The Badass and the Alpha

Chapter Three

                As promised, the teacher came to talk to me about what I know in calculus. To say that he was wowed is an understatement. He was beyond impressed. 

                " Well Miss Doukas, I don't know what you are really doing here. If I were you, I would search on the internet a teaching degree and start teaching students."

                " Well Mr. Tully. I'm not you and I hate children so that won't happen." I tried saying it as calm as I could. Is he stupid? I'm taking his class because I need to learn new things, have new challenges, not learn that I have the knowledge to go and teach kids my age.

                " In this case, if you won't be leaving us, can I suggest signing you in for competitions. This school could really use some math trophies."

                " I don't do trophies." I said it a little harsh. 

                " We'll see about that. Miss Doukas and Mr. Wilder, to the black board please." he said getting up and writing an equation at the top of the board than dividing it in half. " Competition class. The first to finish this problem wins."

                I turned my head to Ares and displayed my most malefic smile, " Wins what, Mr. Tully?"

                " Wins a week without homework." it didn't sound appealing as I would never do them, but still, this was not the answer I was looking for.

                " May the best one win." I say to Ares putting accent on the word best. "Lets see what you've got, alpha."

                We both stepped out of our desks at the same time and headed to the front of the class. My mind was analyzing the problem already, trying to solve it. I was tracing the steps, half calculating in my mind the answers and trying to find the best approach. When I was sure of my result, we were standing in front of the teacher, waiting for the sticks of white chalk. When Mr. Tully handed me my piece, I asked him: " Mr. Tully, I don't think it's fair that I have to compete against him. I don't think he will even be able to get over the first division."

                " I assure you Miss Doukas, that Mr. Wilder here is the best student this class has."

                Oh well...sad it isn't like this in real life too. He would have challenged me till the end if he wasn't a coward. 

                " Miss Doukas? Are you ready?" asked the teacher and I nodded my head in answer, " Mr. Wilder? Are you ready?" and he did the same, " Alright then. The rules are simple, solve the equation the fastest possible respecting the order of the signs. No cheating. No interrupting the competitor. When you are done, you raise your hands up. The winner is the one with the fastest and the most correct answer. You will both start after you hear the loud bang of my wooden hammer slammed on the table. Any questions?" we both nodded no, " Than let the games begin. Let the math Gods be in your favor." and with this last dramatic sentence, he lifted the hammer and slammed it on the table.

                My hand started working on its own while my eyes were glued to the equation. My mind was going over the calculations done while walking and was glad that all the pieces fit their place. There was no way for me to make any mistake now.

                My heart was racing and after half of the problem was solved, I started concentrating on the problem and not the equation anymore. Everything was going smooth, just like I planned. I wrote the final digit and lifted my hands up in the air.

                Ares was only half way through and when he saw me done, he gave up. He put his chalk down and turned to the teacher and listened to his verdict.

                The teacher looked surprised to see me finish this fast and even more surprised when the answer was correct. Ares was also looking at me, maybe hoping for the problem to be wrong or maybe he was as stunned as the teacher was. Hell, the whole class was.

                " Never have I ever seen someone solve such a problem so easily and correctly and fast in my 35 years of teaching. I'm surprised, I'm stunned. I need you in my math team. I need you to compete for the school in the mathriatlon."

                " The what?!" I said confused.

                " The Mathriatlon." said Ares, " It's a math competition that combines calculus, speed and efficiency in one competition."

                All this time, the teacher was still looking at my problem, analyzing my way of thinking.

                " I'm sorry Miss Doukas for starring at your problem, but to me, it looks like a master piece. The techniques you chose, making it so efficient and the way every piece steps exactly in its place, it's just amazing."

                   Complements felt good. My whole life, my brain was a mess. Everyone told me that the way that I'm thinking it's complicated and that not everyone will get it. But to me, it was just an ordered mess. Everything had its own place and even if the whole looked like a disaster, it was an ordered disaster to me. Math was a disaster. The numbers were all over the place, but it was a mess that made sense. It was always clear for me where to look and where to start to solve it. It always put my mind at ease every time a problem had an answer. It meant that I wasn't going crazy.

                    " So? Does this means that I'm the best?" I said more to Ares than the teacher.

                    " The very best." was the answer the teacher told me. I, however, was looking for the answer Ares would give me.

                    " Umm...I don't know. I feel like something is missing." I said with a wicked smile towards Ares.

                    " I'm not gonna say it." Ares said through tight jaw.

                    " It doesn't matter, we all know I'm the best." I said turning my back to him and skipping towards the back of the class where my place was.

                    I seated myself down and watched the teacher going over the problem with Ares, telling him where he did wrong and where he should start working some more. In my opinion, he should start working on his speed, he is lacking it. Second, maybe his attitude towards girls. We are not whores. At least most of us.

                    The rest of the day was boring. In literature, the teacher asked me if I read " The Great Gatsby". My response was that I read ever classical novel that it is to read and she raised an eyebrow at me.  Whatever, it's just literature.

                    Lunch was an interesting part of the day. The food was horrible, as in any other school, but the interesting part was Ares. He didn't drop the threatening meeting after school. He kept sending me glares looking at the clock and than back at me, telling me to keep an eye out for his so called scary pack.

                    I had two hours left, one of History and one of Economics and then training. For what? I still don't know.

                    History was going slow, mostly because I was falling asleep and secondly because it was about the Civil War, so it was boring. As for Economics, I fell asleep right away.

                    The bell finally rang and I got up heading for the door to wait for James who will be taking me to the field to find out my training.

                    " Are you ready for training?" he said with enthusiasm.

                    " Turn it down a notch with the sunshine, would you. I don't wanna hear you scream in pain when you pull a muscle."

                    He looked at me terrified and then shook his head to wake up from whatever nightmare he was sent in by me.

                    " Right. This way." and he led the way through white halls until we reached the cellars. We entered a small office with two desks and saw a woman dressed in track pants with her legs up on the desk.

                    " Ms. Denovan? This is Miss Doukas, the new student that the principle was talking to you about." he said stepping aside so I could be seen by the teacher.

                    " The one with the drug history? Or the pregnant at 16 one?" she asked not looking at me

                    " The violent one." I stepped in. This time, she looked at us and than she looked at me.

                    " You have quite a physique. How tall are you?" she said pointing her chin up.

                    " 5'4''. Why do you ask?"

                    " And how heavy?"

                    " What?! This is really inappropriate." I said feeling exposed.

                    " Just answer the question. Because I really wanna see if I was right."

                    " 55 kg. Can you tell me now why do you need this stuff?"

                    " You could be a cheerleader, if you lose 10 kg. We are actually missing a few."

                    Right in that moment, I started to have a full on rage laughter, stopping from second to second to breath. After 5 minutes, I started looking around realizing I was the only one laughing. James was feeling uncomfortable and Ms. Denovan was looking at me cautiously.

                    " What is so funny?" she asked not realizing that I'm not cheer material.

                    " With all due respect Ms. Denovan, I'm no cheer material. I have a history of violence for f***s sake." I respond in exasperation, " I wasn't made to wear a skirt and jump and rhyme and sing all the time. Hell, I wasn't even made to smile for people that have it good in life."

                    " Sorry, but this is my final decision.", I'm sure she didn't mean that.

                    " Look coach, I would rather run around this globe in 20 inch heels than cheer for people. At least send me to track. I don't have a problem running."

                    " Track you say..." now this is making her change her mind. I knew it.

                    " Yes track. Time me, the way that I'm dressed, I mean it, with heels and everything, and see what I can do, but please, PLEASE, don't put me in a skirt shorter that my patience."

                    I can't believe I'm pleading for sports.

                    " I will not have you breaking your neck on my field. I will give you some running shoes so I won't have blood on my expensive track and than and only than will I time you. And I will need a full on worming up session. With no help from the others!" she finally said.

                    My odds are pretty high, now that I don't have to run in heels, but I would still do it so I won't have to deal with rhymed phrases and tossing and jumping and cheering. 

                    " Here are your shoes, lets see what you can do."

                    I took them in my hand and followed here outside on the field. The football team was practicing on the right side of the field as the cheerleaders were on the other side. The track team had the whole field to run around, if not hit by a ball.

                    I threw my bag on the bleachers and took my boots of, slipping the shoes on and tying them. I got up, took the edge of my shirt and lift it up mid-waist exposing my stomach and nodding it under my breasts. I pulled out my hair from the bun and put it in a pony tail. When I was ready, I started stretching my legs using the bleachers. The fact that almost the whole football team started eyeing my ass is an understatement. Only two of them that were probably gay or in a serious relationship with a cheerleader that was on the field at that time, looked away. Even James looked at my ass.

                    " Good to see that you are straight." I said while turning my body the other way so I could stretch the other leg.

                    When I was ready, I told James to go search for Ms. Denovan to time me. He left and when I saw the pace that he had, I decided to test the track by running a lap.

                    I was passing the cheer team when all of them stopped and looked at me with distaste. When I arrived to the football team terrain, they were all cheering for me while their coach was screaming at them to cut it.

                    Hmmm, reversed roles. I like it.

                    I got back right in time to see my teach taking out the chronometer and looking for me. When she saw me, she started walking my way, preparing to tell me the rules.

                    " You will be doing one lap. I want to see maintenance and speed. I want to see a good score. You have to be under 1'40'' to make the team. Got it?"

                    I nodded, excitement filling my veins. 

                    Time to run.

                     Before I started positioning myself, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The moment I put my foot in the metal piece to the moment the whistle blew, was just a pitch black silence. I heard the noise, something snapped in me and I started to run. I was gonna make it in record time.

                    I didn't bother with the cheerleaders sending me death glares. I didn't even bother with the football team whistling at me. All it mattered was to get to the other side fast.

                    " 1'10. Good time. Welcome to the team."

                    " Thank you!" I said, trying to catch my breath after running 400 meters." When do I start?"

                    " Tomorrow after classes. Have your equipment this time." and with that she left. Now it was time for me to get home.

                    I took my shoes off and took them to the office and headed for my car. James waited for me to put my things inside and told me he will be waiting for me tomorrow at my locker. I ignored him, telling him again that I don't do side buddies and then got in my car. James left and I started the engine to make my car cool down while I prepared a playlist.

                    A knock was heard in my window and I pulled it down to see who it was. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was Ares's sidekick. 

                    " Tell the douchebag that I don't have time for him or his 'pack'."

                    " I think we are past the waiting time." and with that, he pulled open my door and dragged me out of it, slamming me with my front on the car's hood.

                    " I told you my pack doesn't play nice." said a way too familiar voice from behind me.

                    " Ares Wilder. The 'leader' of the pack." spitted out.

                    " I told you this would happen if you defy me."

                    " Oh, just suck my d**k!" I just said trying to put as much venom as I could in one sentence while struggling to get out of the death grip his friend had on me.

                  This is going to end bad. Really bad.