Sarah had just made her first step towards the empty desk, when the door unexpectedly opened.
- Is everyone going to be late today? – asked Ms. Tassk with a pinch of irritation in her voice.
- I'm sorry. I had an urgent situation right before school.
This voice sounded familiar. Sarah quickly looked around the room and then turned her head to see the student who had entered after her.
It was indeed him – Zack!
Even though she wasn't surprised to see him (this was her intention after all), he on the other hand didn't expect to meet with her again and therefore looked at her with a bit of a surprised face, which he tried to hide.
- Quickly, sit, both of you. – the teacher waved with her hand.
- What are you doing here? – asked Zack in whispering tone once they were both sitting.
- Sorry, do we know each other? – Sarah pretended.
- Remember? The café?
- Oh, yea right. I almost forgot.
- Why didn't you tell me you were going to apply here?
- I was going to, but you got out before I could do so.
- Um, excuse me, do you have any questions? – Tassk went up to them.
- Uh…no, everything is fine. – said Zack.
- Then could you please be quiet and not talk on topics different than math during my classes?
- We are sorry. – Sarah responded with the guiltiest voice possible.
- Sure you are. – Tassk went back to the board – Now, hence you are so good at mathematics that you allow yourselves talk while I explain new material, come here and solve those problems, both of you.
Zack stood up, followed by Sarah and went to the board.
Then he took a marker and started writing a solution.
- What are you waiting for? – the teacher turned to Zlo – Solve the second one.
- But I'm not sure if it will be right…
- It will! Otherwise you'll get suspended for coming late and interrupting my class!
- But…
- There is no but! Solve the problem!
Sarah took the marker and after looking at the task for a few seconds, she then wrote a simple 4.
- Are you guessing it?! – the voice of Ms. Tassk sounded both angry and quizzical.
- No, I solved it.
Zack couldn't resist himself but looked at what the girl had written down.
- Don't joke around. – whispered he – This is not the moment to do so.
- But I'm not joking! – insisted Sarah – I did solve it!
- Are you telling me you managed to get an answer just by solving it in your brain?! For only 15 seconds?! – the teacher started getting irritated.
- That's the truth.
- Oh please! Not even I can do so!
- Seriously, don't get yourself in trouble! – Zack whispered once again – Tassk is the best mathematician in school and has graduated from Princeton University breaking the record for speed problem solving. Her record remains unbroken.
- But I solved it! – Sarah didn't give up.
- Then let me see what has gone through your mind for you to solve it! – the older woman still didn't believe in what she was saying.
- I don't know how the formula is officially called, but basically it looks like that. – said the younger one and wrote down a formula plus a full solution to the problem using it.
Tassk stared at the written on the board.
- It's…it's correct… Quickly solve this one too!