MATHS LESSONS

International High School, San Francisco

"Please pay attention, guys! These algebra formulas may be included in tomorrow's math test." Mrs. Johnson tapped her finger on the board where she had scribbled down some new formulas. "You can look up the formulas on the table I handed out at the beginning of the lesson!"The math teacher turned to the students and looked at us thoughtfully over the rim of her thick glasses. "Now look carefully at the table; do you understand the formulas? If not, you still have time to ask me questions now." She crossed her arms and was looking at us expectantly. I sighed heavily; what a fuck! I had already learned, with difficulty, the other formulas for tomorrow's test, and now?! Mrs. Johnson had to add a few more; I couldn't stand that teacher!

Leyla turned to me, looking at me with concern. "Are you okay, Sofia?" she asked gently, putting her hand on my arm. Leyla was my second best friend after Sally! She was Muslim; she was wearing a red headscarf with our school uniform, which enhanced her pretty face with the olive teint very well. I took a deep breath. "No, nothing is okay! I don't understand these fucking formulas!" I replied, annoyed. "I'll definitely get a bad grade!" I crossed my arms in a pout and Leyla looked at me thoughtfully. "You can ask Mrs. Johnson ..." she said, but I made a dismissive hand gesture. "No way, Leyla! I don't understand anything she explains anyway." Leyla looked at me shaking her head. "Sofia, Sofia! How can someone be as nice as you ... And so damn stubborn!" For a moment we were staring at each other in silence, then we both bursted in laugh!

Finally the school bell was ringing; let's get out of here! I quickly packed my bag and left the classroom on high speed. "Sofie, wait for me!" shouted Leyla after me. In the hallway she caught up with me. "Someone was in a rush!" she said with an ironic tone in her voice. "What do you think if we grab a coffee from the coffee machine? I need one now!" She sighed deeply and I grinned. "Oh yeah, me too! I just wanna wait for Sally; we can go together." I said looking around, but couldn't see Sally anywhere. At that moment, my phone was vibrating. I took it from my pocket and saw on the display that it was Marco texting me! My heart skipped a beat; it had been a few days since we met last Friday. Since then, we were talking on the phone at least once a day and texted each other many times. I couldn't wait to see him again! Leyla was standing there with her arms crossed and looking at me expectantly. She knew exactly who was texting me again ... "It's Marco!" I told her without taking my eyes off the display, while I was typing a few words.

Leyla rolled her eyes. "Of course it's Marco! Who else could it be?" she said, a little annoyed. "Maybe it's time to see him again ... Good luck with the smooth talk! I'm over there with Cindy." She walked over to our classmate who was waving to us. Marco wanted to know how I was doing and I immediately poured my heart out to him. "Not so good! I just found out I have to learn more algebra formulas for my math test tomorrow. I don't understand the fucking formulas!" I texted him in a bad mood. Marco's reply came promptly and surprised me .... "I'm sorry about that, but maybe I can help you. Math is my favorite subject!" That was something we definitely hadn't in common! "What do you mean, Marco? Are you going to tutor me in math?!" I texted nervously. "Why not? I'm still at college until two p.m., but I can come over to your place after lunch!" Oh my gosh! My heart was beating faster; he actually offered me to come over and tutor me in math. "Can you arrive at my place around four o'clock this afternoon?" I asked him and he answered with "yes."

I kept staring at my phone, even though Marco was no longer online. He would come to my place this afternoon and give me tutoring in math; I was so excited! I just couldn't get him out of my mind, I wanted to know so much more about him .... Finally, Sally was coming towards me! She looked at me shaking her head. "Hey Sofie! Why are you staring like hypnotized at your phone? Are you reading a message from Marco right now?!" she asked, a little annoyed. I cleared my throat sheepishly, then put the phone into my pocket. "That's right, Sally! You won't believe it; Marco offered me his help with learning for the math test tomorrow. He'll come over later!" I was speaking loudly with excitement and could not help, but laugh about myself. Sally was laughing with me. "That's great, Sofie! You should see the way your eyes are glowing. I guess you really like your tutor!" She winked at me and I blushed.

Yes, Sally was right; I really liked Marco, even though I had only seen him one time! I took a deep breath. "Maybe! I definitely wanna get to know him better!" I answered honestly. Sally put her arm around me, smiling. "Finally! My bestie is on the best way to falling in love .... " WHAT?! I wanted to protest, but Sally kept on talking with enthusiasm. "I have good news for you, sweetie. On Friday night, the four of us are going to the movies together: you, me, Frank and Marco! Frank came up with the idea." She gently squeezed my arm and I laughed happily. "That's a great idea, Sally! I haven't seen a movie at the cinema in ages." She agreed with me. "Neither have I! I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun together." Finally, Leyla came back and we went to the coffee machine to grab our coffee.

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The doorbell was ringing. "Sofia! Can you please open the door?" Mum called from the kitchen. She didn't have to tell me twice; I was already running down the stairs and taking a deep breath, once arrived in the hall. "Of course Mum! It's Marco for sure!" I shouted to her, then I took another deep breath. My heart was beating like crazy when I opened the front door. Marco was standing outside, waving sheepishly at me before entering the house. "Hey Marco!" I greeted him and couldn't help but notice that he looked even better than last Friday! He was wearing a short-sleeved blue shirt and jeans and for the first time I could see the tattoos on his muscular arms; he looked sexy as hell! Marco cleared his throat and only in this moment I realized that he was also checking me out; his admiring gaze lingered on my long legs and suddenly I felt kind of naked in my skimpy shorts! "Hey Sofia! You, you look pretty with those shorties." he said with his rusky voice and winked at me. I blushed immediately! How did he manage to embarrass me over and over again?! I didn't know if I would be able to focus on the math tutoring ....

Finally Mum came from the kitchen to greet Marco. "Hey; you must be Marco! Thank you for coming over and helping Sofia with learning math!" she said kindly and gave him a charming smile. Marco was smiling back. "Hey Mrs. Brings! Nice to meet you!" he answered. "I'm good at math and it's my pleasure to tutor Sofia and prepare her for tomorrow's test!" He actually winked at Mum and she was obviously impressed with his friendly manner. That charmer! Marco's blue eyes wandered back and forth between me and my Mum; was he noticing the resemblance between the two of us?! Mum interrupted the silence. "Okay kids, I must go now! I have to pick up Sven from school and then I'll take him to basketball training." She turned to me. "Good luck with your tutoring, honey!" she said so quietly that Marco couldn't hear it. "And keep the distance from your tutor ..."

I looked at Mum shaking my head. "Mum, you are impossible! What do you think; of course I'm keeping my distance from him." I said just as quietly, then I could not help but laugh and Mum was laughing with me. Marco had his arms crossed and was looking at us insecurely; I wonder if he thought we were laughing about him!!! Mum walked to the front door. "Bye Marco, see you later!" She waved at him before leaving the house and he waved back. Now Marco and I were alone, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. I took a deep breath. "Maybe we should start tutoring, Marco!" I said a little sheepishly. "Let's go upstairs to my room." Marco cleared his throat. "Sure thing, piccola! You go ahead, I'll follow you." He winked at me and I blushed again! I quickly turned around and went up the stairs to my room. Marco was following me and I could literally feel his gaze burning on my bare legs. It was getting hot here! All of a sudden I remembered Mom's words: "Keep the distance from your tutor!" Maybe I didn't want to keep the distance and .... would Marco keep the distance?!

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