may shatter on impact (tronnor)

41. Stolen Stares & Math Problems

Connor steals every moment not taken up by taking notes during math to stare at me. He smiles at my eyes and he laughs when I do and we think the same and our hearts beat together. I can see him sit on the other side of the classroom, helping Nora with her work, smiling at me when he catches my eye.

Zoe smiles when she sees the two of us look at each other like there's no one else in the room, like the world was stopping and slowing down just for us. Her eyes hold a glint of triumph, like she was able to call out "I told you so" to us, like she had been the one to put all the pieces together first. She was, but that's not relevant, really.

Clara's pencil runs across her paper, filling out all of the answers quicker than I could even imagine mine doing. I stare down at my paper like it's in another language, but I don't even attempt to decipher it until Clara is snapping her fingers in front of my eyes.

"Troye. Troye. Focus. Come on. You haven't even done the first one yet?" she sighs, shoulders sinking. "Troye, we have to work as partners and we won't be the first to finish if you don't focus!"

"Do - do we have to be the first?" I ask, frowning.

"Yes!"

I roll my eyes but stare down at the question. "Clara, this is practically in French to me."

"Numbers are universal."

"The way you say them isn't."

"Good thing we're reading them, not saying them."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"The first one is thirty four."

"Thank you."

Nora is staring at me when I write down the answer to the fourth problem. She has an eyebrow raised and glances at Connor every so often. Why is he so happy? she mouths at me.

Why wouldn't he be? I mouth back.

"Focus!" Clara snaps. "Fifty six, Troye, not sixty five!"

I roll my eyes but correct the answer I had written down wrong.

He never smiles during math class! No one smiles during math class! Nora is mouthing at me when I look up again.

I just shrug. That is true. Maybe he's just happy today.

I know I am, even if there are moments stolen in practice rooms to account for it, though she doesn't know that.

"Troye!"