Page 6 of Gingers Can Do Maths

At the fat pigeon judging us for not sharing our food.

At the gum spots dotting the sidewalk.

At anything but at me.

“W-what?” The word croaks out painfully from my throat that’s suddenly so raw, it burns as do my eyes.

“I’ve been thinking a lot, Han,” she says slowly. Torturously slow. “And I don’t think Ennox is the right fit for me.”

I swear all traces of blood left pumping through my veins comes to a standstill.

“I’ve been struggling with the maths,” she says, chewing on her full lower lip. “You know I barely got into the advanced maths class.”

“But you did,” I say defensively, sliding over a few centimetres and putting some distance between us. Because the sensation of her thigh against mine is too much stimulus to my body that's already becoming so overwhelmed it's about to shut down or burn out.

“Barely. I only made it by point five,” she whispers, still refusing to look at me. “When we took the test for Ennox, I realised just how in over my head I really was.”

I hear her words and yet my comprehension skills have diminished to that of wet lettuce.

“I thought you liked being pushed and challenged?”

“I do, but I don’t like sinking. That’s what it felt like during the exam. I was sinking and I couldn’t save myself.”

“I can help you—”

She shakes her head, a gust of vanilla overwhelming me as she does.

“You shouldn’t have to,” she hiccups. “I think...maybe your friends are right about me.”

Friends?Again the meaning behind the word is fuzzy as my brain struggles to understand whatever foreign language she's suddenly speaking. I don't have friends, aside from Sin. It takes a second for some acquaintances to come to mind.

“They aren’t my friends.”

“Your minions? Followers? I don’t know.”

Followers? What the hell is she talking about?

“I’m the worst in the class.

My heart sinks at that because I want her to be wrong, but she's right. She's noticeably been struggling to pass even the homework. But she has been passing, even if only by the skin of her teeth.

“Everyone knows, Han. It’s painfully obvious no one thinks I really deserve to be in the advanced class. Not even the teacher who gets tired of explaining the concepts to me.”

“But you always learn them.”

“After you waste hours and hours on me. With me.”

“It’s not a waste!” I say suddenly frantic, my voice stupidly crawling higher again. “Why would you even say that?”

Again, it's like I'm not even there because she won't spare me a glance.

“You could be doing so much more after school than just tutoring me, Han. You could be in the physics club—”

“It’s not challenging enough for me.”

“Maybe if you were there, you could challenge everyone else.”

“Who cares? We’re leaving for Ennox.”

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