Chapter 10 Agreement

• Lukas is coming in from his other classes more consistently. He sits on the table beside the one that Alinn occupies. He is quieter, but from time to time, I catch him glancing at Alinn. He also learned the meaning of focus. And as a result, his quizzes are improving. As a teacher, I like these changes.
• “Teacher Cassie, my mother is outside. I will leave now,” Alinn informs.
• Lukas stands up at the same time that Alinn did. “I will come with–”
• “Don’t bother,” Alinn snaps. She is still furious at him for forcibly kissing her.
• Lukas watches her leave. His expression is a mixture of longing, confusion, and guilt.
• “I thought nerds are uncool?” I ask, without taking my eyes off Alinn’s paper.
• “She’s not!” he complains.
• “You think she’s your adorable puppy, right?”
• He nods.
• “Guess what? This sense of belongingness? That’s something she won’t like. First, you don’t own her. Second, you guys are too different. Not to mention that she currently hates you.”
• “You are the teacher. How can I force her to forgive me?”
• I grin. I stop grading Alinn’s paper and look up at him. “Force her to forgive you? That’s not forgiveness.”
• He purses his lips. “Then tell me what to do!”
• I sigh. “What’s this obsession with Alinn? It’s obvious she doesn’t like you.”
• “I... I think she’s adorable,” he says and I see a flush creeping up his cheeks. “I thought nerds are ugly and are nothing but trouble. Well, she is still trouble, but the nice kind of trouble. I think that–”
• He catches my smirk. “You are laughing at my plight! What kind of teacher are you?!”
• “The type who’s currently listening to her student’s woes.”
• “And mocking at him!” he huffs.
• “Quiet down, Lukas. Else, female students will hear you outside. If they learn that you are smitten with someone who dislikes you, your dignity will be destroyed.”
• He glares at me. “I heard that it’s your first time teaching,” he remarks. “Maybe that’s why you act as if we are just your friends.”
• “Or annoying little brothers and sisters,” I supply.
• I put down my pen and lean my head on my hands. We stare at each other.
• “Just one question. Where did you get the idea of kissing a young girl aggressively like that?”
• “I just feel like it.”
• “Feels like you want to smother Alinn because she’s too cute?”
• “Yes! She’s just too adorable. I just want to touch her hair and bury my face in it. And every time her eyes are on me, I feel happy. And did you see how her face contorts every time she’s annoyed? It’s just too cute!”
• Lukas continues to praise Alinn while I nod at him. Seriously, this little monster’s mouth is getting loose with me. Is he perhaps getting more familiar with me?
• “Do you, perhaps, need my help?” I ask.
• He shifts his attention to me, an expectant look on his face. “You will?”
• “In one condition.”
• He groans audibly. “I knew it won’t be free.”
• “So, you don’t need my help. I get it.”
• I lean back and continue to check Alinn’s paper. She really is a smart young woman. I think she will win the science quiz contest if she continues to study like this.
• “Fine!” Lukas suddenly says. “What do you want?! I will ask father for anything you want.”
• I snort. “Why would you ask your father? Is he going to take the exam for you?”
• He leans his head to one side and asks, “What do you mean?”
• “I will help you, in a condition that you will pass all your exams.”
• His mouth hangs open. “Are you serious?”
• I laugh at his expression. His mouth is agape. It is so wide that I will bet my fist can fit in.
• “You have seen my quizzes, right? You know it will be a miracle!”
• “Well, it’s your choice. If you can’t, then I won’t be able to put in a good word about you to Alinn.”
• “I’m sure that’s called the manipulation of your students.”
• I just shrug my shoulders. “Your call.”
• Lukas has a strange look on his face. I am starting to wonder if he is going to accept my condition or not. His gaze keeps flickering between me and Alinn’s paper. He is clearly trying to decide something.
• I keep my poker face as long as possible. I just need to wait for whether Lukas will succumb to it. Let’s see what he will choose. His desperation to be forgiven, or his laziness to study?
• When he still did not respond, I already think that, perhaps, he still doesn’t care.
• “Okay,” he whispers. “I will try to pass all my exams.”
• I smirk. I offer my hands to him and say, “Should we shake on that?”
• Lukas nods and shakes my hand. “I hope you are still as snarky when the results come out.”
• “Oh, I am betting on that.”
• ***************
• I didn’t expect my plan to work on the little monster named Lukas Reeves. It’s been a month, and he is still religiously coming to my room to study. He also stops giving a pass on Alinn, who starts to be familiar with his presence, or rather learned to ignore it.
• However, sometimes he asks about Alinn as if he is awaiting some information if he has been forgiven or not.
• “You forget. You need to pass the exams before I can put in a good word about you,” I remind him. Sometimes, when Alinn is out, he will ask for her.
• I sigh. Sometimes, I wonder if this whole thing is worth it. Good thing that his quizzes are getting better. Far from perfect, but better than before. With more time and more hard work, I am sure he can pass the upcoming exams.
• And because of that, I think I need to plan about how Alinn will hate Lukas a little less. I think being able to tolerate him is good enough, right?
• “Teacher Cassie, what will be our plans for the competition day?” Alinn interjects.
• I smile at her. “I will drive you there in the morning. We can eat in the canteen of the venue and maybe stop by a restaurant before I drop you off?”
• She beams at me. “Really?! Where?”
• “Wherever,” I say, sharing her excitement. “Just don’t choose a restaurant that will put a hole in my pocket.”
• “Okay!” she says in a singsong voice.
• She returns to her books and I glance at Lukas. There is a look of longing in his eyes. He clearly wants to come with us. However, aside from it being a weekday, Alinn won’t definitely like it.
• “Lukas, since we’ll be gone for that day, you can take a break,” I inform him.
• “Can I come instead?”
• Alinn sharply turns towards me—a sign of her objection.
• “We can’t. Only quizzers can come. Try to be a quizzer next time,” I jest.
• “Okay, probably next year,” he promises, and Alinn snorts.
• I grin at the reaction of the two. “Or you can choose to study that day too. Besides, your examination day is just around the corner.”