love game

friendship

-What are you doing here, I thought you had classes or something.

-I'm on leave, since I'm still the good cop in the punishment relationship we have, so as long as I can get into calculus I came here, besides you're my friend shorty.

I roll my eyes.

-Don't call me shorty.

-You've been shorty for almost two years.

God, I know I swore, but then just bear with her.

-Are you serious?

I say as I see her with a bottle of pear juice.

-I got you apple and orange, I also have peaches, strawberry and chocolate milk.

-Chocolate milk.

I say simple, my stomach is empty and I feel like eating something, but I'm not going to tell her "buy me something" I'm embarrassed.

-No, it's chocolate milk and chocolate milk.

-Do you like that?

He nods.

Me too...

-Don't you?

-I don't mind.

I say, feeling him put about four pillows under my back and neck to make me moderately comfortable and my stuff is all over me.

-Why are you being so nice?

I ask suddenly.

-What are you talking about, I'm always like this shorty, maybe what you find so strange is that I'm very attentive to you, but in general I'm like this, haven't you ever noticed? You're the one who's mean to me.

He chuckles with that accusatory look in his eyes.

- I guess I'm very cold and kind of dry with you, but I'm not mean.

Stop looking at me like that.

She's so cute when she's sitting and looking anywhere distracted, she looks like a cat.

- Kassandra.

- Kenner

I'm still on the strawberry, milk and chocolate mix that tastes like ice cream.

- You better have passed your bimonthly exam.

She laughs proudly.

A closed eighty-five.

She smiles proudly with her bottle of juice.

- Yeah... I was hoping for a better grade, I can see that trusting you is not a good idea.

She looks at me and proceeds to sort of pout silently.

- But, you've improved quite a bit in that regard. It's no longer a mere fifty or sixty, you're already making progress that's good.

A slight smile is on his lips and the twinkle in his eye is cute.

- Thanks, you're a good teacher despite being obnoxious.

I see him rummaging through his backpack for a logo.

That thing has the entrance to Narnia, it just has to be there Narnia.

- A girl left this for you, I didn't know you had a girlfriend.

He looked at her quizzically.

-I don't have a girlfriend.

It's a little box with some things inside and a small letter.

-Ahhh I get it, I'm cupid now and I don't get paid for that.

Give me patience.

I leave the infirmary after two days without doing anything more than looking at the ceiling, some trips to the bathroom, talking with friends and having Kassandra asking me about calculus problems... it was strange, she always brings something different, she didn't bring the ice cream coupon, I don't know how, how does she leave her pasta with ice cream to the infirmary, I don't know, but she left me chocolate peanut ice cream and then she left to pass her exam, I hope she passes it.

Something almost flies past the side of my face and I see a few feet in front of me one of the catchers of the college team catching one of the baseballs.

I move out of his way and continue on my way, I wonder if Vincent is still alive, I know they took him to the clinic for doing something stupid.

I run head on into one of Kassandra's non-sporty me, Liu.

An Asian with a good vibe in life, he's pretty laid back and I don't know how he usually goes with her.

-Hey, Kenner, right?

- Yeah, do you need anything?

He rummages through his stuff for something and hands me a rectangular piece of cardboard, not too big maybe... it's a ticket.

I turn it over and it's a brochure.

That makes more sense.

-What is this?

I read the brochure in more detail.

- Well it's a meeting to be held on campus to increase the budget for some classes that need a good budget boost.

I have a slight idea that this is going to academic teams that I could care less about but for some reason they always need more and more budget....

I guess the awards help the university to be more important or something, right?.

-You mean the academic teams and clubs?

I ask and he nods.

-You're not on one?

-No.

I always get weird looks for that, I guess it's weird that someone doesn't take those extra "classes" to get extra points... but I genuinely don't want to be with people more than necessary.

-Strange, I thought I saw your name on the academic reassignment list.

-Huh, the what?

He points to the list they are posting on the inside wall by the entrance to the dean's building.

-Yes, Kenner Edevane, isn't it?

He asks.

-Yes...

I stare at how many people are there, some celebrating, others disappointed, and I notice that Kassandra looks like she wants to kill herself, with her hands on her head and an expression of absolute bewilderment.

I think she will throw a tantrum again.

-And when was it appointed? What is it for?

-Because some clubs have very little budget and many people tried to balance everything based on a general analysis of the academic profile of each student and an anonymous survey that was done about a year ago, I don't know if you remember that incident.

-Yes, I remember... it was a disaster. But what if I don't want to go to such a group? I don't see what's stopping me from just not going.

I walk away with the brochure in my hands as I go to see what's wrong with Kassandra who I feel like she's going to pass out standing there.

If not she is already in a loop of despair and paralysis.

I see that the list is several sheets of paper stuck side by side on a cork board, at the top of each sheet is the name of each club, extra class or whatever.

I instinctively look for my name, the disgust that invades me is only compared to the desire I have to walk to the exit of the university and wait for something to kill me, I refuse to go to calculus. Why could they put me in a class that does not belong to my career?

-Hey, what's wrong with you?

I ask seeing Kassandra's expression, who hasn't moved from her place.

But now she looks worried.

- You know I always sign up for baseball teams and stuff.

-Yes, I think you're one of the few who are there without needing extra points.

-Now, the thing is, they got me in gymnastics... rhythmic gymnastics... for what... what kind of torture is this... what did I do to deserve such horrible treatment, the level of injustice in this is absolutely contemptible... this is despotic... and the teacher is... inexorable.

-Do you know the meaning of those words?

I've never heard her say anything like that before.

-Yes, I do. I was on the debate and speech team in high school. Plus I got a reprimand for using inappropriate and very vulgar language... so now I have to talk like I just swallowed a dictionary.

He rolls his eyes back to the sheet of paper and entered the loop again.

-Everything there is a Muermo.

-What is that?

-Something tiresome, boring, jaded.

He gets off when he takes his eyes off the paper, his mind is distracted for a few seconds then he goes back to the loop of hatred....

He looks at that sheet as if he's going to poke a hole in it with his eyes.

He's definitely going to have a heart attack from rage.

-Yes... don't you think we'd better go somewhere else? I think you're going to die just saying that.

- Gymnastics to me is a Habahela.

I look at her rather confused.

-Where do you get that from?

-After the admonition I asked my aunt's husband for insults and he told me several not without vulgarities and among those is Habahelá, something useless and without reason to be.

Interesting and witty.

-Are you all right, you look like you're going to get something.

- I just don't want to do any gymnastics, I don't like it, you know what? To make matters more painful they took me off the baseball and Jiu-jitsu team. Why, because there is little budget and they reduced the groups to avoid closing them and their line of thinking is "oh look, this one is good at Jiu-jitsu LET'S PUT HER IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS JUST BECAUSE".

She is on the verge of absolute anger and a tantrum in the middle of crying in frustration.

- Well, they put me in calculus.

-Yeah but you're good at that, the thing is I know they loathe it so... Pitiful.

At least remember that.

-What's not possible to appeal to drop it?

-I hope so, appeal or fight with the teachers because I'm not going to walk around a bar barefoot in a leotard... I'm embarrassed.

She says with some reluctance.

-That's new, I didn't know you had a sense of shame.

She rolls her eyes and sighs.

-I know, there are few things that make me feel ashamed, but that specific one makes me feel very sorry. Now the clubs have more or less all the same number of students and I guess they will share the budgets equally?

Try to look on the bright side but I can see you hate this.

-Ya, stop making that face because it's going to depress me more, so save it and go to your class, I have to go to mine.

I say and we go on opposite sides.

-You'll let off steam by hitting something at night.

She nods and continues on her way while more and more agents crowd in front of that sign.

-Stupid shit...

Not content with having to watch calculus to teach Kassandra now I have to watch even more calculus for s**t because potato.

There is no logic or reasonable explanation for me in this.

I walk up the stairs after arriving at the faculty building and go into the classroom with no range at all, normally I'm not in the mood but this is even worse.

The general criminal law professor hasn't arrived so I guess it will be a little more quiet while he gets there.

I sit there with enough desire to send everything to hell and go to my bed to think of excuses not to go to calculus, a stupid subject that has nothing to do with law.

I guess I'm forced to find a legally quick way out of this mess.

And what can I do with those poor souls like Kassandra I might be able to get out of it?

The professor arrives and finally the class begins.

.°°°°°.

It's a little late, maybe 3:15, and I've already been warned by the club leader in a mood I can't understand.

-How long does it last?

I asked.

- Ninety minutes twice a week, and as the differential calculus competitions are coming up, maybe it will be forty-five minutes every day.

...

Damn.

I see only still a handful of lively people, I guess they are from the group that chose this club by their own hand.

- Everyone here has great attitudes for calculus so at the end of the semester they will choose who will be in the main calculus group, and two support groups.

It's too cheerful for someone who runs a differential calculus club and sees the lack of interest in the rest of the group except for 10 or 11 people who seem genuinely interesting.

-On top of that being in the calculus group adds 15% so final grade on the GPA.

I definitely hate this place.

I've managed to do without that little perk, I'm not going to kill my life in something I don't like, no, less said... something I hate with all my soul, I refuse to be in this anymore, I'll do the minimum work and that's it.

I sit here rather reluctantly but say nothing, while I get a way out or a loophole so to speak in the university's internal regulations where I can object to this stupidity.

It gets to four fifty and I'm the first to leave as quietly as possible but it's just that you can tell how desperate I am not to be there.

I continue on my way to go lie in my bed for a while, in my comfortable apartment, with my switch to forget that the universe exists.

Until it's my turn to go with Kassandra to finally pass her damn class.

I get there, open the door and find poor Vincent lying there on the couch like he's having astral travel.

-Hello.

I say and he says some random stuff and goes about his business.

I go upstairs and lock myself in my room in silence.

I drop my things on the corner of the bed and throw myself face first against the bed.

I hate calculus.

.°°°°°°°°.

I go to the building where Kassandra is staying and when I get to her apartment it is eerily silent.

I knock on the door and she opens it with an expression of contempt that I have not seen before.

-What happened to you? I know you could do physics but it's no big deal.

-No not that, I don't care about physics, it's the rhythmic gymnastics thing, I just don't want to do it and the baseball and Jiu-jitsu teachers said it's out of quota, many of the original team members are gone and the ones that are left with unexceptional "averages". They are very meh.

He lays down on the couch and continues eating out of a potato bag.

-They changed them?

He nods.

He sets the bag aside and wipes his hands to begin his other ordeal.

Physics.

-How did you do in calculus?

-f*****g great. I hate it more every day.

She continues trying to figure out the problem in the book.

-Have you found a way out of this misery? -Graduate.

-Graduate.

I say, she slaps the palm of her hand on the back of my head, not too hard but that's annoying.

-I talk about the changes that put me in this stupidity and you in calculus.

Ah that.

-No, but I'll find something... -I look at what he has on the paper God knows what he did...-that's badly done, where did you leave the calculator?...Where are the notes you normally use?

I notice that the place is quite tidy, but, it's not the order she normally has, it looks... symmetrical? That's odd.

-If I could just find it, I'd tell you where it is. I was assigned a roommate because she is new and there are only two vacancies left in this building and the other one was taken by two girls so Jennifer will stay here until here in knows when, but, of course she likes everything tidy and organized to "make a good impression".

I see the attempt at a smile on her lips but the distaste in her eyes convinces me it's not right.

-I organize your things too, don't I?

- I can't find anything...everything I had I tidy up.....

The reddish hue takes over her cheeks as I see her cover her face with both hands.

-Everything... she ordered everything...

I pat her back and pull out my calculator.

- Here, use it while you get yours.

He nods.

It's going to be a long semester.

I keep trying to get Kassandra to finish figuring out some problems that will go on her next calculus exam, she's stressed about a lot of things and she's stressed about a lot of things and she can tell she's not into that gymnast thing, that has her martyred, but I think it's not just that, she can't seem to deal well with her new roommate either, from what I remember of this place she was a moderate mess and it's so organized and symmetrical it seems to me she hates that.

I close the book on the coffee table and see that she is somewhere else mentally.

I snap my fingers in front of her and she finally comes back to reality.

-Just for today, stop calculating and explain to me, what's wrong with you? You look like you want to jump out the window.

I tell her moving the book away from her reach and she looks at me with a frustrated logo, she settles down on the couch and throws herself like a rag doll, arranges her hair and lets out a frustrated and tired sigh.

-The reality is that yes, in less than an hour I have to change everything absolutely everything I do on a normal level, besides that the damn club that clashes with most of my activities, which I dislike a lot, I am not someone who is not as patient as I may seem, but I am not such a relaxed person either, I like order but I hate it when they change my natural order.

...

She looks at me with some frustration.

-But gym class I'm pretty sure is between 4 and 5 PM.

-Exactly, while that wouldn't be a problem on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, the crap is on Wednesdays, Thursdays and "a little adaptation rehearsal on Saturdays to get you used to it", f**k you Dennis, I don't want to be a gymnast, I'm not going to help you take gymnasts to I don't know where, and I'm not going to say gymnasts!

She just took a deep breath to a point where her chest had no more room and let out a very slow sigh.

- Objectively, what is your problem with gymnastics. Be objective and be clear.

I say emphasizing the latter.

She takes a deep breath and calms down.

-Well, let's be clear that I'm not exactly fond of it, I just dislike it, have I tried it, yes, for some years because I wanted to be more flexible, but only that, I hate it because of how rigorous it is, and yes, baseball, Jiu-jitsu and other disciplines that practical change, but for some reason gymnastics repels me a lot, what reasons, I don't have much balance, and what does gymnastics require? quite a lot of balance and coordination, I have one but not the other, besides that, the punches are disgusting, have you ever tried to do the uneven bars, not even doing pull-ups I have never had my hands so much and I almost destroyed my back in the parallel bars... in something else- he rolls up his pants as far as I didn't know he could go- What the hell am I going to do with that?

She says as I try to get past the fact that her pants are flexible and try to understand how many hours she sits there tattooing her leg.

-I love my tattoo, the teacher didn't like it and made it pretty clear to me, plus the detail that technically you can't wear underwear.

I go blank and remember how happy some people were that Kassandra was a gymnast.

-Uh... I guess you hate it more and more.

-Yes.

She says annoyed.

- I didn't sit for over 79 hours to get my whole leg tattooed...it took me two years to convince my dad to let me do it and I cried like a newborn baby but I'm proud of this thing, I just don't like the level of effort that club requires and I just don't like gymnastics, and I'm a figure skater and it's different for me but gymnastics becomes my hate and rhythmic even more so.

He adjusts his pants.

-You know something, it seems to me that if you do that you'll necessarily get worse, you're always so calm and I think you want to hang someone.

-Yes.

He affirms firmly.

- But the point is that it's going to lower your overall percentage grade, so, make at least a moderate effort because no good grade will help if you subtract that percentage from your overall grade. And there you're going to see my worst side. And I'm going to scold you.

She looks at me somewhat undecided whether to speak or not.

-You already scolded me once.

-No, it won't be like that time you lost a whole quarter of calculus. Unintentional carelessness is one thing, this willful carelessness will be another.

-Are you really telling me I have to do gymnastics?

I look at his eyes.

- No, I'm telling you to do at least the minimum required to not lose the year for a stupid thing, I'm not telling you to like gymnastics, just do the minimum required to survive.

she looks at me with some frustration

-I guess I'll die

-You are not going to lose another qualification in some chair just for this.

she rolls her eyes.

- Well... only if you're going to see the reason why I hate rhythmic gymnastics. I hate that discipline with my soul.