Little Annotations | Tristan Dugray

chapter twenty six

"Good morning Luke!" Genevieve chirped.

Her day was going great.

School was canceled for PSAT testing, Luke made her his fabulous lemon cake, and she had Jess keeping her company. Against her better judgment, she didn't press him to go to school that day and they sat at a corner in the diner together. They spent every moment of the day together, and at one point the two of them got kicked out for taking up tables in the diner.

"We could go to my place." Genevieve suggested, "Bring your books."

"My books." Jess repeated.

"Mhm."

Little to his knowledge, he unknowingly agreed to a five hour study session with the girl. At some point during the day, Luke slid her a note, and on it was written:

He's failing. For the love of god tutor him and I'll bake you so many lemon cakes.

She honestly would've done it for free, but the lemon cake was the decider.

Jess whistled, "You rearranged your room."

"Mhm." She said, "I got new books too." She pointed to the newly built shelf across the room.

Jess dropped his bag on the ground and scanned the new covers. He pulled a book off the shelf and opened it to the first cover, grinning to himself when he saw Genevieve A. Clairmont written in her delicate cursive. He continued to pick the books off the shelf, looking at each cover.

"You claim every book huh?"

"I love them more than I love myself." She said.

He turned red when he saw that she had her back to him, mid-changing clothes. Quickly, he turned back to the shelf and ran his fingers along the spines. Classics, rare editions, signed copies, she had them all.

"Alright, where do you keep the first editions?"

"That shelf over there." She pointed to a crystal case.

He scoffed, "Expected nothing less- oh come on you're actually studying? What is that?"

"AP Physics." She said, pushing a stool out with her foot, "Sit."

"Yes ma'am." He sighed.

"What are you struggling with?"

"Nothing."

"You have three Ds and an F." She looked at him, "You're struggling with something."

"I'm not," Jess said, "Quiz me in anything!"

"A crude birth rate of 10 per 1,000 in a country is in what stage of a demographic transition?" She asked, and Jess fell silent.

"There's no way you're learning that."

"I'm not." She said.

"Exactly."

"I learned it freshman year. Human Geography." She said, "The answer is stage four by the way."

"Fine. How about I quiz you?" Jess said.

"You can try."

"Political ramifications of the Marshall plan."

"Europe became firmly divided between east and west, and countries such as Czexhoslovakia and Poland were prevented from receiving aid." She said, "World History."

"Hm." Jess said, impressed.

Somehow he managed to get his hands on some playing cards, playing cards Genevieve didn't even know she had.