Forbidden Equation

Chapter 11: The Setup

"Earth to Dan," Ted muttered under his breath, nudging Dan’s elbow with a sharp, synchronized flick of his pen. "Hey. Are you breathing over there?"

Dan blinked rapidly, his focus snapping back as he turned a guarded, blank look toward his friend. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Don't give me that," Ted scoffed softly, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing attention from the rest of the class. "You’ve been staring at the exact same matrix for twenty minutes without blinking. You're completely spacing out, man. What's actually going on with you?"

Dan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, tightening his grip on his mechanical pencil. He couldn't exactly tell Ted that his concentration had been completely vaporized because he couldn't stop fantasizing about their math professor. Instead, he pulled up the easiest shield he had.

"It's nothing," Dan lied smoothly, his voice dropping into a flat, tired register. "My dad is just pressuring me too much about the semester. He’s breathing down my neck about getting top marks, comparing me to my siblings again. It's exhausting."

Ted’s eyes softened instantly, misinterpreting the deflection entirely. He knew how brutal and unyielding Dan's wealthy family could be when it came to business expectations. "Damn, man. I figured it was rough, but I didn't think it was throwing you off this badly. You look completely wrecked. If you're having a hard time wrapping your head around this advanced calculus stuff, you gotta speak up before the midterms crush you."

"I'll handle it," Dan murmured, quickly turning his gaze back to the board to shut down the interrogation.

But Ted wasn't planning on letting it go. As the dismissal bell finally rang and the lecture hall erupted into the familiar flurry of scraping chairs and packing bags, Ted made a silent executive decision. He watched Dan slowly, meticulously organizing his backpack, completely drained of his usual energy.

While Dan was still adjusting his straps, Ted slung his own bag over his shoulder and marched straight down the tiered steps toward the front podium.

Ms. Cruz was neatly gathering her lecture notes and placing her laptop case into her sleek leather tote. Her dark-rimmed eyeglasses sat perfectly on her nose, her sharp, analytical gaze instantly locking onto Ted as he approached.

,"Ms. Cruz? Um, excuse me," Ted began, his usual confident posture turning slightly formal in front of her authoritative aura.

"Yes, Ted? Is there a problem with today's proof?" Elena asked, her smooth, articulate voice perfectly composed.

"Not for me, ma'am, but... it's about Dan," Ted said, leaning in slightly. "He'd never admit it because he's too proud, but he's really having a terrible time with the coursework right now. His dad is putting an insane amount of pressure on him to keep his grades up, and if Dan drops even a fraction of a GPA point, his dad's anger is apparently terrifying. He’s completely stressed out to the point where he can’t even focus in class. I was really wondering... is there any chance you could offer him a one-on-one free tutorial? Just to help him get back on track?"

At the exact same moment, Dan finished zipping his bag and walked down the steps to meet up with Ted. He was still a few paces away when the final words traveled clearly across the quiet, emptying room—specifically, Ted's blatant request for a private, personal tutorial for him.

Dan froze mid-step, his heart violently hammering against his ribs as a wave of pure adrenaline crashed through his veins.

Ms. Cruz looked up over the rims of her eyeglasses, her sharp eyes bypassing Ted entirely to land directly on Dan's completely paralyzed, flustered face. A subtle, knowing smirk played beautifully on her lips as she took in his wide eyes and the rapid flush of heat stealing across his cheeks. She remembered her own thoughts from the bathtub the night before, and seeing him cornered like this was an unexpected luxury.

"Oh," Ms. Cruz said smoothly, her voice carrying an intentional, teasing undertone that only Dan could truly feel. She looked back at Ted, then locked her gaze securely onto the youngest son. "I see. Well, as I mentioned before, I am always deeply invested in ensuring my students don't fall behind under family pressure."

Dan stepped forward, his throat completely dry as he desperately tried to find a way to decline without looking incredibly suspicious in front of his best friend. "Ms. Cruz, wait—Ted is just exaggerating, I don't really—"

"Nonsense, Dan," Ms. Cruz interrupted gently, her tone perfectly professional on the surface but alive with a private amusement that made Dan's knees feel weak. She leaned slightly against the podium, entirely poised. "There is absolutely no need to deny it or feel embarrassed. If your grades are causing such distress at home, it would be highly irresponsible of me to ignore a request for help. Let's set up your first private session for tomorrow after the final period. My office, six sharp. Don't be late."

Ted grinned broadly, clapping Dan hard on the back. "See? Told you she’s the best. Thanks, Ms. Cruz!"

Dan stood entirely frozen, unable to utter a single word of protest as Ms. Cruz offered him one final, lingering smile that sent a dangerous thrill straight down his spine.