“Miss Avery Allton.”
Oh,
darn it. I should’ve listened.
“Sir?”
“Could
you please tell me what I was speaking about earlier?” Mr. Saxon said in his
deep voice that made me fidget in my seat. I tried to ignore all the stares in
my direction, all waiting for my humiliating demise. Me being the famous school
genius and all that.
I
loathe that title.
“You
were talking about, uhm…” I looked at the board in desperation and saw a
miracle.
Discriminating
theorem.
That’s
ancient.
“The
discriminating theorem.” I finished confidently. He raised an eyebrow and then
said, “And? What about the theorem?” It’s really boring and ancient, professor.
But I’m not really going to say that.
“We
discussed that when we were still freshmen. It makes trinomials easier to
figure out – if they’re prime over integers or if the can still be factorized
over integers.” The professor nodded approvingly. But what caught my attention
was the faces of my classmates – they were shaking my head slightly while
looking like goldfishes, as if trying to warn me of something. Don’t they know
what the theorem is about? It’s really heartbreakingly basic. Hello? b2 –
4ac and all that checking stuff?
“Of
course, this is really basic and I’m sorry to bore you with this topic. But,”
Mr. Saxon paused for a second ad looked straight at me. “We’ll be using the
theorem for complex expressions.”
The
whole of the class groaned in unison. Professor Saxon uses the word ‘complex’
for a good reason. Complex, expressions, complex problems, complex equations,
complex solution sets, you name it. When the c-word comes up, you just know
that the discussion would be bloody.
I
like bloody.
That
must be the reason why he’s looking at me. I mean, I’ve gotten used to teacher’s
looking, no. Scratch that. Staring at me. But still, it’s unsettling.
“Now,
class. Now that you know what you’re up against, you should be glad that the
school’s super genius is with us, right?”
The
students clapped and cheered, and I swear I some even sighed in relief. I told
you I loathe that title, didn’t I? But my train of thought changed direction as
the professor looked at me. Again. With the hopeful gleam in his eyes I’ve seen
a million times. If I’m not mistaken, the next words out of his mouth would be –
“Avery,
would you care to tutor?”
Gah.
No. Okay, maybe deep inside, yes. But it would be an incredibly tough job. I’m
only one person and do they really expect me to –
“We’re
counting on you, you know that right?”
I
gave an inward sigh. At least I help them. I do like helping people in whenever
way I can, and when I do, it feels like I belong with the normal crowd. I crave for normal.
“Yes,
sir.” I muttered. This would be another fast paced semester, I’m sure of it. He
went back to his lecture and faced the class. I stared out the window like what
I do most of the time. If
only I was just listening properly earlier, it wouldn’t have come to this. I
was just wondering why my seatmate didn’t show up and I was lost in thought and
aaargh.
My
name is Avery Allton. I like it really, but my middle name just kills me.
Jacob. So you see my dilemma? People often wonder what the J means on my ID and
I avoid the subject. The only people in the school population who knows are
Lexi, Theresa and Nicole. Too bad I regret it with all my soul. Why does it
have to be a male name? Why? And Cassie. How could I ever forget Cassie.
Before
me, Mom and Dad settled here in Melbourne, we were in Raleigh, North Carolina.
I somehow got a scholarship here at Melbourne High and here I am.
And,
I’m the school’s SuGee. How wonderful.
I
go through this phase everyday – being the drama queen and everything. But
trust me when I say that you can get used to some things like this.
I
picked up my pen and scribbled across my notebook, copying everything down
written on the board in neat scripts for the sake of notes. You never know when
you need the power of notes. I shook my bangs away from my eyes and pulled my
messy braid over one shoulder.
Lunchtime,
please save me.
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