Teach Me (GxG)

Eighteen

With October coming to an end, I was prepared for anything that November could throw my way. Who would have known that my biggest obstacle would be the one thing I could not control: the weather.

I walked through the halls wearing a yellow sweater, which only slightly helped my endless shivers, but it was better than nothing. I was shuffling through my locker when Noah approached me.

She smiled. "Ready to study?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

I returned her smile. "Of course."

Ever since last week when she cried in my arms, it was like a switch had gone off in her brain. I'm usually the one who is direct and approaches her. Now, she approaches me.

It was too early to know whether or not I should be worried, but it felt like we were warming up to each other even more. I wasn't going to question it.

We were now in the school library. Noah had a free period and my class had been cancelled, so I had the time to tutor her here. It felt so weird, I was becoming accustomed to it being just us, in my home or in my room, not being watched-and maybe even talked about- by other people.

Though, I did not care much, I still preferred tutoring at home. I guess this would have to be okay for now. We sat next to each other so that we could at least minimize having to talk across the table.

"So," I whispered while I sifted through my notes, "is there anything in particular that you want to review first? Midterms are in a month, so we should go over whatever you're feeling least confident in."

Noah sighed, gripping her sweater and staring blankly for a few moments. Finally, she spoke,

"We should go over everything."

Now it was my turn to sigh. "You're telling me that you need to review every single thing that you've learned this year? Did you even try to remember a single thing up until this point?"

She just sat and shrugged.

"Wow. Unbelievable. I guess we'll review... everything then."

I flipped through pages of my textbook, looking for the first set of problems she could work on. My eyes shifted as I glanced over at her, waiting patiently for whatever her task was. I chuckled. "I really hope you're taking this at least as half as serious as I am." I really did.

I really hoped that all of our efforts would not go to waste. I hoped that she would continue to improve her grades so she could get whatever scholarship she needed. Also, I needed her to succeed for me.

Tutoring was already social suicide and I was okay with that. However, I could not handle tutoring someone only for them to still fail. That would be too unbearable.

She placed her hand on my arm, stopping any previous movements. Her eyes reached mines, and I could see those familiar freckles and her beautiful brown doe eyes. It was as if time stopped. If time was forever frozen in this moment, I think I would be okay with that. I was so transfixed that I almost missed her next words.

"Don't worry, I'll make you proud."

Was it possible to be frozen in time whilst having a beating heart like this? Suddenly we went from studying science to creating new laws of physics.

My arm was melting from her touch, as if I was cotton candy being enjoyed at a city fair. If only I was actually cotton candy being enjoyed by Noah-

Wait. Wait. Huh? Wait! The world around me was no longer frozen, my arm was no longer cotton candy, my senses were no longer vacant from my body. What was I thinking? I stood from the table.