Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Not at all.” He sinks low into his seat before angling his torso to me. “After seeing the way he reacts to your mother’s seafood marinara, I thought he was a simple man with simple pleasures.”
“He is,” I agree, not the least bit insulted. My father acts like a child in a candy store anytime my mother cooks his favorite meals. “He just happens to also have an extremely high IQ.” I’m testing the waters too soon, but nothing worthwhile comes easy. “Kind of like you.”
His smile drops, but he doesn’t deny my claim. He merely shifts his focus back to the scenery whizzing by his window, making me hate my inability not to push.
Nerves take flight in my stomach when Cash walks me to my room. Excluding our chat, our drive back to campus was relatively quiet. We ate the food my mother packed at a little gas station a hundred miles from school, then continued our journey like we never stopped.
It’s been awkward, and I hate it.
“Thanks for walking me in.” After checking that my door is unlocked, I spin to face Cash. “I should probably take it from here. Eden…” A grimace finalizes my reply.
His smile isn’t as big as it usually is, but it’s present, nonetheless. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Since his reply sounds more like a question than a confirmation, I jerk up my chin. “Bright and early for a pre-exam study session.” A grin tugs at my lips when he groans. “Don’t be like that. This is the big one. If you ace this test, you’ll be free to play for the rest of the season.” I bump him with my hip before opening my door as quietly as possible. It’s unlocked, which means Eden is in. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He waits for me to break through the threshold of my room before he spins on his heels and heads down the corridor.
I try not to look too deeply into his sorrow-filled skulk. Tomorrow is a big day for him, but the more I try to force it to the back of my mind, the more I toss and turn.
It remains in the forefront of my mind until my alarm clock sounds, which is two hours too late.
I overslept my body clock, meaning I missed my study session with Cash.
“Whoa, slow down, Einstein, you might pull a muscle,” Kamil shouts when he spots me racing across the quadrant, sprinting in vain to the mathematics building with the hope I’ll reach Professor Ren before she closes her class for exams.
If my mother’s theory is right, and Cash struggles with basic math equations because they’re too simple for him, Professor Ren needs to grade him with a paper from advanced mathematics.
“Wait! Please!” I shout while sprinting for the rapidly closing doors.
A professor assistant holds open the door for me. “Are you a student?”
It takes me a couple of seconds to catch my breath, “No, but I need to speak with Professor Ren.” I gulp down breaths, soothing the burn of my lungs. “It’s important.” When I spot Professor Ren behind his shoulder, I shout her name. “Professor Ren. I only need a minute of your time.”
I stop attempting to climb the professor’s aide like a jungle gym when Professor Ren gestures for me to enter. “Make it quick,” her assistant grumbles out, annoyed.
After nodding, I make a beeline for Professor Ren while acting ignorant to Cash’s heated stare. I would recognize it anywhere. I can barely talk with thrusting lungs, but I give it my best shot. “You need to grade Cash at a higher standard.”
Her eyes dance between mine as she pulls her brows together. “He barely passed his last exam.”
I twist her away from the lecture hall filling with students before announcing, “Because the answers were too basic. He needs to be challenged.”
“He does, hence me sending him to you.” Now it’s my turn to be confused. “But this isn’t where we should be pushing. If he fails this exam, McKayla, he’s out of the team.”
“I know.” I sound as pained as the stabbing jab hitting my stomach. “But I don’t think he’ll pass if you don’t trust me.” When she takes a moment to ponder, I beg, “Please. I wouldn’t risk his chance of playing if I didn’t believe my theory.” As she walks me to the door, needing to get the examination block started, I suggest, “Give him both papers and grade the higher of the two.”
“I can’t do that—”
“Then what can you do?” My shouted words gain us the attention of every pair of eyes in the room—including Cash’s. After lowering my voice, I return my focus to Professor Ren. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want him to fail. He’ll be lost without basketball.”
She darts her eyes between my glistening set before eventually succumbing to the silent pleas in them. “Okay.”