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character who is true to himself.

What is more heroic than that?

I...

Look, Lucas, I appreciate

your passion about this,

- I just...

- Mr. Butler,

Where did you get your degree?

- I'm sorry?

- Your degree.

Your degree. Where did you go to college?

I went to Iowa State.

I don't think that has

anything to do with...

Yeah.

Perhaps my interpretation of the

text befits an Ivy League mindset.

And that's why we're having

this pesky medication.

Uh-huh.

Perhaps a B plus is the

highest grade I can give you.

And it's very close to an A.

3.3.

A B plus is a 3.3.

An A is a 4.0.

So, no, Mr. Butler. They're

not very close at all.

But if you think that 0.7 is

not that big of a difference,

then just give me the A.

I'm sorry, Lucas. All grades are final.

But I'm sure you'll do

better on the next one.

Hey!

Bye.

Hey, you forgot y...

Flat tire.

What'd you hit?

I didn't hit anything.

It was fine last night.

I don't...

It was fine when I got home.

Babe, well... I think that

there's a thing in the...

car to...

Oh, really? I don't know

that that's any safer, babe.

Okay.

I had a change of tire.

I... I didn't know.

Okay.

- Okay, sorry. I'm sorry.

- Now, don't make fun of me.

- I love you. Have a good day at work.

- Okay. I love you. Thanks.

Be safe.

I'll call AAA.

Hey, sorry. Sorry, everyone.

Sorry. Having a bit of a rough morning.

Is everything all right, Mr.

Butler? We were starting to worry.

Yeah. Everything's fine. Uh...

I was actually up all night

finishing an application

to be a college professor.

Sending it off today. So...

wish me luck.

Does that mean you won't be here next year?

Anyways, let's not waste

any more class time.

Let's get back to Crime

and Punishment.

All right. You all

should've read chapter seven.

So, ooh, sorry...

about that. I think we got a bad one.

Chapter seven.

Not one but two... ugh.

So...

Okay.

Really? Okay, well, you

know what? Let's just, uh...

let's have a reading day. All right?

Just take out your books and, uh,

and let's... let's all read.

Anybody seen my lunch?

Brown bag. Says "Mr. Butler" on it.

Yeah, I know it'd suck

if Mr. Butler left.

He seemed way out of it today, didn't he?

I hope he's okay.

You know,

David and I have become pretty

close through chess club, and...

from what he's told me,

I gather that things

aren't so great at home.

Really?

You mean like, with Mrs. Butler?

Yeah.

Smart man like him needs a woman

who'll understand and support him.

I can see why you like him so much.

Like him?

I don't like him.

I mean, not like that.

Oh, Becca, please.

Don't be bashful.

I'm your friend. You can

tell me things like this.

Plus,

it's obviously not a one-way street.

You're saying Mr. Butler...

likes me?

Are you kidding?

The way he looks at you,

talks to you.

The tension is palpable.

You know,

if you really want to get his attention,

I could give you some pointers.

Okay, uh, uh... thank you, everybody.

Mr. Butler.

Yes.

I have some questions about Sonia.

Um,

Sure. Shoot.

I just think it's so

interesting that she's this

pure and pious young woman. But,

also a prostitute.

Well, keep in mind she's a prostitute

because she has to make

money for her family. So...

- So, circumstances of the times.

- Yeah.

Yeah, but,

don't you also just think that maybe,

she wants to

explore new territory?

To...

feel something different?

Er...

Uh.

Mm.

It's, uh...

I... I don't, I don't...

Uh, you know what, I gotta take this.

Uh, sorry.

Can we talk about this tomorrow in class?

- Sure thing, Mr. Butler.

- Okay, great. Thank you.

Hello.

Uh, speaking. Who's this?

- David.

- Miss Lohman.

Uh.

Wow. I really appreciate you taking the

time to consider my application so fast.

Well, Jane gave you a solid recommendation

and the position is ready to be filled.

That's great.

I'm sure we can work

something out with her,

if it's urgent that I

need to start right away.

That won't be necessary.

Your application has been rejected.

Uh, uh... what?

And you may feel that I have wasted

your time by calling you down here,

but frankly, I feel

that you have wasted mine

with this personal essay of yours.

I am so sorry. I wrote

it in a bit of a blur.

- I hope I didn't...

- No.

"What makes me a good teacher

is my utter superiority to

students and colleagues alike.

I find that being the absolute best

- at what I do..."

- I'm sorry. Is this a joke?

Oh. Oh, here's my favorite

if you wanna laugh.

"As an added bonus,

hiring a prodigious talent such as myself

would bring some much needed prestige

to your second

- rate university."

- No, no, no, no, no.

That's not mine.

- Oh.

- I...

There's been some sort of mistake. I...

I don't...

This... I didn't write this.

Oh, so you did not mail

in this application?

Doesn't look familiar?

Well... I mean, no. Yes,

I mailed that in but someone

must have done something to...

Who would do something to... uh...

mailman with a grudge?

Lucas.

May I have a word?

I'm gonna ask you a question, I

want you to answer me honestly, okay?

Of course.

Have you been messing with me?

Messing with you?

Did you alter my application?

I leave my laptop in

here during free periods

with the doors open.

Well, um,

it sounds like anyone could have gotten in.

You should really be more careful.

Yeah. But here's the thing.

You want an A.

That's what all this is about, a grade.

I don't know what all this

is that you're referring to,

but I assure you,

so long as I maintain a perfect

academic record on my college transcript,

moving forward, I believe

everyone will be jubilant.

What if I don't give you an A?

You know my biggest criticism

of Crime and Punishment?

The stakes are too low.

Raskolnikov, he's a loner.

He's got nothing to lose.

But I always find a book

that much more compelling

when the character

stands to lose everything.

Dasvidaniya.

- David.

- Hey.

I just... I wanted to talk

to you about Lucas Ward.

What about him?

Um.

Well,

any other teachers have

any issues or complaints?

If kidding your pants off

counts as a complaint, then yes.

What about his previous school?

Anything strange on his record?

Hmm, well, he got nothing

but A's from Milton High,

president of the chess club and ten others.

Why?

Well, okay, this is gonna sound nuts.

I have reason to believe he's not

the good kid he pretends to be.

Pretends to be? I'm not following you.

He's extorting me

for a grade.

David,

I'm sure

the kid's more confident that most,

and maybe that's a little

threatening to a guy like you.

Jane, I'm not threatened by him.

I... I mean,

no.

He is. He's threatening me, literally.

- That's the problem.

- David.

Are you doing all right?

You've been kinda off, lately.

Yeah, I'm fine. I...

Maybe I can go speak to his dad.

I guess that would be okay.

Just be careful.

You don't wanna go accusing our

students of anything you can't prove,

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