paunful reality, but because it was written very well. I was so caught up in the story that I never saw the end coming. 
The characters felt so real, especially at the end, when Alexander makes sure his homework is turned in. 
This is just so great. I love how you ended - it leaves so many questions open. Great job!

on Mar. 22 2013 at 5:04 pm
readaholic PLATINUM, Tomahawk, Wisconsin
27 articles 0 photos 425 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather fail because I fell on my own face than fall because someone tripped me up<br /> ~Jhonen Vasquez

Awesome.  So painfully realistic.  Definitely deserving of an editor's choice, and I"m surprised it didn't get in the magazine.  Good descritption and suspence, especially with the shortness of the story.  Really cool :)

on Feb. 19 2013 at 7:08 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Never fear shadows. They simply mean there&#039;s a light shining somewhere nearby.&quot; - Unknown

Thanks so much! I appreciate the feedback! (:

TomDuff SILVER said...
on Feb. 6 2013 at 3:40 am
TomDuff SILVER, Portage, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
The heart is limited, but the soul is forever, by fate for eternity we strive together

I really liked this! Excellent twist at the end too! Gave me a chill!