Page 44 of The Commons

“Wow. Must be nice,” Jordan says, eying her short blue skirt as she bends down to drop her backpack in the golden bag stations. She unbuttons her white shirt slightly as Jordan’s and Tin’s gazes are still fixed on her.

“Well, when you’re that hot, and smart at that, you’re treated nice, even from Patrons. You two dimwits wouldn’t know the half of it.” Zavish hits both of their heads, walking away with a chuckle.

Zia rolls her eyes—again, frowning at Ciaro’s strut. “You know she’s not a natural blonde like I am,” she whispers, turning to me. “She’s a brunette. You can see it. I’m not even sure her hair is naturally that curly. It might be wavy or even straight.”

“Um… No. I did not know that.” And frankly, I do not care.

Mr. Malon directs us all to enter a 3D circle structure with over a thousand interconnected wires. We all make our way into the giant maze ball, and each receive a special white technological glove with sharp edges. Each glove is connected via Bluetooth to the giant computerized maze, which enables us to write in the air while in there.

“As rehearsed in class, you will each have to face the world’s hardest and unsolved math problems. The questions will digitally appear, and you will answer the questions in the air and write out your answers with your fingers. You will be graded on your ability to avoid distractions and provide potential proof statements to solve these enigmas. The mind can be a tangent. Pun intended. But you can use that to your benefit!” Mr. Pitagura Malon emphasizes with delirious passion. “You have a thousand minutes. Begin.” What’s a thousand minutes in hours? So we have to do this for the next sixteen or so hours? What on earth!

I look at the virtual questions as they appear in the air and I begin to write, my fingers sprinting, my brain tangled in a thousand thoughts, trying to solve the problems. The Common Conjecture, The Unsolvable Minus, Connway’s Conjecture, The Triple Prime Predicate… and on and on and on and on and on and on it goes. I feel like I’m gonna faint. Tosh flies past me, almost hitting my head. I’ve been standing for six hours, and I still have ten to go.

Math is my strongest subject, but solving unsolved theories and equations is the most frustrating thing I have ever done. Calculating all the possibilities, then realizing no answer. Then creating an impossibility to answer the problem. I continue this for the next ten hours through the night.

Glancing to the right, I notice Zavish is already slumped to the floor. I have to try to stay awake. And not to mention, I have to block out everyone around me as their numbers fly in the air, hitting mine in the virtual space.

“Time’s up.”

Urgh! I flick my glove away and draw back, holding my head tightly, hoping I answered those questions correctly. This is the hardest result to wait for. I want to know right now if I solved even one question right.

I stand, dazed, as the numbers float around me, wondering how on earth I just took a math test and didn’t feel good at the end of it. I almost feel propelled to throw up, but I don’t have time to be lost in my emotions or feel pity for myself. Gosh, I just want to go to sleep, but I can’t. Since I have a bedtime waiver tonight, I’m going to use it. I step out and go to the library and begin to read more books for the 10 by 10 challenge.

The mountainous moon-like clock on the top of the walls strikes 3:33 a.m. I bite my teeth in dread. I am walking by the Chemistry hall, pulling on my golden sweater to stop my hands from shivering. Suddenly, I feel a strong hand grab mine and I turn, thrown back in shock to see him. It is Pesh. Last time I saw him, he walked away annoyed with me because I mentioned The Seventh Zone. He is wearing a black outfit with gold inscriptions traveling up to his neck and somehow exposing his chest in an alluring golden silhouette.

I snap out of my observation at the sound of his voice. My eyes cut into his.

His rugged hands intertwining with my aching hands erupt my drained heart into a burst of happiness and my stomach explodes with fluttering butterflies, surging sudden strength into my insides.

He sees me staring and lets go of my hands with a twinkle of a smile in his eyes. “You’re tired.”

“Um… yeah. It’s just… Math Test.” He noticed?

“Math Test is in the library?”

“Um… no…” I stutter. I open my lips to explain, but there’s no point. “I’ll get some sleep later.”

“You better. If you don’t, I might punish you.” Is that a tease? He probably means it.

“Got it.” I fold my lips, looking down.

His eyes stay on me, gently. “Where are you going? To your Chem Test?”

“Yeah.” I look at him, rubbing my palms against my pants subconsciously.

He edges up on me, causing my back to touch the wall. “Are you scared?”

“Somewhat.” I tuck my hair behind my ear.

For a moment, he stares at me on this day where I am so drained and empty. I can feel his breath on me, so much my taste turns savory sweet.

In the silence, I feel like he is the moon in this dark place I am in. The moon speaks to me in silence, and I speak to him, and he does not blind me with his light. The feelings from my heart set my body aflame, drawing me to his intensity. I no longer realize when I stare or when I draw close. All I long to be is one with the moon and to see the moon cradle me. I am looking up into his glowing eyes as his body covers my view completely.

“Forget all the rules.”

I stare at his eyes for a moment, then my eyes flicker into reality. “What?”

“Forget all the rules.” He walks away.