Page 58 of Zimyra

“You expect me to sit here and not say a word to you?”

I look up from my notes. “Yes, or you can sit at another table.”

“Or I could help you study.”

I glare at him while considering his offer. It wouldn’t be so bad to have a study partner. It would help me stay awake at least.

I hand him my notebook and say, “Okay. Read the definitions of these words and I have to tell you what the word is.”

“Easy enough,” he says, taking a bite of his sandwich. “You have beautiful handwriting, by the way,” he says, his words barely audible since he has a mouth full of food.

“Thanks, now focus. This is very important.”

“Okay. I got you. Uh…what do you call a series of windows above eye level?”

“Um…you had to start with a hard one.”

He eats while I rack my brain, searching for the answer.

I ask, “Is it clerestory?”

“It is. I ain’t never seen this word before…looks like somebody was trying to write the wordcholesteroland got all turned around.”

I chuckle and say, “It sort of sounds like cholesterol, too.”

After eating another bite, he asks, “What is the style of simplistic modernism called?”

“Oh, I know this one!” I say. “It’s bouclé.”

“Nope. Try again.”

“Don’t play with me, Axel.”

“I’m not. That’s not the definition you have down here for that.”

“Okay, then read the definition for bouclé.”

“It says…uh…here it is. It’s a heavy textile with looped yarn—”

“Oh, crap! That’s right. Okay, then it’s Bauhaus.”

“Correct.” He takes a bite of his sandwich – a massive one this time. I know I shouldn’t, but I watch him chew. The way his mouth moves is so effortless. And then he licks his lips…

Good grief.

“This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.”

“What is? The test?”

“Yes.”

And avoiding you.

“That’s the purpose of studying, correct?”

“But I’vebeenstudying. I’m going to fail this test and derail my hopes and dreams.”

“You’re not going to fail, Zimyra.”

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