A Secret Duchess: A Christmas Unlike Any Other

Chapter 4: Calculus, Dinner, and Some Unwanted Distractions

The first few days of school were a blur for Emma—faces, places, and frantically figuring out where her classes were. She had been mentally preparing for months to dive into the D1 soccer grind, but the "college" part of college was already feeling like an uphill battle. There were textbooks, long lectures, awkward small talk with new people, 5 a.m. conditioning sessions, film study for the upcoming game, drills and strategy practice, and, worst of all—math. To her dismay, she had been placed in pre-calculus.

Emma had always been good at math. In high school, she was a straight-A student, and she’d breezed through calculus as a sophomore. So being stuck in a pre-calculus class felt like a cruel joke. The university didn’t care about her high school transcript; they only cared about making sure she was "well-rounded" or whatever that was supposed to mean.

On the first day of class, Emma walked into the large lecture hall, exhaustion from morning conditioning practice weighing her legs down. The room felt like a time capsule, unchanged since the early '90s. Rows of stadium-style seating stretched upwards, each seat equipped with a tiny attached desk barely big enough to hold a notebook. The air carried a faint mustiness, like an old library in desperate need of renovation, making the prospect of this class even less appealing. Emma trudged up to a spot in the middle row and dropped into her seat, hoping to remain as inconspicuous as possible. She pulled out her notebook and textbook, leaning over to set everything up, when someone dropped into the seat next to her.

"Hey," a deep voice greeted her. The sound sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.

Emma froze for a moment before glancing up. Her heart gave an unexpected flutter when she saw Alex sitting beside her, his trademark grin firmly in place.

He was close—so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. His dark brown eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, it felt as if the entire room had disappeared. She caught the subtle streaks of gold weaving through the deep brown, like the shimmer of a tiger’s eye gemstone. It gave his gaze a mesmerizing depth that felt almost impossible to look away from. Emma’s breath caught in her throat, and she quickly forced herself to break eye contact.

"Alex?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckled, the sound warm and easy. "Well, same as you I’m guessing," he said, gesturing to the room. "They’ve got us all taking this nonsense pre-calculus stuff."

Emma exhaled sharply, her irritation with the class resurfacing. "Same. I already did calculus in high school. I don’t even know why I’m here. It’s such a waste of time."

Alex nodded, his grin widening. "Tell me about it. They said it’s a requirement for all freshmen, no matter what. Completely ridiculous."

Emma couldn’t help but laugh. "At least I’m not the only one who thinks so. Wait—don’t tell me you’re good at math too?"

"You bet," Alex said with a playful smirk. "Computer science major."

Emma raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Political science and Psychology. But I’ve been breezing through this stuff for years. My dad is on the board of education for the math and science department - I’m required to be good at math. It’s frustrating having to do it all over again."

"Sounds like we’re in a similar boat," Alex said. He leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment. "Maybe we should help each other out—make this class suck a little less."

Emma hesitated, surprised by his suggestion. "You’re serious?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Yeah, why not?" he replied, shrugging. "Might as well team up and get through it together."

A smile tugged at the corners of Emma’s lips. "Alright, I’m in. This class is going to drag on forever, so we might as well make it tolerable."

Alex’s eyes lit up, and he nodded in approval. "Cool. Meet me at the Mezz later? We can start on the homework."

Emma felt a flicker of excitement at the thought of spending time with him outside of class. "Sure," she said, trying to sound casual. "I’ll grab a table around four."

"Sounds good. I’ll see you again then," Alex said, his grin softening into something more genuine before he turned his attention back to the front of the lecture hall.

Emma tried to focus on the professor’s introduction, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the tall, dark, and handsome man sitting next to her. Alex—his easy smile, the warmth in his voice, and the way he seemed so comfortable, even in a room full of strangers. Shaking her head, she forced herself to take notes, reminding herself she didn’t have time for distractions. Not now. Besides, she had a man at home. Right?

….

Four o’clock came faster than Emma had expected. She arrived at the Mezz—a popular student-athlete hangout known for its dynamic and competitive atmosphere. At the heart of the building was an indoor track, its circular layout surrounded by glass walls that allowed a view of the runners from nearly every angle. On the right side were the weight room and student gym facilities, bustling with athletes completing off-season and after-practice regimens. Tables lined the glass, providing a perfect spot for studying while soaking in the energy of the place. The Mezz also boasted an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a lofted space filled with additional study tables, and film rooms where teams analyzed opponents’ strategies. For student-athletes, the environment screamed competition and felt like home.

Emma found a quiet corner by the window, her usual spot, and set up her laptop and textbook, determined to get a head start on the homework. But her mind kept wandering.

Every time she tried to focus, her thoughts drifted back to Alex. His presence had unsettled her in a way she couldn’t quite explain. It wasn’t bad, exactly—just unfamiliar. She wasn’t used to feeling this... aware of someone.

A few minutes later, Alex walked in, dressed in athletic gear that suggested he had just come from a workout. Emma couldn’t help but notice how his t-shirt clung to his shoulders - the black fabric accentuating the chocolate tones of his skin. She watched how effortlessly confident he seemed as he approached her table.

"Hey," he said, dropping his bag onto the chair next to hers. "Ready to make this class a little less painful?"

Emma smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Definitely. I need a break from soccer chaos."

Alex nodded in understanding. "Same here. Being a college athlete is no joke. But hey, at least we’ve got math to also bond over, right?"

Emma laughed, pulling her laptop closer. "Right. Let’s get started."

…

As they worked through the first section of the homework, Emma was surprised by how easy it was to talk to Alex. Their approaches to problem-solving were almost identical, and they fell into a comfortable rhythm. The material wasn’t challenging, but having someone to work with made it more bearable.

Alex leaned back in his chair after solving the last equation, stretching his arms over his head. "Alright, I’ve had enough math for one day," he said with a grin. "What do you say we grab some dinner?"

Emma blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. "Dinner?"

"Yeah," Alex said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I’ll meet you at the cafeteria at six, I just want to take a quick shower first."

Emma hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. Six it is."

Alex smiled, and for a moment, Emma thought she saw a flicker of something softer in his expression—something almost vulnerable. But then he grabbed his bag and stood up, giving her a quick wave before heading out.

As Emma packed up her things, she felt a strange mix of emotions. She wasn’t sure what to make of Alex or the way he seemed to effortlessly draw her in. How easy he notices her. She’s never really felt noticed before. Not in this way.