margaux ▶ the lost series #1

margaux ▶ chapter three

margaux ▶ chapter three

12th September, 2018 ; Laurent Croft

After English class, it was Maths and my brain rejoiced with my heart. I have a soft spot for mathematics, and if it isn't obvious yet, it's my favourite subject because honestly, it's the only subject I'm good at.

I'd rather prefer being good with all the other subjects except for math than be just good with maths because damn, this will bring my grades down down in an earlier round.

Or I'm just kidding. I could live with just maths. I hate English. Especially Mrs. Grindly.

"Laurent, you do remember we have a club meeting after school and you're the team captain for the decathlon and you just earned yourself a detention with Old Hag the same time. In short, you're screwed, man," Ethan reminded me, as we were on our way to Math class.

It was good that we have a five minute allowance every in between the classes to get whatever we need in our lockers so we didn't pay attention on being late. Besides, Mr. Mendel favours us anyway. Use the privilege, right?

"Or, you're screwed, Ethan. You're the vice captain, and I'm very glad I wasn't, because you're an antisocial asshole and your tremble in fear and pass out without even uttering a word later," James said, and the two of us laughed. Ethan just kept his poker face on while still walking. That's who he was.

James was the most lively of us three, and I was the one getting in the most numbers of trouble especially because of Mrs. Grindly. Or mainly I just get in trouble with her. That Old Hag. I thank Mr. Mendel for he always gets me out of trouble anyway. We can't lose our captain, he said. You're the winning ace of our team, he said. Screw it. I wish I could divide my math grades with my other subjects'.

"Or, he can just ditch detention with Finlay," Ethan muttered, before opening the door for paradise.

Inside the classroom, everyone was seated and are on edge. They all look like they're about to barf or poop.

Not that I'm bragging, but whenever it was maths class, I would always get confident because even if I don't listen, I know what I'm going to answer just give me the problem and I'll solve it right in front of you.

Just, don't fucking do that in Biology. I'm sure to spit out nothing.

Really, it's just mathematics that I excel in. Fuck it.

"Good morning, Laurent, Ethan, James, my boys," Mr. Mendel greets us three as we passed by him with a smile across his face.

"Morning, Mr. Mendel," we three said in sync, before we went to our respectable seats.

I was seated at the front row, beside the window, and I thank the stars for putting the math classroom in the second floor because I get to space out and get a good view whenever I do.

On my right, the only person I sit next to, is Ethan. Behind me was James, and beside him was this guy called Hunter who's a complete knucklehead. I consider myself lucky that I don't have that guy as a seatmate, because every time Mr. Mendel gives us quizzes or worksheets, he keeps on bugging James about what to do or how to use the formula if ever James gives him a formula.

"Continuing on with our lesson, which is easy peasy pumpkin peasy pumpkin pie, motherfuckers, solve these uber easy eighth grader questions," Mr. Mendel said, causing me to smirk. He never ceases to amaze me.

He wasn't afraid of cussing in front of his students, while Old Hag slaps a student's lips with her metal ruler whenever a curse word even as small as 'dumb' comes out of his or her mouth. I speak from experience.

Mr. Mendel then proceeded to write something on the board, which I recognize as algebra. Well, duh. It's high school math, algebra can never be lost. It's always there somewhere.

Find the value of x:

1.) 2x-76=29x+287
2.) 3/4x-12=8x-2

"Just that. I'm just going to test if any of you still remember how to solve these little problems we have here," Mr. Mendel said, smiling at his students including us.

I then took out my pen and started solving for the equations, done almost a minute. I slapped my pen towards my notebook after trying to beat my record; 23 seconds per problem.

Oh how I wish I was this fast in answering a biology exam. Heck, I can't even answer halfway through in 30 minutes for a 20 items examination. Screw biology.

Beside me, I heard Ethan click his pen and pocket it, before dozing off to sleep. That guy sleeps more than he should.

James, however, was struggling not to punch the hell out of Hunter as he kept asking him what to do. I was snickering, but I kept it to myself.

My laughter was interrupted, when I heard Mr. Mendel speak again.

"Ms. Finlay, I believe 'my ex doesn't have a value' and 'who the fuck cares about x?' aren't answers in these equations," Mr. Mendel said, and I choked on my own saliva.

Didn't she become the top of our class in her last year here in Santa Clarita? The hell happened to her?

I then furrowed my brows as I looked at her. Her short hair sparked a memory inside my head, and I tried hard not to feel guilty. It was a long time ago, okay? I need to forget about  it.

But damn I just can't. I feel like I ruined her life, even if she showed up today fine as she can ever be, and I wanted to make it up to her. But she's unreachable. She easily became one of the populars, and I was still the nobody guy who's a mad mathematician. That is who they remember me as.

"Well, it's true," Margaux said, with a serious look across her face. Where the hell has top of class Margaux gone to?

"But this is math we are talking about, not your love life, Ms. Finlay," Mr. Mendel said, one of his brows raised.

He ran his hand through his almost greying hair, before giving Margaux her paper back.

"But it's still true. My ex-boyfriend doesn't have a value to me anymore, and most importantly, no one cares about that damned x," Margaux said, and crossed her arms across her chest again like in English class. I found it amusing, seeing that she did that when she was being stubborn.

"You need help there, Ms. Finlay. And this is not optional since you are in my class. You are to be tutored in mathematics by Ethan over there, that sleeping guy every Wednesday and Thursday after class. He's the vice captain of the math club. I'm afraid our captain is precious and can't be used at the moment," Mr. Mendel said, and I internally cringed and was fluttered at the same time.

But wait.

Margaux Finlay is going to be tutored by Ethan, as in Ethan Harvey, my best friend Ethan?

Damn. What if she finds out we're the ones who bullied her a decade back? I can't let that happen.