Chapter 46 - Professor Jax
"What kind of way is that to talk?"
Luna scolded him. "Leo Harrington, you are maliciously misinterpreting me. You actually think I'm that petty."
"Fine, fine, fine."
Leo put on his headset and dropped into his gaming chair. His arms flexed as he settled in, showing off lean muscle lines.
"My bad, my bad." His tone was half-hearted, like he'd given up arguing.
"That's more like it."
Luna wandered off.
Thanks to Jax, she'd finally remembered her holiday homework.
It was a seven-day break, so the school had gone absolutely unhinged and assigned forty-two tests. One per subject per day.
Luna stared blankly at the math test, then the chemistry test, then the physics test. She let out a genuine, heartfelt sigh.
What a sin.
She planned to do one math test tonight, try to finish the rest tomorrow. Then tackle physics for two days. Chemistry could wait.
Luna opened a delivery box in the corner of her room. Inside were study materials she'd ordered.
The first few multiple-choice questions weren't hard. She could handle them. But the further she went, the harder they got. Whenever she hit a knowledge point, she'd review it in detail, then work through the example problems.
It was already October. The SATs were next year. She didn't have time for a full systematic review anymore.
She finished the test.
Luna exhaled and tilted her head back, pinching the back of her neck. She picked up her phone to check the time. Her eyes went wide.
It was already one in the morning. She hadn't noticed at all.
On Instagram, all her girlfriends were traveling over the holiday, posting pretty photos from everywhere. Luna had spent the perfect "Grind Fest" with her tests.
Though her skills hadn't improved dramatically, she could now snap into study mode fast.
Otherwise known as, losing herself.
-
On the first day of school, Mila sent Luna over a dozen messages, all whining about not wanting to go back.
Luna texted her back from the car: [Just one more year. You're free after that.]
BuffTheQueen: [I literally can't last a single day.]
When Luna walked into the classroom, the atmosphere had that post-holiday gloom.
Her desk-mate Sienna was furiously catching up on homework. She glanced up, said hi, and dove right back down.
Luna pulled out the mistake book she'd organized over the break and started reviewing.
Sienna looked at her in surprise. "You're not catching up on homework?"
"I finished it." Luna said.
Sienna stared at her. "That doesn't sound like you."
Luna was about to reply when a hand pulled out the chair in front of her.
She stopped instinctively.
Hayes, expression cold, set his bag on the desk and sat down. Through the entire process, he didn't spare Luna a single glance.
Luna pouted.
Poser.
She turned back to Sienna. "People change."
Luna's voice wasn't sweet. It had a slightly boyish quality, crisp and clear, with high recognizability.
So even with the noise around them, her words landed squarely in Hayes's ears.
Hayes's thin lips curved into a faintly mocking arc.
He had a feeling Luna said that on purpose, for him to hear.
To make him pay attention to her.
Cheap trick.
He thought dismissively.
-
The last class of the afternoon was homeroom.
Everyone was doing homework in unison.
Near the end of the period, someone pushed open the front door, walked in, and knocked on the podium.
"Everyone hold on a second. Let me say a few words."
Luna put down her pen, closed her physics textbook in annoyance, and looked up at the podium.
The boy leaning against the podium was tall and broad, with a healthy tan. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes. When everyone looked up, he grinned wide, flashing a mouthful of white teeth.
This was Derek Webb, the class sports rep. Also Mila's seatmate.
"So, the fall sports meet is next week, Monday. It runs for four days. Everyone should sign up."
"I'll, uh, put together the event list tonight and post it in the class group chat. Remember to come to me and sign up!"
After school, on the way out the gate.
Mila complained. "Derek is a dog. He was harassing me, insisting I sign up for an event."
Luna asked, "Did you?"
"I signed up for the three thousand meters." Mila said.
"?"
Luna stopped walking and stared at her in disbelief. "Are you insane?"
Mila sighed. "He just kept begging me."
Luna narrowed her eyes, studying her carefully.
Mila instinctively touched her face. "What?"
Luna said, "Do you like him?"
"..."
Mila stumbled over words. "Why do you say that?"
Luna started walking again, talking as she went. "If it were me, unless I liked him, even if he got on his knees and begged, I wouldn't say yes."
Luna's fitness wasn't bad. She skied, rode horses, did all kinds of extreme sports. But she hated long-distance running.
"Fine." Mila covered her face. "A little bit."
Luna thought back. In her previous life, she hadn't interacted much with Mila. They'd only crossed paths at big events. She had no idea whether Mila had dated anyone.
"Does he like you?"
"Don't know." Mila said. "Probably a little bit. Over the holiday, he went camping with friends and video-called me at night to show me the bonfire."
"Sounds like there's something there." Luna grew worried. "But can you actually run three thousand meters?"
"Sure." Mila said. "I was a track athlete in middle school. I was going to keep at it, but quit by high school. Too exhausting."
Luna was mildly surprised. She raised an eyebrow. "Then you're fine."
Mila asked, "Are you signing up for anything?"
"I'll pass." Luna said. "Can't run, can't jump."
Mila patted her shoulder. "Perfect. You can write me a bunch of cheer sheets."
"Sure."
Luna agreed without hesitation.
-
After dinner, Luna went back to her room to study.
But tonight was different. Tonight she had Professor Jax to teach her.
At eight thirty, Luna video-called Jax.
He picked up right away.
It was quiet on his end. Only his light breathing came through the phone.
The camera was pointed at tonight's math test and scratch paper. Nothing else on the desk.
Luna cleared her throat. "Good evening."
"Good evening." Jax said.
From his phone, he could see Luna's face.
Since she was in her bedroom, she'd changed into pajamas. Her hair was tied up casually. Her face shape was especially nice.
He pressed his lips together.
Luna propped her chin on one hand. "Math first or physics first?"