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I manage to label the mitochondria, the nucleus, and the cell membrane, but I leave the six other labels blank.
Only five questions, yet ten minutes isn’t enough time to answer them all. Alek watches me, sipping on his wine with a cool exterior.
“Time’s up.”
I freeze, breaking the tip of my pencil and punching a hole in the paper.
“What? That wasn’t ten minutes.”
He taps his watch. “Yes, it was.”
“I-I need more time.”
“Hand it over.”
“No.”
“Willow.” He says my name with warning, holding his hand out face up.
With a sigh, I pick up the paper and slap it into his outstretched palm, then I sit back and fold my arms. “Can I have some wine while I wait?”
“Do you mean, ‘may I have some wine?’”
“Seriously? Are you the grammar police?”
“I shouldn’t have to be. You’re the native English speaker between us.”
“Whatever.” He speaks like he’s British royalty after going to boarding school there, and I grew up in a small town outside Houston. It’s hardly fair.
I pick up the glass and down it while Alek scans my paper. He doesn’t give anything away, keeping his expression unreadable as he makes circles with a red pen.
When he finishes, he sets it down on the table.
“Well?” I ask. “How bad is it?”
Alek lets out a heavy sigh. “We have a lot of work to do. Even if I were to award partial points, you’d still fail this test, which most second-years could answer easily. I’ll be honest: you’re very behind the rest of the class.”
“Shit.” I knew I was behind, but I didn’t realize how far.
“Indeed. It’s a testament to the dysfunction of the American education system.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I say. “So, what are the right answers?”
He picks up his glass of wine and swirls the contents, studying me over the rim. “If I give you the answers, you won’t learn.”
“So, how am I supposed to learn?” I ask, letting out a frustrated scoff.
“You failed the test, which means it’s time for your punishment.”
I quirk an eyebrow at him. “What, are you going to spank me?”
“No.” He takes a sip of his wine, releasing a satisfied sigh after he swallows. “You have until my glass is empty to hide.”
Confused, I tilt my head and blink. “To hide? What are you talking about?”
The corner of his lip tugs into a smirk. “You better run, malishka, because you won’t like what I’ll do when I catch you.”
My heart jumps into my throat. He’s going to use fear to educate me, and the realization makes me both excited and terrified.
