Miles Stevenson collected what he needed before getting out of his car. There were the general supplies that he needed for all his students, pencils, a pencil sharpener, blank paper, a calculator, a straight edge, a compass, and other things. He had them in his office supplies bag. He also picked up the textbook that he would need for this particular student: pre-algebra. He also had a special sheet of problems he made himself. Finally, he had a big bag of lollipops. Lollipops were cheap and a great way to win over the student. It could also be used as a bride to keep the student-focused for the last ten minutes of the session.

Miles had been a tutor for four years now. He liked it better than teaching a class. The interaction was more personal. The student had to stay focused because the tutor was sitting right next to them and had his eyes on the student.

Miles didn't bother to check his appearance. He was wearing his usual button-down shirt and a pair of slacks and black shoes. He randomly selected the outfit. He didn't care which shirt went with which pants as long as they were both dress shirts and dress pants. The only reason to select one shirt over the other was the weather, short sleeves for the warmer days and long sleeves for the colder. But other than that, it didn't matter to him at all.

Miles walked up the door with his supplies in hand and rang the doorbell. He waited for a moment for the door to be answered. It could be the girl he was tutoring, or it could be her mom. It didn't matter much either. This time it was the girl: eleven-year-old Maria Kaneholani. Maria was dressed much more casually than Miles was. She wore a graphic tee that came down to her hips over a pair of black leggings and pastel socks. She didn't wear any shoes. She was at home relaxing before Miles arrived.

Miles followed her to the work area. Miles never walked through the house. He was limited to the hall and whatever nook was set up for the tutoring experience. Miles prided himself that he was all business when tutoring. He never used the restroom or found any other reason to look through the house. He stayed in his area, he thought that it was best this way.

Miles sat perpendicularly to the student but still kept his distance. This was the best way to teach and remain professional. Miles never touched his students in any way. He never patted their back or touched their hands; it's a strange world these days. Distance must always be maintained.

"What did you learn this week in class?" Miles asked.

"We learned adding and subtracting signed numbers," Maria replied.

"Integers?"

"Yeah, those."

Miles started with the girl's notes and then moved on to her homework. He tried to make sure that the girl followed the proper procedure. He knew that even older students forgot to get the signs right.

Miles kept the lessons light and sometimes small talk entered the conversation. This time Miles had gotten a new student who he knew was in Maria's grade. He asked Maria about him.

"Hey, do you know John Kelly?" Miles asked.

"John Kelly?"

"Yeah, I'm going to start tutoring him tomorrow."

"I think so."

"What's he like?"

"I don't know. He's just a boy."

"Is he in your class?"

"Yeah, he is. He's been in my class since second grade; I think." Maria was in sixth grade now. This was her first year in middle school.