*three years earlier*
Harry's POV
Finally, school is over today. I don't have to listen to teachers' boring classes anymore.
With those words above, it really sounds like I hate school terribly, but I don't these days. Well, of course it's because someone is there (you know who I mean, right?), but since I never go into the same classroom with her except for math, and I don't see her much else, I just end up waiting until after school and looking forward to when I study with her in the library.
After all, do I like or dislike school?
When the biology teacher walks passes me and sees me, she comes up with an oh face. "You're doing a great job on exams lately, what happened?"
I'm not surprised to be asked about it. "I realized I couldn't fail any exam anymore, so I asked the first place in the grade to help me with my studies. Otherwise, I won't be able to graduate."
She looks satisfied as she hears my words, then smiles. "Keep going, Styles."
I nod with confidence. "I will. Thanks."
I go out into the corridor to find Athena. My physics exam is very soon, and if I took the exam now, I would only get a terrible grade again for sure, so I really need her lesson to teach me some difficult questions.
"Oh my god, that's so funny!" Someone is laughing so hard happily.
It's her.
She is standing in front of her locker and talking with someone.
Brad.
He keeps talking to Athena and making her laugh. I wonder what on earth they talk about and seem to enjoy so much since I have never seen her laughing that hard when she is with me.
"Hi Athena," I say.
She finally glances at me and notices me. "Hey Harry, what's up?" She greets me, but she's still physically close to Brad. Maybe psychologically, too.
"I have a physics exam in three days, so could you help me study for it?" I try to say the sentence naturally, but cannot help watching Brad staring at her like he is in love.
The way he looks at her...
"No problem, Harry. I'll help you."
She does say it. However just few moments later, the burden, Brad, opens his mouth, "But babe, you said you would help me with my history things."
Babe? Did he call her babe?
He comes around behind Athena, places his hand on her shoulder, and seems to be whispering something in her ear.
Why are they so close?
"I think I can help both of you simultaneously, so don't worry." Athena smiles at Brad.
She is smiling.
"Okay," Brad utters, still looking at me discontentedly. I almost want to glare at him to go away.
・ ・ ・
We are at the library together, again.
How many times do I have to share this angel with Brad?
Well...
They are talking happily as usual.
This situation is the most boring thing ever.
"Did you finish your homework, Brad?" she speaks to him.
"Yep."
"You're smart."
Damn it.
I'm just watching them having fun.
Studying with Athena was my favorite time, but since we have another guy sitting here together, I'm only hurting looking at them. That guy steals my pleasure time.
"What about you, Harry? Haven't you got something difficult?" The time she finally talks to me, I am just left to mope around by myself. I hastily find a question to ask.
"Can you explain work rate and dynamic energy?"
Brad laughs at me as I say it. "That's too easy! Just memorize those formulas."
Athena doesn't say anything to what he says. She neither laughs at me nor defends me.
"I'm going to tell you how to calculate the rate, Harry. It's not that difficult so I'm sure you'll understand soon." Perhaps it is out of her kindness, but she encourages me to do so. "Work can be calculated with the equation, Work = Force × Distance. The SI unit for work is the joule or Newton • meter. One joule equals the amount of work that is done when 1 N of force moves an object over a distance of 1 m. And... Here is one more formula, (kinetic energy) = (the work done by that object), you can memorize it as ½m × 0² - ½mv0² = W ."
"Okay..." I try to calculate it. The question says, "An object with a mass of 4.0 kg slid on the surface of rough water with an initial velocity of 5.0 m/s. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the object and the horizontal surface is 0.20, and the magnitude of gravitational acceleration is 9.8 m/s². How many joules of work does the dynamic frictional force do before this object stops?"
Now I finally realize it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I can do this.
W = ½m × 0² - ½mv0²
= 0 - ½ × 4.0 × 5.0²
= - 50 J
"The answer is - 50 J, am I correct?"
"Yes," she says, smiling. "You'll be fine on your exam."
"But I'm still worried," I sigh without any relief.
She puts her hand on top of my right hand and holds it. "You won't fail again. I promise."
・ ・ ・
After we leave the library, I say goodbye to Athena. As I see Brad is still following her, I guess that maybe they're going to hang out together?
Whatever.
Normally, I would follow them to watch what they're going to do, but now I feel like I don't have to do it.
I know I'm smiling like an idiot right now, but I don't care.
Because what she did a few minutes ago has made me feel so alive.
I'm still staring at my right hand, in front of the library.
YOU ARE READING
Enemies with Benefits (Harry Styles)
Fanfiction[EDITING] THEN: Athena Scott always had excellent grades in high school, is pretty on the outside, and was admired by many people. However, due to her parents' divorce when she was young, she had been living with her mother, with whom she did not ge...
