237 Days

Chapter 9 Celestia

"Celestia, can you come to the board and solve this equation please ?" The professor said, handing me the black marker as I stood up.

As I stood up next to the teacher, facing the sitting students in the class, the professor was refreshing our memories on how to solve this kind of math problem, it isn't a problem for me, I studied this yesterday night.

Since I am not super good at math, and my father insisted that I join the superior math classes, I study everything as much as possible before each class.

Looking around, my eyes landed on James, I couldn't believe that he helped me during a panic attack.

He didn't help technically, but he still was with me through most of it.

It has been almost a week since it happened, and since then things have been kind of weird, I never really acknowledged him before, but now wherever I look, I see him, we have already made more eye contact in one week than in our entire life. It was always me breaking them first, because again, I find it weird.

James was doing a little construction with his pencil, clearly bored. Math seemed too easy with him while I need to study each session at home again to understand.

I looked around but the teacher was still talking. Why didn't she call me after her explanation. I turned in my place before realizing how inappropriate it was so I stood still again.

"Hey," a small muffled voice was calling for me. When I looked toward the place where the voice came from, it was James. He pointed to his pencils which were stacked one on another making a cube. He looked proud of his creation so I gave him a thumbs up and mouthed a "Nice" smiling a bit, before looking back at the teacher.

"Sorry for making you wait, Celestia, you may start." The professor spoke. 

I turned my back and started writing on the board, the answers, looking every time I finished a step, toward the teacher searching for approval.

Two minutes later, I arrived at the tricky part, while practicing at home, it was something I found hard to solve.

I stopped writing looking at what I had already solved thinking, then looked at the teacher and shook my head.

You are so dumb

You can't even solve a simple math equation

I bet you will be quicked out of class for this.

Your parents will be disappointed in you!

"Who can solve this part? I didn't explain this because I wanted to see who would be able to solve it. It's fine Celestia, it's a very tricky part you did an amazing job! But I'd like you to stay here so you can write it for us."

"Sure"

Looking around again, I saw James writing on a piece of paper in front of him, while others were giving hypotheses on how this should be solved, but none got it right.

After some time later he raised his hand and started talking explaining how to do this equation.

The teacher was looking at him and at the board, nodding her head, and listening carefully.

"It's right!" she exclaimed and James sat down. I started writing what he said onto the board as the teacher explained in more detail his answer.

James came toward my table after a couple of minutes and sat down next to me since the seat was empty.

"Hi," he said, placing his stuff on my table.

I looked at him and then back at the board copying what I wrote as fast as I could "Hi," I said in between rushed typing.

Shortly after I feel him pulling my pen from my hands and sliding a paper in front of me. "Here," he said and I looked at him "I wrote those for you."

When I looked at it it was all the answers, "When did you write this, weren't you constructing a pencil tower?" I asked jokingly, he smiled and turned around so he was fully looking at me.

"Yeah, but when you were writing on the board I was writing to, you couldn't see me your back was facing me."

Oh

"Yeah, well thank you."

"Are you feeling better?" He asked looking deep into my soul.

He is referring to last week, I thought we secretly promised to not talk about it ever again. I think I just promised myself that.

"Yeah I am good, how are you?" I said acting clueless not wanting to talk about.
"When did it start?" He asked again insisting on the subject.

"What are you talking about?" I asked again, not looking at him anymore.

please let's not talk about this

PLEASE

"You know what I am talking about, Celestia." He said insisting again, so I gave in taking a deep breath in before talking.

"I was thirteen, the first time I had one, and wasn't aware of what it was." Not daring to say the word,it will just make it too real, even if it is already, real.

"You had this before you were thirteen?" he asked curiosity filling the air.

"I was five, my parents told me that, they took me to the hospital, I was hyperventilating, they thought I was dying."

"Your parents are aware of all this?" he asked looking at the teacher before turning toward me again.

"Of course, they were with me when I was diagnosed" I admitted.

"That serious?" he asked again, "Severe Anxiety," I spoke, and my voice was nearly heard and came out as a murmur.

Suddenly the bell rang, not giving him a chance to answer, I quickly packed my stuff and stood up, "Thanks for the notes" I said and left as fast as possible, leaving him there, alone.

-

Another chapter's coming up in 5 mins