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“I can do math!”
Chapter 21
Another Dimension
Tuesday dawns cold and cloudy.Regardless of the weather, there is a bounce in my step as I approach the math building. The guy in front of me gives me a strange look as I thank him enthusiastically for holding the door.
It’s a good thing, for Noah, that I’ve had to wait four days to tell him about my math epiphany. My initial enthusiasm might have been overwhelming.
On the other hand, it’s been a very bad thing for me. In the process of expounding my sudden appreciation for dimensional analysis, I have endured a disturbingly high occurrence ofthe look. You know, the one you always get as a young single person, even if you’re describing a completely platonic situation?
Thatlook.
I got it from Dad and Mom—which was predictable—but now that I’m back at school, I’m getting it from Ivy. She even went so far as to suggest I ask Noah out.
As if my excitement has anything to do with him!
First of all, he’s my tutor. He is beingpaidto spend time with me. I’m sure I only enjoy the time so much because he excels at his job. Finally tackling my fear of this class has made me appreciate him, sure, but it’s just because he’s helping me clear such a giant hurdle.
I’m grateful, that’s all.
It has nothing to do with attraction.
Second, I’m not attracted to him! Just because a person smells nice or you happen to notice the curious way he cocks his head when he’s thinking or your thoughts scatter when he leans in to see your work, that doesn’t mean you’re attracted.
Right?
Third, even if I were attracted to him—which I’m not—he’s made it quite clear that he isn’t interested in getting to know me. Ivy insists this must be because he’s shy or because, like Ethan, he deems the distance a necessity. I disagree.
My point is, because of the delay, I have way overthought today’s tutoring session, and now it’s making me nervous. But why shouldn’t I be excited about math? Attempting to put all the knowing looks from my people behind me, I determine that I will notactlike anything. True self and all that.
I take a cleansing breath, smile at a stranger passing me in the wide hallway, and open the door to the math lab.
Noah is at our table, scowling at his phone. As soon as I set Trusty down, he swaps his phone for a pencil and greets me with a lift of his chin and a marginal softening of his dour expression, though his eyes remain dark.
“Guess what!” I say, pulling my things out and setting them on the table.
He sits back in his chair but doesn’t say anything.
I take this as an enthusiastic invitation to share. “I can do math!”
He folds his arms.
I laugh. “I’m serious!” I say, tempted to swat his arm like I would Kaden’s if he were baiting me like this.
Noah is wearing a T-shirt with shorter sleeves than he normally wears even though it’s freezing today. I can’t help but notice that his arms are more toned than I’d expected.
“I gathered that from your laughter,” he deadpans.
Don’t think about his arms.“I can domath!” I insist.
“And... ?” He sounds anything but impressed.
“Like, real math. On my own!”
“I know,” he says, picking up his pencil and tapping it against the tabletop.
“What do you mean you know? I haven’t even told you my story yet!”
