Apples Don't Just Mean School [in process of rewriting]

Math Isn't My Forte

Listen to the video above, thanks :D Also, important A/N at the bottom.

Emily's POV

I felt all eyes on us as we walked back into the large office, hands intertwined almost shyly. "Hi?" I tried. Lara sent me a knowing glance from the other end of the room. I flicked my eyebrows up at her. Gwen grinned - gwinned? - and smirked at my red face. Wow, you're really a newbie. Damn it, cheeks! I released myself from Jared's warm grip and sped back to my seat, trying to forget whatever had happened in the coffee shop. I still had to finish up the article on the accident. I only had THREE hours left until submission, and that included all the editing...

Christopher was choosing the pictures with Lara, and Gwen was hurriedly talking with the police force on the phone to try and get more information. I bent down to pick up my notebook and flipped to the page with the notes I had written down earlier. A message in dark blue ink was scribbled in the margins: Dinner tonight? I looked in Jared's direction suspiciously. He winked at me, before continuing to type on his computer. Flirt. I tore out a piece of paper and wrote: Only if you stop disturbing me.

I folded the note into quarters before inconspicuously - at least, I tried to - over to Jared's table. It landed with a soft flutter. He glanced at me, before opening the piece of paper. His eyes scanned the page critically, then smirked at me and winked. I could feel my heart beating faster. Jared turned away again to concentrate on his work. Obviously, the people around us witnessed the exchange, and they kept giving me low, sly looks that I returned with a sharp, embarrassed glare, but they still whispered.

Matthew's POV

The sky outside - according to the kids - was darkening rapidly and the sun was about to set it alight with flickering fire. My room didn't have a window, so my students took to running back and forth from the atrium to my ward (Ward 10G) in pairs to describe the sky. "It's purple, gold, pink and red now," Natalie Lemon reported. "And you can see the gibbous moon appearing behind the clouds. There's a susurration of wind too," Tyler added. "That sounds lovely. Wish I could be out there..." I sighed wistfully.

"Oh yeah, MH, why did you get hospitalised?" Jessica suddenly sprang the question that I was dreading. "Well... Maybe I'll explain next time?" I replied vaguely. "Why not now? We're old enough, and please don't say 'When you are older'..." Victoria countered. "Because now's not a good time," I said a little waspishly. Why don't they take the HINT? They're concerned about you, idiot! They care about you ten times more than YOU do! That's not saying a lot. 

The pupils milled around the room, talking of things that happened recently... and of their Physics teacher, who was none other than Steinfield. "And Mr Steinfield can't teach us properly for NUTS!" Elizabetha spat angrily. "Yeah, he's making our grades drop like a STONE," Joseph complained. There was a murmured agreement. "Maybe he believes in independent study?" I suggested, trying to be neutral. "Hah. No! And you don't like him too, MH, no one does!" Francis snorted. "Well, you all had better study at home... I can't help you, math isn't my forte."

Emily's POV

"I'll have a D48 set, please, with an iced tea," Jared ordered politely - an oxymoron - to the waiter. The waiter turned to me. "And you, miss?" I blinked. "Uhh, I'll have the same as him." The waiter smiled and bowed, before taking our menus away and whisking away. The restaurant was bathed in amber light and was silent, except for the tinkle of metal against porcelain and the buzz of quiet conversation. "This is a nice place," I remarked, for lack of conversation. "Yes, my friend introduced it to me. Nice ambience too."

We fell back into awkward silence. "So... Uhh... What IS D48?" I asked, a little - okay, VERY - embarrassed. Jared stared at me in disbelief. "You don't know what it is and you ORDERED it?" I nodded sheepishly, growing red under his intense gaze. "It's a surprise, then," he declared anticlimactically, and winked. "What the heck?" I groaned, almost disappointed for his lack of reaction. He chortled. "You'll find out soon enough. Besides, it tastes great, I promise," he added and smirked.

Turns out, it was an absolutely horrifyingly spicy chicken dish that left me gasping for water. The sauce that was ladled copiously over the poultry was so spicy that I almost fought for the water pitcher. I was almost perspiring from the heat of the food, much to the amusement of Jared. After the bill was paid, we stepped out of the quaint little corner-restaurant. "It was good, right?" he joked. "Yes, having my mouth on FIRE is GOOD." At my doorstep, Jared bowed, saluted and left me with a deep red rose in hand, the colour matching my cheeks'.

Matthew's POV

Once again, I was resigned to another lonely night by myself in the hospital. I liked the tranquility and peace in the night, as it gave me the opportunity to work without disturbance. I was doing more overdue marking, and it was tiring, boring and pointless as my life. Tick. Tick. Cross. Scratch head. Cross. Tick. The sound of the pen scratching words and lines on the paper was lulling and almost rhythmic to my ears. And I pretty much hated the repetitive work, but I know it was part of my job. Didn't mean I enjoyed it, though.

I wonder what Sarah is doing now? Again with SARAH. Okay, how about "I wonder what Emily is doing now? She's probably sleeping. And you have a serious problem. You're like infatuated with Emily. It was a rhetorical question. Didn't seem like one. You're such a sappy, cliche mess. Don't forget 'depressed', 'overreacting', 'terrible' and 'melodramatic'. Oh, yes, how could one forget those. I drummed my fingers on the side of my thigh in boredom as I scrawled lazily on the worksheet, earbuds in place, blasting music.

I threw my pen across the room two minutes later, hearing it clatter hollowly on the floor. As hollow as my heart. WAIT. What heart? "Screw this," I muttered, and dropped the heavy stack of worksheets beside me onto the floor, then flopped down onto the pillows. I hate being hospitalised! When can the doctors let me out? You're the one who took the overdose on pills. Besides, three more days and you're free. The world evidently wants you to stay. Well, I don't want to stay. I'd like to leave. And I plan my own endings.

A/N: Yeap, this chapter is filler. Next chappie will be more... Action? I dunno how to say it. How about this: More character development. Yes. 

Also, good news: The person I wrote Matthew based on? He reads this book. And he said that HE FELL FOR EMILY. And the person Emily is based on is not dating him YET. So... SHIPPING! :D <3

I'll try to upload ASAP! Love y'all!