Falling for math

9. One door away

Hours later, I was happy to get out of the bus even though the last few hours spent next to Miss Rose had been bliss. I had awoken not long ago to her gentle voice and when my sleepy eyes had met her vibrant ones, time had stopped for a few seconds.

Those precious seconds were enough to give me strength to step out of the bus and face New York's cold and cruel air. When I breathed in the outside air, I almost expected it to burn; like it was going to get me too; like it was coming for me. But it didn't. When I stepped out, the earth didn't open under me, and I didn't know what to do. It felt like I hadn't thought about what would happen once I was in New York because I had not expected to make it this far.

Thankfully, before I could panic, Lea trusted my suitcase into my hands and started gushing about Marcus, momentarily distracting me from my inner turmoil.

Miss Rose and the other math teacher marched us to the hotel's lobby, and it was just as extravagant as our gigantic bus. That fact did not ease my concerns over the principal's threat. If he could get us into that kind of a hotel simply to show off the school, then I fully expected him to follow up on his threat. Spending that much of the school's money on a math competition without it being followed by a win would not go well with the school's board; or so I imagined.

However, I let that worry ebb away when I noticed a beautiful piano in the cozy lounge of the lobby. The jet-black color of the Grand Piano contrasted well with the marble floor. It was beautiful. I had always been fascinated by this instrument and longed to know how to play it. I desperately wished I could have learned it as a kid.

As I was looking at the classy old man playing it, I heard a familiar voice whisper gently from behind me.

"I can play it for you later if you'd like." Miss Rose said in a voice that felt overly intimate for the situation.

I turned around, surprised and excited at the prospect and found myself awfully close to my math teacher.

"You play the piano?" I asked in wonder, my voice breathier than I would have liked due to our closeness.

"I've been playing since I was a kid." She answered, getting that faraway look in her eyes again.

"Wow, you must be amazing." I couldn't imagine what a life of playing the same instrument could get you. And adding the fact Miss Rose was the one playing said instrument, it was bound to be mesmerizing.

"I sure am." Miss Rose answered with her signature playful wink. "But for now, let's go see our rooms, yeah?"

I nodded and followed her to the elevator, noticing all the other students but Lea had already gone up. The three of us entered an elevator worthy of the richest people and Miss Rose pushed the button to the 12th floor.

"We have a free afternoon today, right Miss?" Lea asked in a voice that led me to believe she was up to no good.

"That's right." Miss Rose answered, and she must have noticed the mischievous look in Lea's eyes as well because she didn't stop there. "But technically you're still on school's time so don't think about doing anything stupid, sweetie." She added in her teacher voice even though a small smile was on her lips.

Lea seemed disappointed by the news, but my brain was distracted by something else Miss Rose had said. She had called Lea 'sweetie'. It had taken a while for my brain to register it because it felt so natural coming from her. But, now that it had, I couldn't help but feel a pang of what I assumed was jealousy. Hearing something like this directed at someone other than me made me feel oddly sad. I foolishly thought I had been the only one deserving of a pet name and realizing I had been wrong made my stomach drop. Those pet names made me feel special in her eyes. It was stupid, of course, to be jealous of the way my math teacher addressed one of her students, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't help wanting reassurance that I was more than just another student. It was something I probably had no right to want but it was there nonetheless. I almost wanted to go back to a time where I thought the pet names were only meant for me, as naive as it was.