The Bonds Between Us • E.Cullen x Fem oc x B. Swan

Chapter 59

Cordelia Austin felt like crying. She was in a perpetual feeling of relief and anxiety. Both were from the math problems that she was slowly working her way through.

"So if you have 4+x= 9, what does x equal." Embry asked her, copying down the question from the computer screen onto the notebook that was shoved between them. "Five?" Cori asked, her voice soft and unsure. "Yeah! Good job!" Embry exclaimed, his excitement made Cori think that she didn't know if it was more for her or for him.

"What about this one?" Embry asked as he showed her the much more difficult one.

2x - 2 = 6

Cori stared at it until her body forced her to blink a harsh huff leaving her mouth. "I don't know." "Why don't you break it down." Embry told her, handing her the pencil and note book.

"What do you have to do first?" He asked her. "Isolate 2x." She told him. "Good. How?" He asked as he studied her face. Her brows pinched together in concentration, causing a wrinkle in her forehead as her nose scrunched slightly at the irritation of the math in front of her. "I don't know." She sighed.

"What is the only other number that can be used?" Embry asked. "2." "Right. So if you're isolating the 2x you have to take the 2 away right? How do you do that?" He asked her, keeping the gentleness to his voice. She was trying. "If you're taking it away you subtract it." Cori said.

"Close. You see the minus sign. It's already being taken away. So to take away what is already being subtracted, you have to do the opposite." "Adding the 2? That doesn't feel right." Cori said, the small wrinkle in her forehead becoming deeper and deeper the more she thought about the math question.

"So this is what it would look like. Here, let me show you." Embry said, taking the pencil.

2x- 2+2= 6+ 2

"What the hell?" Cori muttered under her breath, her hands running down her face.

"So here, you're taking away the 2, leaving the 2x by its self, leaving 2x to equal what?" Embry asked.

"8" "Good. So now what do you do?" "You have to get the x by its self." Embry nodded. "How?" "If 2x means it's multiplying, then you have to divide." "Yes! Good job!" Embry cheered, Cori hurrying to write down her correct answer before she lost it.

"So what is x?" Embry asked. "4." Cori answered and Embry smiled brightly. "Yes! You're getting it Cori! You'll be an Algebra wizard in no time!" Embry told her and Cori smiled. "I think you're thinking a little too far ahead Em." She said and he laughed.

The door to the dinner had opened, the bell jingling with its movement, alerting the two teens to their friends. "Jake, Bella, over here." Embry called out as he waved them over. Bella finding herself beside the redhead. "How's the math coming?" "Slowly." "How slow?" Jake asked wondering how much longer he would have Bella to himself.

"Molasses at the North Pole slow." She told him. "You'll get there. Some progress is better than none." Bella told her, sending Cori a tiny smile. Embry nodded taking the brunette's words to heart. "She's doing good. Just finished a hard one before you guys came in." He told them and Bella smiled encouragingly at Cori. "Great job!" Cori smiled at the brunettes words.

"What are you gonna get?" Jacob asked Bella as she and Cori looked over the menu that was dropped off at the table. "Probably a salad." Bella said as Embry turned to the red head. "Cori?" "Burger. Cheese burger. Maybe even bacon." She said, her voice seemingly far away as she thought about the food.

Cordelia hadn't had a full meal in a while, three months to be exact, and while the burger sounded amazing, it's also made her nervous that Bella would see that something was wrong.

"Embry, what are you gonna get?" Cori asked. They boy looked over the menu as if he hadn't already had it completely memorized. " I think I'm gonna get the southwestern burger."
Embry said. "The one with the pepper jack and the jalapenos?" Cori asked. "Yeah the spicier the better." He told the girl and she grinned as she shook her head slightly. "You are going to spontaneously combust. Your already radiating heat." Cori told the boy and he grinned. "What can I say, I'm hot." Embry told her as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down, causing the girl to erupt in a fit of laughter.

"Not like that, Embry!" Cori chuckled, trying to ward off the blush that she would feel flooding her face. "As in you're radiating heat like your sick or something. Your not gonna give me the flu or anything are you?" She asked and he shook his head.

Tiffany had come and collected the orders, getting the food to  them in a timely manner. Cori's stomach growled as soon as her burger was placed down in front of her. "How long has it been since you had a burger?" Embry asked, not meaning any malice by the question, but as the words seemed to tumble from his mouth, her appetite seemed to fade.

"Uh, not that long." She said as her hands started to shake, golden eyes flashing behind her eyes. "Excuse me." Cori said getting up from the table, darting to the bathrooms. As soon as she was in the stall, the contents of her stomach made their reappearance. Her throat burnt as tears blurred her eyes. Cori heard the door open and swore in her head as she recognized the mud covered converse from under the door. "Cori?" Bella asked as Cori's stomach heaved again. "Cori!" "I'm okay." Cori tried to tell her, but her voice shook and anyone who had ears could tell the girl was indeed not alright. "I'll get your food put into a to go container. Ill tell the boys that you've been sick and apparently aren't over it." Bella said as she exited the door.

It took a few moments, but her stomach finally calmed down and she was able to join the group again. "You okay?" Embry asked, a look in his eyes that Cori chose to ignore. "Yeah, uh, I was sick a couple days ago, and thought my stomach was stronger. Guess not." Cori mumbled, not able to look anyone at the table in the eye. "Embry's mom is packing your burger up for you. If you wanted me to take you home, I will." Bella told the girl and she nodded. "I'm sorry Embry. I really appreciate the help, and I may need your help in the future if I don't absolutely bomb my next test." Cori told the boy, and he smiled. "Its no problem. I hope you get to feeling better. And I can give you my number for any math related questions you may have." Embry suggested and Cori nodded, handing over her phone. "I'm gonna go pay Bells." Cori told the Burnette and Bella nodded as she turned back to answer a question Jacob had asked her.

Headed up to the counter, Tiffany met her. "I'm sorry your not feeling well sweetheart." The woman told her. "Thanks. If its any consolation, the burger smelled amazing. I think it was the grease." Cori lied to save the woman's feelings. "It'll do that ." "Yeah. How much do I owe?" "It's gonna be fourty even." Tiffany told the girl and she dug into her purse, grabbing out a wad of twenty's, handing the woman three.

"You over paid me sweetie." "No I didn't. By how Embry and Jacob inhaled their burgers, they must be good. The extra's a tip." She told the older woman, and it seemed to widen her eyes. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of me Ms. Call. I'm horrible at algebra and your son is a god sent." Cori said and Tiffany chuckled. "You tell him food, and he's yours girl." The older woman smiled.

Bella came up to the redhead, nudging her slightly. "Ready to go?" "Yeah." Cori nodded as Bella handed her back her phone. Cori scrolled through the contacts, only to find the new one.

Embry 📖

Cori smiled to herself, not noticing the look Bella was giving her. A look of worry.