01

Marylise.

"The square root of 24 is 576, and the square root of 20 is 400, so the value of the hypotenuse would be the square root of the sum of these two. "

I plunged my lower lip into my mouth and then nibbled it as I solved the operation in my notebook.

I start solving the square root of the result of the sum of the catheters and it gives me the result. I check it by doing things backwards and it's the same thing, so the result is fine.

That's perfect!

I raised my hand to get the teacher's attention.

—Yes, Marylise?— said Professor Matthews when he saw my hand up.

—I've finished— I announced him, with enough in my voice.

Some students mocked at my answer, while others rejoiced because they could copy my result and not do the operation themselves.

—Well, tell us, what's your answer?— The professor said, instructing me to come to the front to solve the operation on the blackboard. I got up from my desk and went to the front.

I began to do the corresponding numbers next to the right triangle that the teacher had drawn previously. I do this because once I just put the answer in and he admonished me by telling me that I always had to justify my answers, whatever it is.

—The value of the hypotenuse is 31. 24 centimeters— I say my answer, once I finished writing on the board. Professor Matthews observes in detail what I have just done for a few seconds and then addresses me.

—Very well, Miss Bernand—. He alluded with a smile, I returned the gesture. —Now you can sit down— he said, taking the draft and erasing the whole operation, to which most of the students complained that they hadn't copied it yet, but he ignored their claims—. For those of you who didn't finish, I want all that homework for tomorrow and page 68 of your book too— He order, and I open the book on the page he said, marking it with a note, while my other classmates are complaining—. I want everything answered, nothing half-hearted— Demand, and the whole class complains even louder—. That's all, you can leave now.

When he uttered the last sentence, they all literally ran out of the room. I don't know why they don't like mathematics, it's the subject we use most in our daily lives, it's necessary to know at least the basic concepts in case at some point we have a problem. That's my favorite class of all the classes I get, especially because Professor Matthews teaches very well and does his job perfectly. I don't know why most people hate it, I guess because it's very strict, but it must be if you really want to learn something.

I took my belongings, put them in my backpack and set out to get out of class making a quick move out of school. Math was my last class today so I'm done with this.

Dalila had not come to school today, as she was a little sick when I called her yesterday afternoon. Maybe it just dawned anyway and that's why he didn't come I texted my mom saying that I would go to Dali's house when she left school, she hasn't answered me yet but I guess she won't be mad.

My school is relatively close to Delilah's house, so I don't think I had to call a taxi or wait for my brother to leave college to ask him to drive me. I didn't think it was necessary, so I just walked.

I don't know how long it took me to get to her house. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes at the most, but time went by quickly. I really enjoy this avenue full of greenery and without so much traffic, it's a pretty quiet place to live and take my classes.

I knocked on the door a couple of times until a disheveled Delilah with a dirty handkerchief in her hands greeted me.

—hello, Mary— She greeted gangly from the flu, with a smile when I saw her. She looked defeated.

—Hey, Dali— I greeted her back the same way.

—What are you doing here?— she asked, wiping his nose with his handkerchief. I made a fake disgust face to see what she laughed at.

—I just came to see how you were.

—Oh, look at me. I am disgusted— she said snorting and looking at herself from top to bottom.

—Yes you are— I gave her the right, I'm kidding, but she took it seriously.

—I know— She made a grin—Well, come in— she said, stepping away from the door and letting me in. I left my school jacket on the rack and headed for one of the lounge chairs.

—Are you alone?— I asked her when she sat on the single armchair.

—Yes. My dad's at work and my mom went to buy some things— she swallowed her nose and drew a face on her mouth.

—Well, now you have me— I smiled at her and she imitated my gesture. She looked up for a few seconds, like she was praying to God or something. Her act makes me laugh.

—I'm glad you came, I was about to throw myself out the window because there's nothing good on television— she said, clearly dramatizing things. I rolled my eyes at her joke, as her house is one floor—. So? Do you want to stay here or are you coming?— she asked, getting up from the chair. I just nodded and followed her into her room.

~~~

—Well, I think I have to go now— I said with a resonance when I saw the time on my phone.

My mom would be home in a little over half an hour and she said she wanted me to be there when she got there. So I better get out of here. I don't want my mom to be mad at me.

—Already?— I nodded. She forms a grim grim grimace—. Well, I'll walk you to the door— she said rising from the bed she was sitting on. I imitated her and left her room to go straight to the front door, not without first taking my jacket, as on several occasions I had forgotten it here. I don't want it to happen again, it's been pretty cold these cloudy days.

I always have a great time at Delilah's. We talked about a thousand things. She tells me about the boys she brings drooling at her feet while I just listen to her since I don't have her luck with boys. The only reason they talk to me is to pass on their math homework or to help them with some operation they don't understand. That's my life at school. But I'm not complaining, because I don't think it's my time yet to take an interest in boys like that. I don't care about that right now.

—See you tomorrow— said Dali as I was about to leave.

—Are you going to school tomorrow?— I ask, for the umpteenth time.

—Yes, Marylise, yes— She answers, rolling her eyes and denying with her head. I just nod as I did before, when he answered me in the same way when I asked him the same question. It's just that I don't want to be alone again, Delilah is my only friend and companion in my class group, when she doesn't attend the time between classes is quite boring.

I turn around to get out of his house and make my way to mine, but something catches my attention as I look at the house across the street.

—New neighbor?— I asked, pointing my thumb at the house across the street next to it, where there were moving boxes and a boy outside.

—Ah, yes— she replied—. The neighbors say he's a university student, that's all I know about him— she said looking at him.

—Oh— I just answered.

My house was not quite close by on foot, maybe about twenty or twenty-five minutes if I take a pace of walking without stopping. So I'd have to hurry to get there before my mom.

I crossed the street and took a quick walk down the sidewalk. As I did, my eyes focused on Delilah's new neighbor. He looked like a young guy, it was strange to me that he had a house all to himself, since the houses in this neighborhood are usually spacious with several rooms, I don't think it is necessary to rent or buy such a large house for one person.

The boy was just finishing packing the moving boxes into his house while I watched him expectantly. She was wearing a sleeveless inner shirt and tight black jeans as her hair fell free to the sides of her head. Her hair was a bit long, but it still looked good. It was a light chocolate shade with natural waves in the middle and ends.

He kept watching his every move as he walked, and apparently he couldn't notice it. As I passed in front of her house, I didn't realize that there were some objects, which I'm sure fell out of some of the boxes, on the sidewalk. All because I was seeing that guy who I thought was so attractive. I stepped on one of those objects which made me fall to the floor causing me to utter a drowned scream.

Idiot idiot, idiot!

It kept repeating in my mind for not realizing what I was about to step on previously.

I tried to get up so as not to be embarrassed, but a pain in my knee made it impossible for me to do so. I complained in the concrete cold on the sidewalk.

—Are you all right?— asked a manly, hoarse voice coming to me.

—Eh, s-yes— I answered on a voice thread as I groped for my glasses in the concrete.

—Are you looking for this?— said the voice, showing me something that looked like my glasses which I couldn't see well because of my vision problem that I have had since childhood.

Today I had to wear glasses because I did not find my contact lenses in the morning and I was in a hurry, because last night I woke up doing my geometry homework because I left it to the last, serious mistake.

I don't like wearing glasses, I feel like I look strange, I don't get used to them and I don't think I'll ever get used to them, I prefer lenses a thousand times, even if they tell me they're uncomfortable.

With my clouded view I could barely notice how he brought the glasses to my face and put them on. I blinked a couple of times to get used to my new sight and that's when I watched it closely. Very close. Why did he come so close?!

—Are you all right?— he insisted. I nodded—. Are you sure? Because your knee doesn't look so good— he said raising both eyebrows looking at it. I stood up a little leaning on my elbows to see my knee, which was covered in blood. I made a grim and disgust at the same time. I didn't like to see blood, let alone if it's mine.

—Does it hurt?— he asked, he felt worried when he saw the wound I had made.

I looked at him and. . . never before had I seen eyes as beautiful as yours. It was a mixture of deep green and intense golden hues. Really hypnotizing.