Loving Lisbeth Salander (XIV Series #1)

The Girl Who Sleeps in Class I

“Look alive, class! Today, I’ll be announcing the scores of the other day’s exam. Those of which who got lower than fifty will be required to make a whole research paper for two weeks as additional credit for the failed remark.” Everyone groaned in dismay. Of course, they’d be aware of how they did so their reaction was like this. I was fairly confident with how I did. So I wasn’t really that worried. If anything. I was more worried of how Forest did with her exam. “Starting off with the highest!” Best hope I’m not a part of that group who’s supposed to make a research paper for two weeks and still fail the class. “Forest Young.”

Everyone didn’t seem to process that Forest, a new one in our unit for the semester, just aced probably the hardest exam Mr. Oliver gave our class. Murmurs enveloped the room as our professor scanned for her.

Forest, Forest?

I turned my head and saw her sleeping by her arm chair – again. I stared at her who didn’t walk up to get her test paper. Normally, the students would clap their hands and praise her, but the class was quiet as if something miraculous happened which for some reason was really miraculous considering that Forest never paid attention in class. I knew she was smart but I didn’t think she was that smart to get the highest in class. I guess, she was really smart. Everyone was just as amazed as I am. How in the world—

The moment Mr. Oliver landed our exam sheets on the table, I couldn’t help but think of Forest. I don’t know why she refused to take my notes home even if she was fully aware that we were taking an exam today. I can’t comprehend any reason why she’d be so calm and chill about this without having anything to read. Perhaps she was okay with a passing rate? “Go!” Okay. I’ll finish this fast and I’ll just have to share her my answers. Okay. That’s the plan. That’s the plan and hoping, praying that Mr. Oliver wouldn’t catch me helping her from the sides.

After a few minutes, I finished answering the seventy item test. It was a lot harder than I expected. It took longer for me to finish than most exams but I was still earlier than everyone. I looked at my back after seeing my teacher looking down on a book and saw her dozing off.

Dozing off – in the middle of an exam.

I tried to kick her chair but she wouldn’t bulge. If I kicked harder, then it would be more noticeable and I can’t risk having to fail this exam and retake it next semester. “Forest,” I tried to whisper but she wasn’t waking up even with my call and the kick.

If only I could reach her without looking suspicious. Oh dear Lord. I sighed in defeat. I’ll just have to help her with her make-up research if she ends up failing this exam. Why is she acting like this, really? Isn’t she worried about failing? And how does she get away with it? How fascinating, this woman.

“Last three minutes!”

I looked around and felt my fingers trembling in anxiety. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she was literally sleeping during an exam. She was one very odd girl. I fidgeted my fingers, still trying to come up with ways I could possible can to at least share a few answers for her to score. Even if it’s just ten or five or something. Just not zero. That way Mr. Oliver would think she—

“Pens up!”

My heart raced for her.

“Pass your papers forward.”

I blinked and passed my paper forward. I turned to my back and saw her finally rose from her seat. She handed the paper to me so I passed our paper forward as well. I stared at her in confusion. She still looked utterly calm about sleeping in on an exam. “Did you even look at the test?” I asked and she just turned to me with her usual lazy face. “Why were you sleeping?” I asked in worry. “You should have just guessed the answers if you didn’t know the answers, you know…”

“What are you on about?” She creased her brows at me, shaking her head as she replied. “Mind your own f*****g business.” She barked at me, standing up from her chair while rolling her eyes away from me, and wrapping her bag around her chest to leave the class.

“She did answer.” I mumbled to myself and turned back to her with a more amused smile as I remembered that moment we took the exam. She answered. But she answered it even faster than I did. She never fails to surprise me every time we do something – every time she does something. Who would have thought that she’d ace the test when she was basically sleeping the whole test and during classes.

“Ms. Young actually, well,” Mr. Oliver cleared his throat, catching everyone’s attention. “Got every question correct so,” Got everything correct? While sleeping during lectures and even on the day of the exam? “Let’s all give her a round of applause regardless if she refuses to be recognized or not.” I was still in shock and I think the same goes with everyone but they did clap unsurely and she was still sleeping so I don’t know why we’re still doing this, for some reason. “Even if she’s sleeping. Let’s just appreciate her amazing gift.” Amazing gift? “If you all may have noticed, I let Ms. Young sleep in my class without scolding her or sending her to detention, let her in even if she’s forty five minutes late, and that’s because Ms. Young is one of the best students I send during national and international contests.”

My lips parted in shock.

“For compliance to her absences and misconduct under university policy.”

My eyes blinked. I was still confused. So Mr. Oliver and Forest knew each other before she was even sent to our class. That explains why she could talk to him comfortably like that. Because they already knew each other.

“You’re probably wondering why I send her to quiz bees and how she did well and believe me, I would have suspected her for cheating during the exams, but the thing is, Ms. Young is a very special student.” Special? “She has the rare gift of photographic memory,”

What…

“Which makes it easy for her to remember everything she sees.” Photographic memory. “Okay! Next up, 61. Kira Alm—”

Photographic memory. I guess it makes sense. She was naturally, effortlessly smart. That makes perfect sense. It never occurred to me that she would possess a skill like that which is really as per said by my teacher. I never would have thought that she’d be a part of that 1% group who possesses that skill. Which is the exact reason why it never crossed my mind that she would have this rare gift for a photographic memory. That’s why she was just firmly looking at my notes when I was insisting for her to take it home before because she was trying to picture it in her head and they most probably must have just remained there, in her brain, I guess.

I leaned closer to her, trying to keep my voice down as Mr. Oliver announced the rest of the class’ scores. “So, photographic memory.”

She turned to me with her forehead wrinkled in frustration of seeing me again. Typical reaction of whenever she realizes I’m sitting next to her or whenever I’m just near her parameter. Her eyes were droopy and red. I suspected she would be faking her sleep, but seeing her eyes confirmed that she wasn’t faking it. She was sleeping, alright.

“You never told me you have that before.” I asked in excite. Partly because I’ve never met someone who had a skill like that. “That’s really cool! You can be the valedictorian without even trying so hard.”

“I’m not trying to.” She answered briefly.

“But photographic memory! You could have told everyone that and everyone would be lining up to be your friend.”

She glared at me as if I was telling her something mean or rude. Her glares were always terrifying. It makes me wonder if I just babble too much at this point, that anyone I would talk to would be feeling the same way she felt about me – annoyed. But her eyes looked more beautiful, so I guess it cancels out the terrifying aspect of it if I focus really hard on them without the part that she’s mad.

“Why would you think I’d tell you anything?” She asked, squinting her eyes at me, and shaking her head. “I don’t even f*****g talk to you so why do you think I’d let you know about that?” She replied coldly but I kept the smile on my face, and took a moment to appreciating her more and pay even closer attention to the details of her face. “Can you f*****g stop smiling like a creep?”

I smiled still. Not to annoy her but because I was more amused of her with everything she did.

Her brows twitched. “If you think you look so good on it, check out the mirror and see how much of a monkey you look like.”

I blinked and my smile slowly curves the other way around. I have never felt so offended my entire life. I’ve always been told that I looked great, better even, with a smile on my face. And to hear her say I look like a monkey with it was heart shattering. “I thought people always look best with smiles on their faces.”

“Well, your good heavens exempted you to be a part of that assemble.”