Theories of Unbalanced Forces and Black Holes

part two | theory fifteen

part two | the tale of elusive shadows

theory fifteen | baa baa black sheep

For the first time, Alouette could see a hint of anger in Maximillian's eyes.

It wasn't just the look he gave to Claude when he teased him or to Diederich who always took Claude's side in the argument instead of his and the glimmer didn't look like the hatred he had for Katherine.

The anger was somewhat real.

"I must have said something weird." Maximillian took a deep breath and sat down on a wooden bench, not even looking if the dew had made it wet. "Well I guess that's why that conceited literature student called us 'Eccentricity Brigade'"

Then his eyes reflected disappointment.

"Hey, can I ask your score?" Maximillian smiled at her, placing the violin case on his lap.

"On what?" Alouette tilted her head.

"Stresseman's placement exam."

Damn. A lot of memories started flooding into her mind. She remembered the endless nights she had spent taking the midnight study train just to get inside the university. It didn't get better when the day came and she felt like she was having a seizure when her hands shook as her foot took a step inside the examination room.

And she would never want to remember the physics questions that she cursed so much.

"Average. Why ask?" Alouette's simple reply, wanting to hide the embarrassment of almost throwing up when she saw the equations of hyperbolas and mathematical solutions that require pi and other Greek forsaken formulae.

Maximillian laughed at himself and finally, face palmed and it sounded very much painful.

How embarrassing would it be to walk around the campus with a red hand mark on one's forehead?

"Good for you. I never passed." He chuckled bitterly and Alouette took a seat next to him. "I was about twenty points below the average line and God it made me want to cry."

Alouette's eyebrows furrowed. She might was well believe that Maximillian was joking with her.

"Then how---"

"I'm in Stresseman because they considered my audition. All applying music students have to do one and if it weren't for my violin then I might not be here while Claude and Diederich would be." He sighed. "I can't even believe Dee. He's sixteen and he's smarter."

Even Alouette couldn't believe that fact.

"I'm a disgrace to my family." He said bitterly and then grimaced.

Alouette stared at him for a while and at that moment, she wished that she was Claude because if he were the one in that place, he'd know what to say and Alouette didn't.

Because Claude knew how to see through people...and she didn't.

"N-No you're not." She stuttered, not sure of her words. "I suck at every science subject and my Dad's a doctor and a professor. That's pretty much something to compare."

Then your mother?

She bit her lip at the thought.

"Not if you're in the middle of five siblings in a family of lawyers and you happened to be the idiot." Maximillian grimaced.

"What...?"

Maximillian looked down at his feet and silence took over him. He absolutely looked hesitant. Like he said the wrong words to the wrong person.