Mindseeker

Chapter 5: Future Unrequited

I successfully resist the urge to run after Kota. We will both be tardy to fifth period. I don't even feel like attending, but it will be less conspicuous to suck it up and go. I'll have to give Kota some space while I figure out how I'm going to clean up my mess.

Fifth period is math, and the only open seat is right next to a too familiar, blond, pretty boy. I'm only a few minutes late. Aaron Delacroix doesn't even acknowledge me when I sit down. He probably forgot about the tour he gave me just a few hours ago.

There is a short review of parabolas, and then the teacher, Mr. Tibit passes out a stapled packet.

"Okay, everyone," he begins. "You all know what this is."

There is a collective groan from the class.

"That's right!" Mr. Tibit continues. "Project time! This will be a group project. Everything you need is in the packet, including instructions, guide sheets, and the rubric. You will all be working in pairs. Considering the...issues last time," his eyes narrow at the class, "I will be selecting partners for this one."

More groans and some protests.

Mr. Tibit rattles off pairs of names from a sheet he's prepared. I wonder if he's not sure I'm a brand-new student, or if he even has me on his list.

"Aaron, you'll be with the new kid for this one. Dacien, am I saying that right?"

I nod my head in agreement.

I catch Aaron's eye roll in my peripheral vision.

My eyes scan the packet that slides across my desk. The task is to design a device using parabolic mirrors to capture and focus sunlight for some purpose, like cooking or electricity generation. I love science, so this is right up my alley, and I'm immediately interested.

Aaron stretches back in his chair, accentuating the chest muscles through his shirt. The top buttons of his polo collar are open. His platinum necklace catches a beam of sunlight through the window and is briefly a chain of tiny stars encircling his throat.

Aaron really is too much of a pretty boy.

He catches me looking and grimaces. "You better be good at math, newbie," he whispers to me.

Well, you're in luck, pretty boy. I think. I'm good at everything.

Okay, well almost everything.

Mr. Tibit's voice breaks through the susurrus filling the classroom. "All right, you all have the rest of class to begin planning this. You'll have a few more class periods to work on it, but you're going to be doing most of it outside of class. Don't rush it. I expect to see that you've all put in some real work on this one. It's bigger than a test grade. All right, feel free to come up if you have questions."

Working with Aaron for the rest of the period is equivalent to pulling a reluctant dog on a leash, outside, when it's pouring rain. It's clear pretty quick that he doesn't give two shits about the project, me, or math in general.

I don't mind it that much. My thoughts are already spinning with possibilities. We don't have to actually build what we design, so we can think big. Aaron just nods and repeats the words "yeah" and "cool" and "sure" like those are the only three items in his vocabulary list.

I begin to imagine doing this entire project myself and letting Aaron slap his name up beside mine. It might be easier that way.

"We'll probably need to meet sometime outside of class this week," I suggest.

Aaron rolls his eyes again. "Sure," he says. He holds up his phone open to his personal contact and gives me just long enough to type the number into my own phone before putting it away.