A College Distraction (A College Tale #1)

Chapter 5 - Time to study | Ella

"If you look here at variable X and when the code reaches this level it will call back to the constructor and the next loop will start, do you understand?" I was explaining this for the third time to Dax. I sincerely hope for his sake that he will learn the other courses faster than this, introduction to programming, otherwise his GPA will end up in the red zone. It seems that he lacks both the interest and quick learning characteristics that I both possess. If I could share some of mine to him I would do it in a heartbeat.

"I still don't get it" he says disappointedly and hangs his head forward to shield his eyes from me. We are sitting on the third floor in the library studying together. Or rather Dax tries to study and I try to teach him but probably neither of us is getting anything out of this.

"Can we take a break?" he finally pleads with his eyes and I just nod my yes. I don't have the energy right now to deal with anything after my last attempt to explain the answer so I gladly take a break.

"Heard you went on a date with Mac sunday" it almost sounded accusatory coming from him, but that must be my imagination playing tricks.

"Not a date, we just hung out" I try to downplay it.

"That's impossible. Mac doesn't hang out" the last two words sound foul coming from his mouth. Like a cross between an insult and absurd.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course he knows how to hang out with another human being, you have done it multiple times with him"

"Let me rephrase that, Mac doesn't hang out with the opposite sex"

"Now you just sound sexist, of course he can" I feel a little bit protective of Mac, he had done nothing wrong and been a gentleman the whole evening. Even at the pizza place he didn't try anything that made me uncomfortable.

"Don't come running to me when he breaks your heart" he says with a muffled voice. I suspect he mostly said it to himself and not meant for me but I heard it anyway.

"Watch out, you almost sound jealous" I spit back at him and open my textbook. I have already read the chapters to prepare for tomorrow's lectures but I don't have the patience to handle Dax right now so I read it again.

We both sit there in silence for ten more minutes pretending to get work done. I can feel Dax's shameful feelings radiating off him but I am not going to apologize, he need to man up and admit he was rude. It takes him a few minutes before he musters up the courage.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just worried you are going to get hurt. Mac does not have the best reputation among the ladies".

Just as easily as I could get mad I am able to forgive him. I know he deep down doesn't mean anything bad with what he had said.

"You don't have to worry about anything. The only thing I'm committed to is school. I can't afford to lose focus" I reach out my hand and patt his arm in what I hope is a forgiving gesture.

"Maybe we can hang.."

"Fancy meeting you guys here!" A loud voice expressed just behind us. A voice I recognize instantly and the butterflies instantly wakes in my stomach. It sounds like Dax is saying "Fuck, that's why he asked" under his breath but I am not certain because Mac sits down in a chair beside me and momentarily distracts me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. I have never seen him in the library except for the first time Dax introduced him.

"What does it look like I am doing? Studying of course!"

"Do you even know how to do that?" Dax asks, Mac takes it as a joke but I can feel the tension rolling off Dax beside me and he definitely didn't mean for it to be funny. I have a feeling that nothing, or at least very few things, affects Mac. He seems to carry a shield of positivity around him.