TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Chapter 6

"Really? Thank you so much! I got it."

No matter how thirsty she was, drinking could wait; she needed to go back home and share the news with Joan. If the journey had seemed laborious on the way there, she covered the return distance in record time. Once she arrived, she let her surfboard drop on the porch and rushed inside.

"Joan!"

Joan came downstairs, alarmed.

"What's going on?"

"I did it. I got accepted!"

Joan let out a scream, grabbed Carmen's hands, and they started jumping up and down, making a huge racket in the hallway.

"That's amazing! I'm so happy!"

"Mrs. Johnson said I scored 80% in almost all subjects except for mathematics. Of course."

"You nailed it!"

"The problem is, I'm really bad at math. I'm never going to get through it."

"I'll help you, don't worry."

"Thank you so much."

"I'll turn you into the next Ramanujan, you'll see."

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter. You got accepted. I can't believe it; we're going to the same school."

*

Carmen leaned over Joan's nightstand and placed a cup of tea there. Joan wasn't sure if it was the overwhelming emotions or the copious amount of sushi she had eaten the night before, but she found herself bedridden. Cramps were assaulting her stomach, and she felt nauseous, unable to help Carmen catch up on her math. As she had promised, she naturally couldn't back out of her commitment. That's why she enlisted Tom, who, she had to admit, was better at it than her anyway. These stomachaches had come in handy. Since Carmen had set foot in the house, Joan had noticed her brother's attraction to her. She thought it would be a good way for them to get to know each other. Once out of Joan's room, Carmen headed towards the end of the hallway to knock on Tom's door, not forgetting to glance at the numerous masterpieces adorning the walls. She pushed the door open and slipped her head into the gap. Tom was bent over his desk, shuffling loose papers and arranging his binders for order. He had rummaged through his room from top to bottom to find his notes from the previous year to help Carmen as much as possible, an effort she found very touching. She sat down next to him timidly, and they began the lesson. Carmen listened attentively and solved the equations he presented with dedication. At times, she showed him her reasoning, seeking his approval. "Is this right?" she would ask. He nodded in response. Occasionally, he showed her shortcuts, helping her solve problems more quickly. He got closer to her, his arm touching hers, she could feel his arm hair brushing against her. She knew she had to focus on the numbers taking shape on the paper, but her attention was fixed on him. She watched his blonde locks sparkle under the golden sunlight streaming through the window. He furrowed his brows and his lips curled when he concentrated; she found his childlike expressions endearing. As she daydreamed, he suddenly looked up at her, causing her to lower her gaze. She snapped out of it and focused on what he had just written. Everything seemed clear when he explained it, crystal clear; his lessons finally made sense. She thanked him warmly for being patient and helping her.

"I'm sure you had plenty of things to do," she said.

"Not really. I like spending time with you."

His honesty caught her off guard, and she found herself smiling. Her lips formed a subtle grin. Despite Joan having explained her brother's ways, she found it hard to figure him out. So when he said those few words, it had a tremendous impact on her, thrilled to learn that her feelings towards him were mutual.