Inhale//M.E.

Four

I sat in my last period of the day, tapping my pencil impatiently on my desk. The black slacks that I am wearing are covered in lint that collected throughout the day. I brushed some of the lint off of my legs.

I began to tap my pencil eraser on the desk again, waiting for the bell to ring. "Miss Rowes," My teacher called out my name from the front of the hall. "Solve this equation." He pointed at the white board in front of me. "(2xy-3y)^2-14(2x-3y)+49=?" I huffed and wrote the equation down on my paper and began to solve it.

A couple of minutes later I raised my hand. "Professor Payne, the answer is xy^2+84xy=49." I said. "And how did you solve that Miss Rowes?" He said in a very proper English accent. I wanted to vomit. " factored the equation sir." I said looking him straight in the eyes. "That is correct Miss Rowes." he said turnign around to face the board.

"Now you see here how this second equation says to solve with factoring as well." He said pointing at the thick black writing on the board. "Mr. Espinosa." He called out to the student in the front of the classroom. I didn't even notice that he was in here.

"What." He said sighing and impatiently tapping his pen on his desk. "Solve this equation." The professor said pointing at the board. "The answer is seven." He said smugly, earining a couple of snickers from around the classroom. "Mr. Espinosa, How did you graduate high school?" The professor asked raising his eyebrows and turning in the other direction.

"Mr. Espinosa I will let this icnident pass once and only once, are we clear?" the professor said. "Yes sir." He said earing more snickers from the classroom. Matthew leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. He turned his head and looked at me. I glared at him in disgust. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes and tapped my pencil impatiently on my desk again.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. The whole hall of students began to shuffle out of the dark room and out into the crowded hallway. it was currently 9pm. I had to take an evening course because all of the other math levels were taken. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around quickly.

"Oh eager are we." It was Matthew. I shot him a glare and walked out into the crowding hallway. The air was clearer and cooler. I began to walk towards the exit. I pushed the doors open and stepped out onto the pavement.

"I am so hungry," I muttered under my breath. I walked off the campus and down the road a little bit to a nearby McDonalds. I pushed open the doors and looked up at the menu. I decided on a chicken salad with a Dr. Pepper. I ordered and filled up my drink.

"Chicken salad!" I heard the cashier yell from behind the counter.

I walked up to the counter and picked up my salad. I grabbed a seat near the window and began to eat the salad. I reached for my school bag behind me and it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" someone said from behind me. I jumped slightly and turned around. There was a person in a black hoodie and black skinny jeans. "I need that back." I said pointig at the backpack which he had hanging from his arm.

"No." He said. throwing it over his shoulder. "Please you dont understand. I'm a college student and-" He cut me off. "Its me," He said pulling off his hood.

"Fucking Espinosa." I said sighing and leaning back in my chair. "Someone's less afraid to swear." He said while putting the bag back on my chair and walking to the other side of the table and sitting in front of me.

"You obviously don't have any street smarts Rowes." He said smirking at me while rolling one of my pencils in between his fingers. "I do to!" I said gasping and leaning back on the chair slightly.