DELTA
I got back to our study room, half expecting for it to be empty. But William was there. He looked like he was back to concentrating on the exercises he had failed at before. By the look of his scribbles, he still wasn't too successful.
I was waiting for him to still be hostile, but he welcomed me with a warm smile.
"It occurs to me that maybe we should try an even more basic approach," I said, "Let's start over and see where exactly you are getting lost."
"That sounds like a plan."
"So, let's start with gravity. I saw in your notes that you don't understand the constant of it."
"I know the theory, but I still think it doesn't really make that much sense. The apparent effect looks different than what the numbers say."
"Well, you've seen the experiments on high school…" I began and saw him freeze. For a second, there was a glimmer of doubt in his face, but it was not about the experiments.
"Wait, you HAVE seen the experiments, right?"
He looked at me again more doubt in his face, for a second hesitating, then he breathed.
"Not really."
"Oh my Cat! Didn't you go to high school?"
He looked at me with surprise for a moment, but he quickly looked calm again.
"I…went to a different school," He said slowly. Like he was measuring the words he was going to say.
"In my... country, the educational system is... more theoretical and there aren't a lot of experiments... I guess I never noticed it until now, because I wasn't even expecting a difference."
"Was it a religious country or something?" "Does it really matter?"
"I guess not."
I knew he was hiding something. As it was I would rather pay attention to our problem at hand and try to see if I could get him to tell me more later. I decided to try another strategy.
"We should get a lab. Maybe if we reproduce the basic experiments, we can find a way for your brain to get the connections needed to understand the rest."
He nodded, a slight frown still on his face, like he was worried about something.
"I can arrange that," Was all he said before he got up with his books in hand. I was tempted to ask him where we were going, but it was late and I was tired and jaded. I was also sure there wouldn't be a lab available, so I just followed him, hoping that this just signaled the end to our study session.
We left the room walking side by side. As always, William was a head-turner; all the women at the library couldn't help but stare at him. Many of them did The Scan on me and frowned like they had just smelled something funny. It was obvious they all thought I was with him for whatever obscure reason.
"If Toby ever found out…"
I couldn't help but bite my lip and started to move out of step with him again. I allowed him to lead the way so people wouldn't think we were together. He turned and looked at me curiously. I shrugged, and he glanced around, seeing some of the women checking him out. They smiled at him, and one of them even blew him a kiss. He then looked back at me and an exasperated look crossed his face. He moved so fast in front of me that I almost had to run behind him.
He left for the street and waited for me once we were close to the parking lot.
"You know, we could have done this at my house or yours," He said when I caught up to him.
"Well, we have all the books here…"
"If you are embarrassed to be seen with me, I could have checked them out and met you in private." I was in shock.
"That is how he read it?"
"I'm not embarrassed of you I..." I was trying to phrase it carefully so he wouldn't get offended again. "… just don't want misunderstandings."
"Whatever. I'll arrange the lab and call you tomorrow. Go home now." He was clearly mad, and I had no idea why.
"He couldn't possibly