Chapter Text
You walk through the halls of the school, lost in your thoughts. "I should have found a better place to make money," you say to yourself.
The school has offered you the opportunity to earn some money for restocking and general school supplies, but the noise and all the activity around you is so distracting that you can't even hear your own thoughts.
Students stream around you, some watching you with interest, others completely ignoring you. You hold a bunch of keys in your hand and try to find your way to the storage room, where you need to find out what books are missing.
You pass a group of students talking excitedly about something. Some give you a quick glance before diving back into their conversation. Others walk past you without noticing you, fully focused on their own business.
You stop outside one door and examine the numbers on the keys to make sure you have the right one. After a moment, you find the right key and unlock the door to the warehouse. There's a faint smell of old paper and dust in the air.
You look around the warehouse for a record book or computer to record what books are missing. When you finally find an old notebook lying on the table, you start to go through the list of books. Some of them are obviously old and worn, others are newer but still in need of replenishment.
In your notebook, you write down the necessary information about the books that need to be ordered. You carefully write down the titles, authors, and number of missing copies. When you're done, you close the notebook and walk out of the warehouse.
The hallway is quiet and empty now that classes have started and students are in their classes. You walk past a row of lockers when suddenly you hear the sound of swearing and metal clanging. You turn around and see a boy kicking his locker angrily. As he kicks the locker, he hisses in pain and clutches his leg.
You decide to approach him. As soon as he notices you, he gets nervous and starts stuttering. "Uh, ah... sorry, I just... the locker wouldn't open," he says, trying to hide his anger and pain.
You almost want to roll your eyes at his excuse, but you manage to keep a straight face.
"Are you okay?" You ask him gently, trying to keep your tone as pleasant as possible.
The boy stares at you hesitantly for a moment, then nods. "Yeah, I'm... I'm just annoyed about the locker," he replies, still stuttering slightly.
"Can I help you?" You offer.
He looks at you for a moment, then sighs. "I'm not very good at math and..... It's just stressing me out a lot," he admits, concern in her eyes.
You nod in understanding. "I can help you with math if you want. I have some free time right now," you suggest.
The boy looks at you in surprise, then smiles as his nervousness begins to subside. "Really? That would be great. Thanks a lot," he says, still a little shy, but with a hint of relief in his voice.
"You're welcome. What's your name?" you ask.
"I'm Morty," he replies, and this time his smile seems more genuine.
"I'm [your name]," you introduce yourself. "Come on, let's find a quiet place where we can study."
Morty walks down the corridor next to you and after a moment, he decides to speak. "Who are you, anyway? I've never seen you here before," he asks, curious and cautious at the same time.
"I'm the new assistant," you reply calmly. "I'm in charge of the books and helping students when they need it."
"Oh," Morty says, seeming a little surprised. "That's cool. So you're good at math?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty good at it. I've always enjoyed math," you reply with a smile.
Morty thinks for a moment before looking at you with a hint of admiration. "Wow, that's great. I'm having quite a bit of trouble with that."
"That's okay," you say encouragingly. "A lot of people have trouble with math, but with a little practice and patience, it can be done."
"So," he starts again, "how did you get to work here?"
"I was looking for a place where I could be useful and get money at the same time," you explain. "The library has always been my favorite place, so this seemed like a great opportunity."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Morty replies, his confidence seeming to return a little. "So... where do we study?"
You look around and find a quiet spot at the end of the hallway where there are a few benches. "This looks good," you suggest.
Morty nods and follows you to a bench. "Thanks for your help," he says again as you sit down. "It's really nice of you to want to help me."
"You're welcome," you reply, getting your books and notebooks ready. "So, what specifically do you need help with?"
Morty pulls his notebook out of his backpack and shows you a few problems he's not sure how to do. "This one here... I don't understand it at all," he admits.
"Okay, we'll look at it together," you say, and begin patiently explaining the steps.
Morty listens and occasionally asks follow-up questions. Gradually you see how it starts to make sense to him and his confidence grows. As you explain, you notice that Morty is not the sharpest pencil in the pen, but he needs a little more support and encouragement because of this.
After a moment of silence, during which you both take notes and check homework, you look at Morty and ask, "Morty, does anyone teach you math at home?"
Morty looks at you a little nervously, his eyes glittering with anxiety. "Uh, well... you know, sometimes my Grandpa Rick tries, but, uh, it usually ends up... Weird enough," he replies, his voice quavering a little, as if he's recalling an unpleasant experience.
"What do you mean, weird?"
"Well, Rick's... he's a genius, you know, but... sometimes it's like he forgets that I'm not a genius either," Morty says, and there's a hint of frustration in his voice. "He explains things so fast I can't even follow, let alone understand. And then... well, sometimes he just decides that math isn't fun enough and... we end up in some crazy science experiment or on another planet or something," he adds, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
"That sounds... challenging," you reply sympathetically, trying to understand his situation. "I think you need someone who'll be calm and patient with you. Someone who will respect your pace."
"Yeah, that'd be good," Morty admits, and there's relief in his voice.
"What about your mom and dad? Do they ever teach you math?"
Morty frowns and sighs. "Mum... well, she's quite busy with her work. She's a vet for horses, you know, and that takes up a lot of her time. And when she's home, she's usually tired or taking care of my sister Summer."
"And your dad?" You ask next, though you can sense from Morty's expression that the answer won't be very positive.
"Dad... um, well... Dad Jerry isn't the best at math," Morty admits with a rather wry smile. "In fact, the one time I asked him for help with my homework, we both ended up even more confused than before. I think he needs tutoring himself."
Your conversation continues, and you sense that Morty is beginning to trust your presence and support.
"Thanks a lot," Morty says as you finish a few problems together. "I'm beginning to understand."
"I'm glad," you reply with a smile. "If you don't know what to do, feel free to look me up."
"Sure, thanks," Morty says, looking genuinely grateful for your help.
"You're welcome, Morty," you reply, packing up your things. "I'm happy to help whenever you need it."
Morty smiles and nods. "So I guess I'll see you next time," he says, hope in his voice.
.....
Morty returns home after a long day at school with an unusually wide smile on his face. He skips to the kitchen table where his family - Beth, Summer, Jerry and Rick - are sitting. They all immediately notice his excited expression.
"What's wrong with you, Morty?" Beth asks suspiciously. "You look like you just won the lottery."
"Mom, I passed my math test!" Morty replies enthusiastically. "I got a B!"
Summer, sitting across the room, rolls her eyes. "Oh wow, Morty got a B. The world is going to crash!"
"Tss, yeah, Morty, you're a great scientist. Ha! Morty, the only way you could have flunked your math test is if you cheated. Or the teacher got the names mixed up."
Morty turns angrily to Rick. "Oh, really, Rick? Do you always have to put me down? Can't you just for once give me credit for something I've mastered?"
Beth tries to intervene. "Morty, I get that you're proud of it, but you can't be mad when everyone knows you're a little... well, weaker in math."
Jerry, who has been sitting quietly in the corner, tries to smooth the situation over a bit. "Son, I'm proud of you. No matter what anyone else says, that B is yours and it's great."
Rick snorts. "Oh, Jerry, really? Now that's a cliché I'd expect from you. Cheering little Morty on because he's not a total idiot in the math is right up your alley, Jerry."
Jerry gets angry. "Rick, at least I'm trying to be a good father!"
Morty sighs and shakes his head.
Summer, who is sitting across from him, looks at him with a smile that is half amused and half skeptical. "Wow, Morty, that's really something. Maybe NASA will hire you when they find out you can count counts."
Rick reaches for his bottle and shrugs. "Well, yeah, Morty, congrats on not being a complete idiot this time."
Beth looks at Rick and Summer with a slightly reproachful expression. "Leave him alone, it's good that Morty is trying. That's more than can be said for some of the other members of our family."
Summer sighs and rolls her eyes while Rick just shrugs. "Okay, okay, Morty, you're our little math whiz. So what are your plans for the next big test?"
Morty calms down and smiles at his mom. "Well, I have tutoring now, so I'm sure next time will be even better."
Jerry smiles at Morty and shakes his head. "That's the right attitude, Morty. Keep it up, and one day you'll master all the calculations."
Rick grins again and gives a biting smile. "Right, Jerry. And then we'll have a little Einstein at home."
Morty's good mood quickly fades as Rick deploys his usual sarcasm again. "Rick, I've had enough of this! Why can't you just be normal sometimes and not be such a... such an... asshole?"
Rick turns to Morty and raises his voice. "Normal, Morty? You want me to be normal? I'm a genius, Morty, and you should be glad I'm even taking you along on my adventures! Without me, you'd be just another ordinary kid with an average IQ!"
"And what if I don't want to be part of your crazy plans? What if I just want a normal life?" shouts Morty.
Beth, who has been watching the whole scene, tries to calm the situation down. "Morty, calm down. Who's tutoring you in math anyway?"
Morty, still angry but calmer now, replies. "It's the new assistant at school. Her name is Y/N. She's helping me with math and she's really great."
Summer grins and swaps. "Morty, that sounds like the beginning of a bad romance movie."
Jerry, with his usual good-naturedness, smiles at Morty. "That's great, Morty! You should be proud that you found someone to help you. And if this tutoring is the reason you're better at math, keep it up!"
Rick laughs. "Yes, Jerry, because everyone needs a life coach like you. I just hope the tutoring doesn't end at the multiplication tables."
Morty gets angry again. "Rick, stop with the stupid remarks! Y/N is really good at math and she's really helping me! You don't have to keep making light of it!"
Rick smirks and steps closer to Morty before letting out another remark. "Fine, Morty, fine. I just hope your new tutor isn't just another little lady giving you math and hoping you'll eventually realize you're a total loser. Because, Morty, if that's the case, you might as well tell her to fuck off!"
Morty, already angry again, takes a deep breath and tries to keep his composure. "Rick, she's really not like that. She's nice and she's helping me because she wants me to get better at math. You don't have to ruin everything right away with your stupid remarks."
Beth sighs and steps closer to Rick. "Dad, really don't overdo it. Morty is finally getting better."
Jerry tries to calm the situation. "Morty, we believe you. The important thing is that you're trying and you have someone helping you. That's the main thing."
But Rick can't resist another sarcastic comment. "Yeah, Jerry, because you're an expert at helping someone. Your advice would be about as useful as horse shit on the beach. So, Morty, stick with your tutor if it helps you. Just remember, in the grand scheme of the universe, you're still just a small fish in a sea of shit."
Rick leans back against the table and puts on his typical smirk. "Yeah, yeah, Morty, whatever idiotic plan you have for tomorrow, forget it. We have another adventure tomorrow. It's going to be crazy, dangerous, and there's definitely going to be a lot of aliens and... lots of alcohol."
Morty shakes his head nervously and raises his hands in a defensive gesture. "Sorry, Rick, but I have a tutoring session tomorrow."
Rick raises an eyebrow and steps even closer. "Damn it, Morty, really? Math tutoring? What's in your head? Look, these adventures are once in a lifetime, and if you think a few numbers and equations are going to save you from the real world, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought. Forget the fucking math for tomorrow and get ready to wander the universe with your grandfather, understand?"
Morty exhales deeply and looks at Rick firmly. "No, Rick, I'm not going on any of your crazy adventures! I need that tutoring, seriously! I'm really struggling in this subject and I don't want to fail."
Rick straightens and straightens his coat, a look of utter contempt on his face. "Okay, Morty, if that's the way you take it... Then I'll go talk to your famous tutor or whatever the fuck she is."
Morty explodes, his face flushing with rage. "Damn it, Rick! Leave her alone! Why do you always have to ruin everything!"
"Listen, Morty, you're just a shitty little shit who thinks math is more important than anything else. I'm sick of your whining and your excuses. Either you come with me tomorrow, or I'll make sure your tutoring ends before it even starts!"
Morty's voice shakes with rage. "You can't blackmail me like that, Rick! She's helping me!"
Rick chuckles, sounding half mad, half threatening. "Oh, right, Morty. And you know what? I don't care what you think either. You better be ready tomorrow, or your tutor is going to be my next... experimental victim!"
Morty turns desperately to the rest of the family, looking for support. "Mom, Dad, say something! Rick's being a total jerk again!"
Beth sighs, but before she can say anything, Jerry interjects, "Rick, maybe you could let Morty..."
But Rick interrupts him. "Jerry, shut up! You don't know shit about this. Morty needs real life experience, not a lame school session."
Morty punches the table angrily. "Fuck you, Rick! Kiss my ass all you want, but I'm going to the tutoring session and you're going to have your stupid adventure alone!"
Summer reluctantly gets up from her chair and shrugs. "Well, it looks like a seat has opened up and I'll gladly take the empty chair."
Rick turns and looks at her with narrowed eyes. "What? You, Summer? With such an incompetent, self-conscious... I wouldn't go on an adventure in a million years! Then go back to Instagram and give it a rest."
Jerry, who's been sitting in silence all this time, finally speaks up. "Rick, this is a bit much, don't you think?"
Rick bursts out laughing, a harsh and fierce sound. "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. You're moralizing again, aren't you? Listen to me good, you poor incompetent desperado. You're such an embarrassing underdog that if I'd taken you along you might have died of fright right at the start!"
Jerry turns red with rage and humiliation, but Rick ignores him.
Morty gives him one more angry look before storming out of the room, while Summer and Jerry remain standing there, their faces full of indignation and humiliation.
Rick finally shakes his head and walks away towards the workshop. "Fine, Morty. Do whatever you want." Then he stops and adds over his shoulder, "And shut the hell up, Jerry!"
"But I didn't say anything!"
"But you wanted to!" Rick gives one last shout before disappearing.