To Write Love on Her Arms.

Chapter two

The next day, as promised, Mr. Nethers brought his bearded dragon to class. Against my will, a grin broke across my face. I absolutely loved Atlas. It reminded me of my previous pet, a beardie named Luna, and my  current one, Hailey. Atlas climbed on his heating rock and sat there, just staring out at the abyss of the class.

Mr. Nethers began the day with science, and was talking about the way that reptiles are cold blooded and how their body temperature depends on the temperature around it. I was listening intently, absolutely fascinated. The lesson steered towards other reptiles and animals, until it was time for math.

"Okay class. Go and grab your multiplication sheets and sit down at your desks with your folders up. This is a five minute test, and if you pass, you will go to your division. If not, you will continue to do your times tables."

I smiled to myself. My father had taught me all the times tables when I was younger, and she knew them all by heart. We would sit at the kitchen table, my dad and I, and we would make a game with my math and see who would win. I knew I would do alright.  

"On your marks, get set, go!"

There was the sounds of pencils frantically scribbling on paper as everyone bent their heads and tried to multiply. Leah and Leo seemed to be confident as they flew through their papers. Every now and again there would be a frustrated sigh as they tried to correct their error. I wondered briefly how they were fairing. I wasn't in any rush. I calmly wrote down all the answers with just about the same amount of confidence as Leah and Leo did. The three of us sat back almost as one. We all met eyes and smiled shyly.

"Times up!" The teacher called. 

Everyone laid their folders down on their desk and went to the front of the room to hand the tests in. 

Leo leaned in to Leah. "Do you think you passed?"

Leah nodded. "Sure I do. I was taught these at an early age. My dad is a mathematician. We spent hours on these.”

Leo turned to me. “How did you do?”

I shrugged. “I did okay. My dad worked with me since I was four. It’s almost as if they are second nature.”

Leah once again stared at me. I was starting to get tired of it.

We all went to sit down, and Mr. Nethers went to the front. “That was a protest, telling me where your at in your mental math skills. They will not be a grade, so don't worry if you didn't do well. As the year goes on, you’ll get more and more confident,