Dedicated to sonderingly because Rayna is an absolute sweetheart and you all should go follow her and check out her amazing stories if you don't already!
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The university café is atypically empty for ten o'clock on a Tuesday morning, the vast majority of the wooden chairs scattered across the tiled floor empty. A couple lingering bodies pop in and out of the establishment like trains arriving and leaving the subway during rush hour. They're gone before anyone notices them.
Other than the songs buzzing through the radio speakers strategically placed on the ceiling, the chatter in the atmosphere is minimal. Nessa's sitting at a booth by a window that overlooks the university garden. The sun's rays peek through the interstices that the leaves naturally create on the branches of trees. Noon is gradually approaching.
Papers scatter the wooden tabletop, a thick calculus textbook sitting on Nessa's lap. She twirls a pencil in between her fingers as she skims the small font on the pages, words gliding right over her forehead instead of through her brain. No matter how hard she tries, she can't absorb the information.
"Math hates me," Nessa concludes to Vy, nibbling on the edge of her lower lip. "It's plotting to murder me right this second."
Nessa's eyes drift from the textbook to Vy who is sliding into the other side of the booth with two cups of coffee in her hands. Vy shoots a sympathetic glance across the table after she checks the labels on the sides of the cups, passing Nessa her order.
"Why is calculus so fucking hard?" Nessa groans, slumping down into her seat. "When am I ever going to need to the limit as x approaches infinity? When am I ever going to need to know the definition of the derivative?"
"Never," Vy replies honestly.
Feeling utterly beaten and outplayed by mathematical equations and variables, Nessa takes a sip of coffee. The warm, brown liquid finds a way down her throat, the bitter aftertaste provoking a grimace on her face.
"Not enough sugar or something?" Vy asks, still stirring her coffee.
Nessa nods. "I'll be right back. Do you need anything from the counter?"
"I'm good for now, but thanks, Ness."
As she's standing up, Nessa accidentally rams into a passerby coming from behind her. Before she knows it, a pair of hands are on both of her shoulders. Two more seconds and she would've probably fallen onto the floor beneath her feet. She cranes her neck to the side, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment. A pair of blue eyes meet her brown ones, and all she can think about is the fact that she's been to this ocean before.
"N-nessa," Liam stutters, completely caught off guard. After their eyes lock, neither of them can find it in themselves to break the gaze. "What are you doing here?"
Liam thinks the question sounds a little stupid lingering in the air after it's left his mouth. For some reason, he's always at a loss for words when he's around Nessa.
"She's supposed to be studying for a calculus exam," Vy answers for Nessa, raising an eyebrow at the work that has yet to be completed.
"When is it?"
"Friday," Nessa replies as tersely as possible, keeping her voice soft and quiet.
"Basically in other words, she's screwed," Vy says bluntly, a sympathetic look crossing her face. She's never been one to filter anything coming out of her mouth.
"Vy, have a little faith in me. There's still two more days for me to cram all of this crap into my brain." It sounds more optimistic than Nessa intended. Two days wasn't even enough time to watch an entire season of a TV show let alone learn half a semester of material.
"How many problems have you gotten through since we got here?"
All their eyes drift to Nessa's stack of paper, still sitting helplessly on the tabletop. An untouched packet of problems sits at the very top, practically begging for attention.
"Liam's great at calculus, aren't you, Li?"
"I'm pretty decent," Liam says modestly, but everyone at the table knows he's the best at the material by far.
"Wait, this is perfect!" The light bulb in Vy's head goes off, an idea striking her right in the middle of her forehead. "I think I just found a solution for your problem, Ness."
"Vy . . ." Nessa discourages her best friend from continuing, knowing exactly where this is headed. This can only end badly.
"You'd be willing to tutor Nessa, right?" Vy glances at Liam whose eyes are still fixed on Nessa.
"I'd consider it," Liam says cooly even though he'd jump at the opportunity to learn more about the mysterious girl standing before him. He's been searching for answers. He's still waiting for answers.
"I really don't think this is necessary, Vy."
"Don't deny what's good for you, Ness!" she insists. "You need this."
"I-"
"You need him."
Those words only scratch the surface of what is really going on underneath. Neither Liam or Nessa say anything in that moment, both of them standing idly while they wait for Vy to continue carrying the conversation.
"How would you feel about tutoring Nessa, Liam?"
There's a slight pause meant for contemplation before Liam says, "I'd love to."
He smiles at Nessa, the curve of his lips prompting her to swoon for a split second before reality hits her again.
"Now all we need is a time." Vy's eyes alternate from Liam to Nessa, waiting for one of them to speak up and set the plan in stone.
"I'm free tomorrow after seven," Nessa says, giving in because she knows she doesn't stand a chance against Vy once she sets her mind on something. "Does that sound good with you?"
"It's a date, Nessa."
YOU ARE READING
Say Hello For Me
Short Story"Hello, we are here to advise you on all your questions, concerns, and problems related to relationships. How may I assist you today?" "I think my girlfriend is cheating on me." Everything started with this simple line.
