Hopelessly Devoted ☆ Pierre Gasly

XVI

THE PAST

And the correct answer was... Juliette squeezed her eyebrows together and looked questionable at her own calculations. She bit on the end of the pencil and checked everything once again. For some reason, maths didn't make sense anymore. But it also made sense.

It was dead silence in the classroom. Everyone was making their maths exam; for some it did work out, for some it was a disaster. Juliette wasn't both of them, she got stuck and got lost in her own calculations. The exam went well until this very exercise: exercise number ten.

A quiet sigh rolled over her lips, and she gave up for now. Juliette looked outside, it was raining. She looked around in the classroom, everybody was so focused. Her eyes met the eyes of the teacher. Juliette quickly looked back at her exam; for some reasons, teachers always know when a student is looking up from their exam for a second. It was causing the awkward eye contact moment.

Why won't this work? Juliette crossed her legs and bit on the insides of her cheeks. The first few tones of Toxic by Britney Spears were playing in her head. What the heck, Juliette. I didn't ask for this. She pressed her lips into a thin line and stared at the exam. She knew if she submitted the exam, it probably would get her a better score than keep staring at it.

There were some knocks on the door. It made everyone look at the door. When it opened, the secretary of the principal entered the classroom.

"Yes?" The teacher looked irritated at the secretary, she interrupted the exam in the end.

"Juliette Reynolds," the secretary said. "There is a call for Juliette Reynolds..."

Juliette raised her eyebrows, a call for me? She straightened her back and looked hopeful at the teacher. No matter what the reason behind this whole call was, Juliette was delighted to leave the class.

"...and it's very urgent."

"We're in the middle of an important exam," the teacher said. "Can it wait?"

The secretary was shaking her head. "It can't wait."

"Go," the teacher said and waved at the door while looking at Juliette. "Be quick. It better be more important than this exam."

You didn't have to say that twice to Juliette. She threw the pencil on the table and got up. While walking to the secretary, she shared some looks with Sara. The corners of Juliette's lips curled down, and she shrugged; it was a question. She left the class and closed the door behind her.

"We have to go to the office," the secretary said and pointed towards the office of the principal.

"Alright," Juliette said and walked to the office. "Do you perhaps know who is calling?" She looked curiously at the woman.

The woman was shaking her head. "I have no idea. I only got the call to get you."

"Ah, yeah, alright." Juliette entered the office, and the principal pointed at the cellphone. Juliette gave him a polite nod and walked over to the phone. She brought the phone up to her ear; what if it was someone to call something that had happened to her dad? Panic flashed through her body; no. Juliette swallowed hard. But why else would they call? "Juliette Reynolds," she said.

"Good afternoon, Miss Reynolds," an English speaking person said. "I'm Jan Jansen from the commission of the European Speed Skating Championship."

This was definitely a Dutchman, there was no doubt about that. "Good afternoon," Juliette politely said and leaned against the desk. Why was the Speed Skating commission calling her in the middle of her exam? "How can I help you?"