breaking the silence

seven

They both had taken a hiatus from reading as they were way ahead of the rest of their classmates. Maya was afraid that he was beginning to rub off on her.

"I should have known one round of speed meant thirty rounds to you."

Maya shrugged. "Not my fault that you're so easily distracted."

"I'm not even halfway through my Biology assignment and it's due tomorrow," Lucas sighed as he seated himself at his desk, picking up where he had left off earlier.

Maya rolled her eyes and sunk to the floor with a pout. "Can't you stop being such a good student for once?" She stared expectantly at his back, waiting for him to say something, but he only kept working diligently. Maya scowled. The silence vexed her. "Huckleberry," she hissed.

No response.

Maya squinted her eyes, and with a louder voice, "Ranger Rick."

Still no response.

She glanced around until her gaze settled on a pillow, a small smile of mischief tugging at the corners of her mouth. Maya grabbed it and aimed at him. The pillow flew in the air before smacking Lucas at the back of his head.

He whipped his head around and touched the spot where the pillow hit, a look of irritation painting his entire face. "Maya," Lucas rasped exasperatedly.

"I'm bored." Maya complained.

"Do your homework. Weren't you doing Math earlier?" Lucas swivelled his chair around so he was completely facing her.

"Not really," Maya glanced away sheepishly, picking at her nails. "I don't know how to do it." She muttered the last part, but he still heard it.

Lucas pursed his lips, staring at her attentively. When Maya looked back up, their eyes locked and she shifted her gaze away from his once again. Why did he have to look at her like that? It made her uneasy.

"I can help you."

Maya shook her head. "No, no. Just do your Biology."

"And what are you gonna do, just sit there?" Lucas moved towards her and grabbed the abandoned homework by her backpack.

"Lucas–"

"What were you having trouble with?" His eyes skimmed over the text.

Maya ran a frustrated hand past her hair, breathing deeply through her nose. She timidly picked at some nonexistent lint on her sweater. "Everything."

Great. Now he thinks I'm dumb, Maya thought to herself.

"Okay." Lucas said simply. He scooted next to her so they both could look at the papers. "Let's start with this one."

.

.

.

It made no sense to Lucas. Maya was perfectly fine at Math, if not exceptionally good. Though she appeared uncertain about her capability to complete the questions, Lucas could tell that she knew the material immeasurably well. Maya could be scoring A's with her intelligence, yet she mysteriously chose not to.