LOTUS | ManxBoy

CHAPTER VII

"Identify and graph linear, quadratic, and exponential functions."

I blink. Linear, quadratic, and... What? I rub my eyes, stare at the task for a moment – and give up, reaching for the notebook. There won't be one in the exam, I know, but right now I freaking need it.

There are two more days till the Math exam, I'll catch up on it too. What was it, again? Exponential function?

I skim through the notes, and oh, it's that one. A bent-in chair. Or someone's bottom, whatever you prefer.

It's always easier to memorize stuff when it's something familiar, so I try to give everything difficult a tag. A nickname, maybe? Absolute value, for example, looks like spread-out legs. Do my associations have something to do with the hotel? Maybe. No one's gonna find them anyway.

I sigh and reach for the ruler, yawning. I've been studying for almost three hours now, and my mind starts losing focus. I have to take a break soon.

Thankfully, all shifts are taken for today, so I don't have to worry about the hotel at least. Sheila should've left by now, Jay's probably entertaining the women dropping by for a talk. It's freezing today, no one would like to stay outside in these clothes.

I yawn and start drawing a graph. It's an exercise for my hands, in a way. Maybe they'll remember it better than my brain.

Thanks to luck and sleepless nights, I finished with the damn assessments last week. Even got a B for the English essay! But celebrations didn't last long – exams had already started. I've dealt with two already – History and Chemistry, the first of three Science exams. Four more are waiting for me.

Do you know what scares me the most? Yup, you bet. Damn Math. Physics too, but I can deal with it. Memorize formulas and variables, and you're half-way through. But with Math it's always hard, especially that goddamn Algebra. Who even invented it? Why? Who needs it?

There are students that like it, okay. Weirdos – but okay. Let them have it! Take it all! Why torture us, normal people?

I groan. Got distracted again. Shit.

Maybe it's time for a break, after all.

Break from Math, I mean.

I sigh and reach for a Biology notebook. That's how it is sometimes. If you want to be a good student, study till you can't keep your eyes open.

I chuckle – but it's not quite as funny. There's a grain of truth in it, at least for me.

I've been spending all my free time with notes and textbooks since last week. Kiera says I look like a zombie. I'm not sure she knows what a zombie is – but I trust her on that one.

I think I've been looking like this since the day cops dropped by. Damn, even thinking about it makes me shiver. But they haven't come to the hotel ever since – or at least, I haven't seen them. Haven't heard of the incident either, so I guess it died down.

Things like that happen in the district sometimes. We don't sell lollipops here, after all.

I blink at the textbook in my hands, skim through the pages, and start reading about mutations. That one looks actually interesting, even if I can barely understand the terms. Still, pictures look cool, and I focus on memorizing them as best I can.

I'm already finishing with mitosis (or was it meiosis?) when a loud thud comes from the other room. Grandpa was playing with Kiera there, but they were actually quiet for the last half an hour or so.

He probably left her alone, and she chose to jump on the couch again. I sigh and raise my voice, tired and frustrated. "Kiera, get down!"

She doesn't answer. Doesn't even try to run away. It's quiet.