Princess » l.s ✔️

The One Where The Euphoric Feeling Disappeared

Chapter Fourteen: The One Where The Euphoric Feeling Disappeared.

"Okay, who would like to come to the board and solve this equation?"

Nobody raised their hands, nobody jumped to answer, no one even uttered a word to what the teacher was asking.

For once, the class was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, something the teacher would be happy about–because finally, a moment where the room wasn't roaring with noise so loud, he'd go home with a headache–but this wasn't the time, Mr. Richards actually wanted a reply.

"Louis. How about you come and try." The teacher pushed his thick glasses over his large nose, eyes fixated on Louis who was sitting at the far back of the class, where he tried to hide behind many heads.

Louis looked up with wide eyes, glancing over at the rest of the class. Some were staring back, some snickering, some giving him pity looks for his misfortune.

He wasn't prepared for this situation, especially since Math wasn't his strong point. In fact, he despised Math, and it seemed, Math despised him too.

But he knew, by the way his teacher stood patiently at the other side of the room tapping the desk with the end of a pencil, that he had to. No choice there.

So he got up from his tiny desk, his chair screeching loudly as it slid against the hard ground. He slowly walked down his row, feeling as if he was walking to his death penalty.

Granted, when you're thirteen, just about anything can feel like a death penalty, but walking to the front of the class was worse than anything possible. Louis might despise that more than the equation itself.

But Louis couldn't let the look of fear show on his face, let alone let his class mates see it.

So he smiled at the teacher, taking the board marker he handed to him. "Sir, we all know very well I hadn't raised my hand. And you asked a question. So, if you asked a question and I didn't raise my hand, that means I don't know the answer. Sir." He said, content when he heard chuckling behind him.

Mr. Richards on the other hand wasn't amused, and just hummed. "No matter what you say, Mr, Tomlinson, I won't leave you off the hook."

At that Louis groaned, walking closer to the board.

He had to stall. There were six minutes left, according to the clock above the door, and usually, they ring the bell five minutes before the lesson ended. That gave him a minute. If he could stall for one minute, he would be free.

That was easy.

"How's the wife, Sir? Heard she was quite poorly. Nothing serious, I hope?" He asked, lowering down his marker.

The teacher blinked. "She's fine. Thank you for your concern."

Louis pressed his lip together. "You sure?"

"Equation, Louis."

The class erupted into a fit of laughter once more.

"I'm simply just wondering, is that so wrong? By the way, how was the Easter vacation? I ate loads of chocolate, too much probably—"

"Louis—"

"It was quite nice. What about you? Still growing that mustache I see-"

And there it was, the sweet, sweet sound of the alarm bell screaming for the students to get to lunch. And his escape.

Louis closed the cap of the marker and handed it back to the teacher with a sweet smile, walking back to his place to pack his stuff up.

When they were dismissed, Louis closing his bag, a small, folded up note fell from it. He hadn't noticed, and would've followed everyone else to the cafeteria but when he stepped on it, the crumpling noise it made caught his attention.