School Affair

Chapter 9

The girls and boys are chattering excitedly in the new cafeteria, meanwhile Maryam gives Jessica a look of pity, after telling her what happened when she asked Nathan for help, but still she somehow managed to solve the problem.

"I keep getting stuck on these problems. My brain is turning to mush." Just thinking about it makes her head hurt.

"I still cant believe that he is so strict that he wouldn't even help you..." at that moment Simon walks up to them with his lunch in his hands.

"Do you mind if we sit with you?" with Luke and Taylor the three approached the two women and Maryam answers with a smile.

"Of course!" making room for them they sit down while thanking them.

"The Students seem really nervous..." taking a sip of his coffee Taylor glances through the cafeteria noticing how the students try to avoid the other students from the opposite school, not being used it.

" I don't blame them the classes still aren't co-ed, the cafeteria is the only place where they all are together."

"By the way, Miss Hower I noticed that you study math right now, why that?" Jessica explains that she has to take a math test for the study camp Taylor and Simon chuckle.

"Well, that does sound like something he would do. That is probably the best way to get the students motivated. These math problems are pretty basic." Thinking about how she struggled with the problems, they are really hard.

"Jess, is also really bad at math though..."

"You know what. The reason why he is so hard on you is because he expects a lot from him. You can't let him down."

"I hope that's the case, but who knows what is going to happen. I fell like he is kind of fed up with me..."

Later on that day, the last bell rings for the day and the students hurry home while Jessica packs her stuff and walks down the hallway, thinking about the day.

"Time flies by so fast. Probably because I am studying for this math test on top of my work. I need to prepare tomorrows class"

As she walks down the hallway, she hears a girl's voice and it is kind of refreshing for Jessica to hear a female voice in the building.

"I mad this in study lesson. I would like you to have it..." looking in a classroom was a student with Maximillian, she now notices that this happened before that some of girls from Acadia Charter waited for him outside of the building just to talk with him, he is popular with the girls. Saying her goodbyes the girl runs of, noticing Jessica there Maximilian walks to her.

"Miss Hower, I have a question in English"

"Oh, so I have to go to the staff room, so come with me and I can help you there."

Arriving at the staff room, Maximillian takes out his textbook and shows her, his question and she begins to explain it to him.

"Oh, now I get it...Thank you for helping me even though you are so busy."

"Hey, no problem. Be careful on your way home, okay?" taking his textbook.

Jessica notices that the question he asked, was really simple and he should know that, being a really smart student, he rarely asks questions.

"Miss Hower. I am sorry about the other day. The guys in class were pressuring me to stick up for them, but I never thought that Mr. Johnsen would make you take that math test."

"Has that been bothering you ever since then? Is that way you asked me this question? That's really sweet of you, but it is fine. It is not your fault, so don't worry about it, okay?" hanging his head, he says: 

"But everyone is saying that you are having a really rough time because of it."

"Well...I hate to admit it, the problems Mr. Johnsen gave me are tough." Looking at the sheets of paper with the math problems, Maximilian takes the pen and starts to solve the problems.

"Oh, so that's how you solve it, that was great Maximilian." Laughing at that he says:

 "Did I show up a little too much?"

Maximilian is an excellent student and great athlete, he went to Greenwally so he could play soccer but he did quite suddenly and he did not do it because of an injury, any other details are still unknown for Jessica, bringing her back to reality Maximilian calls her.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about how I have to try my best for the test"

"So even you can get depressed sometimes?"

"Hey, I am going to get angry if you don't knock it off" crossing her arms she looks at him and he just laughs.

"I am sorry. I was just teasing you." A loud ring is heard and after that the voice of Nathan was heard through the intercom, taking that as a hint Maximilian leaves the room.

"Miss Hower, please come to the meeting room immediately."

As Jessica makes her way to the meeting room, she is afraid what was about to happen and the harsh things he would say to her now. The doors open and she sees Nathan leaning against the table reading through a paper. She has the feeling that he is going to talk about the math issue, and she was right.

"I checked your progress on the math problems I gave you. But it seems like you are not grasping the material. It seems like you are working hard, but that is meaningless unless you produce results. At this rate, it doesn't seem like you will be ready for the test."

"Honestly, I am disappointed at myself, but I am just not good at math..." pushing his glasses up, Nathan says:         

"You don't like to think logically about things, do you? I have a feeling you tend to act on your emotions instead." Taking a breath, Nathan starts talking again.

"All right...Let's go out together on Sunday, Miss Hower."

Being the calm person, he is Nathan looks at her silence filling the room, which terrifies her.

"Meet me in front of the apartment at 11 am on Sunday... no wait, we don't want the other teachers to see, so let's meet in front of the train station instead. Don't be late. See you then." Trying to stop to ask what this is about, Jessica was too late, he already left the room. He is supposed to be the strict teacher who follows the rules, how could he forget the no dating rule, not sure if he even meant it as a date or not she starts to panic about it, not knowing what to do.