We fell in love in math class

Chapter 7 "The Last Chance"

Xyleme's POV:

Monday morning. Ugh, I was already feeling the nerves creeping up as I walked through the school gates. Today was the day of my math quiz—the one that would decide if I stayed in the STE program or got booted out. My heart was racing, but I tried to play it cool. I mean, I couldn’t let everyone see me freaking out, right? Plus, I’d spent the whole weekend studying with Ethan, so I should be fine.

X (thinking): "Alright, Xyleme. Time to show them what you’ve got. No pressure, just… pass or get kicked out. Totally fine."

As I approached the classroom, I spotted Ethan waiting by the door, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. When he saw me, he pushed off the wall and sauntered over, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

E: "Well, well, look who decided to show up on time for once."

I shot him a playful glare, crossing my arms.

X: "Hey, I could’ve just skipped and left you to teach someone else next weekend."

E: "You wouldn’t dare."

X: "Try me."

He laughed, shaking his head, and that was all it took for some of the tension in my chest to ease. I guess it was just nice knowing he was there, no matter how this quiz turned out.

Ethan's POV:

I could tell Xyleme was trying to act like everything was fine, but I knew him well enough to see through the bravado. He had this habit of cracking jokes when he was nervous, and today was no different. Still, I admired how he was handling it, and I wanted to make sure he knew I was there for him.

E: "So, you ready to ace this thing?"

X: "Eh, I’ll probably get at least one question right. That counts as acing it, right?"

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling.

E: "Just remember what we went over. You’ve got this."

Xyleme's POV:

Hearing Ethan say that made me feel a little more confident. I mean, if he believed in me, then maybe I wasn’t completely doomed. I gave him a thumbs up and a cheeky grin.

X: "If I pass, you owe me lunch."

E: "If you pass, I’ll buy you a feast."

X: "Deal."

With that, I headed into the classroom, trying to keep my cool. I took my seat, and the quiz paper were handed out. For a second, I felt like my brain was going to short-circuit, but I took a deep breath and remembered Ethan’s voice telling me to focus. Slowly, I started working through the questions, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I mean, sure, I might’ve guessed on a couple of them, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

Time Skip - After the Quiz

Xyleme's POV:

When I walked out of the classroom, I was feeling a mix of relief and dread. I’d done my best, but who knew if that was enough? Ethan was still there, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world. When he saw me, he stood up straight and raised an eyebrow.

E: "So, how’d it go?"

I flashed him a grin, putting on my best confident act.

X: "Pretty sure I broke some kind of record for guessing the most answers. They should give me a trophy."

E: "You’re impossible, you know that?"

X: "Yep, and you love it."

Ethan's POV:

There it was—the typical Xyleme charm, using jokes to deflect. But I could see the nervousness in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it. I was about to reassure him when he poked my side, catching me off guard.

X: "Hey, don’t look so serious. You’ll scare people."

I laughed, shaking my head.

E: "Alright, alright. But seriously, I’m sure you did fine."

Later That Afternoon - The Results Are Out

Xyleme's POV:

I was sitting with Ethan in the cafeteria when one of our classmates came running over, waving a sheet of paper. My heart skipped a beat.

X: "Oh, crap. Here we go."

Ethan grabbed the paper before I could, scanning it quickly. He kept a straight face, and I felt my stomach twist.

X: "Dude, say something. Am I screwed or what?"

Ethan looked up at me, and his lips slowly curled into a grin.

E: "You passed."

I blinked, staring at him like he was speaking a different language.

X: "Wait, for real? You’re not messing with me, right?"

He handed me the paper, and there it was—my score: 78. Not perfect, but definitely passing. A wave of relief washed over me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

X: "Hell yeah! I knew I was a genius."

Ethan's POV:

Seeing Xyleme’s reaction made me chuckle. He had this way of making everything feel lighter, even when things were serious. I was genuinely proud of him, and without thinking, I grabbed him and pulled him into a quick hug.

E: "I knew you could do it."

He stiffened at first, probably surprised, but then he relaxed and hugged me back.

X: "Thanks, Ethan. You’re pretty useful, you know that?"

I pulled away, ruffling his hair.

E: "Yeah, yeah. Now, about that lunch…"

Xyleme's POV:

I smirked, suddenly feeling mischievous.

X: "Oh, I haven’t forgotten. But since you’re feeling so generous, maybe I’ll make you buy me dessert, too."

E: "You’re pushing your luck."

X: "I know."

We both laughed, and for a moment, everything felt easy and simple. Maybe things were changing between us, and maybe I still didn’t know how to make sense of it all, but I figured I’d take it one step at a time. And right now, I was just happy to have him by my side.