Fire & Snow

Chapter 4

It was no two days since I last saw Aydan and I was more than glad. Although, a part of me had a bad feeling that he was planning something, something that I would have no way of escaping.

“Okay guys, we have covered enough things so far and I think it is in order that we have a test,” my Math professor said and there were groans from everyone, me included.

It was not as though I was smart or anything; I just applied myself and did all the work. Failure was not an option and was never going to be an option for me no matter what.

“You have learned a lot and I have belief you will not disappoint me,” my professor went on. “The test will be on all the topics that we have covered so far, which should not be too much for you all to study and get a decent grade.”

Emmanuel, one of the few people who always liked asking questions in all of my classes raised his hand up. “Professor, when will the test be and what if we fail? Can we have a redemption test?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. Everyone knew that Professor Burns did not give any redemption test in his class no matter how much you begged and pleaded with him. If you failed, then that was it and your Continuous Assessment would suffer. The best solution to that was just to make sure that you studied hard and knew every formulae by heart.

“Not even close Emmanuel,” Professor Burns said and looked around the lecture hall. “You all know the drill, if you fail my test then that is the end of it. No coming to my office and disturbing me with requests about having a redemption test. Know the stuff and apply yourself, nothing less and you will be sure to pass my class.”

Exactly what I had just said. It was though the man had something against redemption tests. None of the students he had ever taught ever got allowed a redemption test. If you failed his class then you had to repeat the whole thing again the next year and go through the same process with him all over again. Nothing ever changed with him; I liked that about Professor Burns.

“But professor, what if you aren’t as prepared as you thought you were and you end up failing, isn’t that a good enough reason for you to at least give us a redemption test?” Emmanuel went on.

I had no idea why Emmanuel always asked questions that he knew the answer to. It was not as though the guy was dumb or anything, he was quite one of the smart people but it was as though he got off from asking pointless and meaningless questions that just did not make any sense.

I saw Pr. Burns subtly roll his eyes. Even he knew that Emmanuel liked wasting people’s time with his pointless questions. “Emmanuel see me after class and I will answer it as I am well aware that none of your course mates what to hear me embarrass you for asking such a stupid and ill-conceived question,” he said and the class erupted into laughter. Even I laughed because that was Professor Burns literally embarrassing Emmanuel in front of the class, which was very like him to do.

The class was still laughing as Emmanuel’s ears turned red with embarrassment and he looked away. From the corner of my eye, I saw Professor Burns smile.

“All right class, that is the end of our class for the day and your test should be ready to be written next Friday that should give you enough time to prepare yourselves,” he as he walked out of the lecture hall.

I packed up my things and turned to face Chance and Alex. “Well that was hilarious,” I commented as I hooked my bag over my shoulder and stood with Chance and Alex doing the same thing.

“Tell me about it,” Chance said with a light chuckle. “Emmanuel should know by now that not everyone will tolerate his big mouth that does not have a filter.”

Alex and I laughed while we walked out of the lecture hall and to the cafeteria for a snack.

“He thinks he is better than everyone,” Alex added. “Who asks such a question when he clearly knows the answer to his own question. Can’t he learn to analyse his questions and determine whether or not they are worth asking.” Alex sounded frustrated and I could not blame him, Emmanuel’s antics tended to piss off and frustrate anyone who knew him.

“I know, it’s so annoying that most times when I see him about to open his mouth all I want to do is shove a piece of paper in his mouth or just hit him with something,” Chance said with a sigh.

I was quietly listening as they continued talking between themselves about how annoying Emmanuel and could be. I had my own opinions about him and the whole topic but I was not going to say anything because neither Chance nor Alex would agree with me and would probably think I was running a fever or something.

We walked straight to the vending machine and Chance entered a dollar in the machine and pressed on the Cheetos.

“You haven’t said anything this entire time,” Chance said with an arched eyebrow. “What do you think of Emmanuel?” he asked.

Alex and he turned to look at me expectantly and I shrugged.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alex asked. “Do you think what he does is okay and that he is okay in the head?”

I put a dollar and bought some Oreos instead. “If you want my honest opinion, then I would have to say that I don’t think there is something wrong with him,” I said as I opened my Oreos and took one. “He’s actually an okay guy once you got to know him. That is how he is.”

Alex and Chance were looking at me as if I had grown another head. I knew that was going to be there reaction because they hadn’t gotten any chance to actually interact with Emmanuel and just saw what was on the surface and not inside.

“Are you okay? Do you have a fever?” Chance asked as he placed his hand on my forehead to check if I indeed had a fever and I swatted his hand away from my forehead.

“I am fine,” I replied with an eye roll. “I don’t know why you hate the guy, he isn’t all that bad and all you have to do is spend some time with him so you can get to know him.”

We began walking out of the cafeteria and out the school.

“And you know this how?” Chance asked with a Cheetos in his mouth. “I want to know how it is that you of all people know that Emmanuel is sane and not some weirdo who thinks he is better than everyone.”

I sat on the grass under the Oak tree with Alex and Chance following suit.

“Tell us Nev, I’m dying to know,” Alex added with a disbelieving look.

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you remember in freshman year when I took English Lit and had a presentation?” I asked but then continued without waiting for a response from either one of them. “Emmanuel was my partner and I got to spend a lot of time with him which is why I’m saying all I’m saying,” I explained as I ate yet another Oreo. “Now can we please stop talking about Emmanuel and start talking about the test.” It was annoying talking about someone behind his back when he was not there to defend himself.

“Okay,” Alex sighed and leaned against the tree with his eyes closed. “So what about the test. Is any of you ready for it?” he asked with his eyes still closed.

“Nope,” Chance popped the ‘p’. “How about you Ms. Smarty-pants?”

I rolled my eyes and stashed my Oreos, I was saving them for later and making sure that Kylie did not see them otherwise she would get them and I would remain with nothing for myself. “I don’t think I will pass that test if I do not study,” I admitted and it was true, there was one question in the work that Pr. Burns gave us that I was finding a problem with and I did not know if it was just me or if the question itself was flawed.

“What?” Chance exclaimed and placed his Cheetos down and I took some from them. “You are the one me and Alex were counting on and this is how you decide to betray us,” he shook his head and so did Alex even though his eyes were still closed.

I sighed and took a handful of the Cheetos before stuffing them in my mouth. Chance scowled at me and took his Cheetos back. “I am not smart, how many times do I have to tell you that?”

“Every time because I find it hard to believe that you don’t believe in your own skills and talent,” Alex said and then opened his eyes. His light brown eyes looked lighter than usual and there was disbelief in them.

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”

                                                                               ************

“How was class today?” Liav asked immediately he saw me and I smiled.

Liav was like an older brother that I did not have. Ever since I met him, he and Faith seemed to have taken a liking to me.

“I have a Math test next Friday and I am going to fail it,” I replied with a sigh and played with my braid.

“Why do you say that?” Faith asked with narrowed eyes. “Don’t you believe in yourself?”

If only that was the case. I did believe in myself but I was not so sure, when it came to Math. It was not as if I failed it or anything, it just took me longer to understand and I had to re-red what Pr. Burns gave us. “I do believe in myself but I need help and I don’t know who to ask because everyone in my class always complains about it,” I said.

“That is not a problem, just ask Aydan,” Liav said as though it was that simple. “He is really exception at Math and he won’t have a problem doing it. Who takes you in it?”

“Professor Burns.”

“Even better,” Liav said with a smile. “He is the same one I had last year and he and Aydan are actually friends.”

Talk about a game changer. I had no choice now but to ask for Aydan’s help, which was the last thing I wanted to do.

“What has Aydan done now?” came Aydan’s voice as Faith’s door opened.

We all turned and stared at him. He was dressed in his usual low-ridding jeans with a black shirt that hugged his torso and left nothing to the imagination.

Liav’s smile grew even larger. “Great, we were just talking about how you are going to help Neva here prepare for her Math test.”

Aydan stared at me with a blank expression. “I’m assuming even if I said no you would still make me do it,” he said as he made himself comfortable on the spare bed in Faith’s room. “So who is her professor?”

“It’s Burns,” Liav replied and Aydan smiled.

“If it’s him then you have nothing to worry about,” Aydan said as he looked at me with a bored expression that had a mixture of dislike in it. “When is your test?”

I had an inclining feeling he did not want to do it. Rather was just forced into doing it by Faith and Liav.

“Next Friday,” I replied.

“Cool,” Aydan replied and stretched out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

I looked at him sceptically as I passed him my phone. He typed something and passed it back.

“I saved my number, call me when it’s time and I’m late,” Aydan said. “We can meet on Friday after class.”

“Okay,” I replied. This was not going to be a great lesson but I was not going to say anything. I had to be grateful; at least that is what I told myself anywhere.