Gabby casually walked back to her seat. As she sat on her chair, she saw Michael then hit him on the shoulder, "Are you seriously helping me? Your writing was so small!"
As Michael opened his mouth to answer Gabby, he heard his teacher's voice. He immediately closed his mouth again and faced the whiteboard.
"Gabby." The teacher's voice sounded scary to Gabby.
Gabby looked away and met her teacher's eyes. The teacher looked at Gabby's answer on the board, "What is this?" Then looked at Gabby, "What do you mean by writing this?"
"Um ... I-I can't, ma'am." Gabby adjusted her skirt and continued, "So I answered what was on my mind ma'am."
The class laughed at Gabby's answer. It didn't take long before the teacher tapped her desk with a marker, signaling for them to stop laughing.
Michael closed his eyes and gave his head a gentle massage. The man felt guilty that he should have seriously taught Gabby earlier. At least telling her what formula she should use.
The teacher exhaled a deep sigh, trying to hold back her emotions. She had been a teacher for twenty years, of course she had met students who were not smart. But she'd never met a student like Gabby throughout her whole career.
If Gabby's answer was heard by an outsider, the teacher would likely be fired. Deemed incompetent to teach high school students.
"You never pay attention to my explanation, huh?! Always sleeping in class!" The teacher pointed to Gabby with a marker, "Move forward!" She ordered.
Gabby's face turned pale at the teacher's orders. She walked slowly to the front of the class. The girl lowered her head, not daring to look at her teacher's face.
No one dared to speak when they saw Gabby standing with her back on them. Michael looked at Gabby's back and the teacher's hand that was on the table. The teacher's hand had been gripping the board marker tightly.
"I would love to hit your hand with a wooden ruler. But of course I can't do that." The teacher sighed, "Now take off your shoes and socks and stand on the school grounds during my lessons."
Gabby turned her head outside the classroom and saw the scorching heat from the sun. She timidly asked, "I'm sorry ma'am, but can my punishment be changed?"
The teacher chuckled, "What are you saying?" She then brought her ear close to Gabby.
Gabby shook her head as she bent down and took off her shoes and socks. She walked out of the classroom while carrying her shoe in her right hand.
When Gabby was almost outside the classroom, she could hear her teacher shout, "Until my lesson is over, okay!"
The teacher turned around when she saw Gabby had left the classroom. She took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, "All right, now let's see Lauren's answer." The teacher walked closer to the whiteboard.
During the exam, Michael paid no attention to the whiteboard. His gaze went blank still on the classroom door. He couldn't wipe Gabby's terrified face from his mind. It didn't take long before Michael raised his hand.
"Excuse me, ma'am." Michael said quietly.
"What is it, Michael?" The teacher smiled when she saw her favorite student. How couldn't she? Every time there was an exam or assignment, that boy always got above average score.
"I went to the toilet, ma'am, my stomach hurts." Michael put on a pained face while holding his stomach.
The teacher frowned, "Oh, then hurry to the toilet then."
Without saying anything else, Michael stepped out of the classroom. He could feel the gazes of several of his classmates behind him.
-
On the deserted school grounds, Gabby's agonized in her groan, "Ouchhhhh."
Every few minutes the woman grumbled and lifted her legs up. She pursed her mouth and felt her eyes heat up. Gabby shook her head as if trying to erase her sadness.
It didn't take long for Gabby to feel hopeless and felt tears streaming down her eyes. It's just stupid to cry, Gabby thought, wiping her tears with the palm of her hand.
Gabby did know that she was weak in math. But she'd never been humiliated in front of the class and punished like this. The girl ruffled her hair then took the pigtail in her shirt pocket.
Suddenly, Gabby heard footsteps approaching her. When she heard the footsteps getting closer, the girl straightened her back. Her hands were folded behind her back and her head was facing straight ahead.
Out of the corner of Gabby's eye, she could see a boy walking toward her. After seeing that the figure was wearing Gabby's uniform, she dared to turn around. Her eyebrows rose when Gabby saw Michael walking toward her.
"What are you doing here?" Gabby asked.
Michael didn't answer Gabby's question. The man bent down and took off his shoes and socks. Michael bit his lower lip as his bare feet touched the ground. He then walked over to Gabby and stood next to her.
"What are you doing here?" Gabby looked around, "What if the teacher sees us?!"
Michael only glanced at Gabby briefly then turned back to the front, "I'll stay with you."
"Go back to class! If we're caught I'm going to be hit!" Gabby pushed Michael's shoulder.
Michael caught Gabby's hand then looked into the girl's eyes, "Your leg hurts right? I will accompany you to feel the pain."
Hearing that touched Gabby's heart, making her let go of Michael's hand, "My husband is reliable."
Michael's cheeks flushed red and before long he was already grimacing in pain. Unconsciously, the boy lifted his leg and put it on top of Gabby's.
"The heat makes my legs hurt." Michael muttered.
Gabby took her feet away from Michael, "It's hot you know! That's why you go back to class. "
"Miss you later." Michael replied briefly.
Sweat started pouring down Gabby's face, her face flushed red from the pain in her legs. Michael frowned and then took a handkerchief in the pocket of his pants.
Michael spun Gabby around and wiped the sweat off Gabby's face. The girl's hair looked disheveled even though it was already in a ponytail. Michael's left hand brushed Gabby's hair off her face.
"I can do it alone." Gabby said, didn't dare look into Michael's eyes. They were so close that Gabby could count the number of Michael's lashes.
"Hmm." Michael replied briefly.
After Michael felt that Gabby's sweat had stopped flowing, the man took a step back. He turned his handkerchief and wiped his own face.
Michael stuck his handkerchief in his trouser pocket and stood back next to Gabby. He didn't know what had possessed him, Michael felt his hand move and then put his arm around Gabby's shoulder.
"Geez Michael!" Gabby let go of Michael's arm, her cheeks flushed, "It's hot you know!"
"Ha ha ha, yeah, sorry." Michael laughed awkwardly.
Michael scratched the back of his head and then folded his hands behind his back. Not long after, the bell rang. They both quickly ran into the school.
"Gosh...The heat..." Gabby sat on the tile floor, breathing hard. She wiped her sweat with the back of her palm. Michael sat across from Gabby and put the soles of his feet on her feet. The boy then slowly stroked Gabby's soles.
"Still sick?" Michael asked.
"But it looks like I can't walk for three days." Gabby pursed her lips. It didn't take long for Gabby to chuckle at the sight of Michael's worried face.
Michael frowned then stood up, he stretched out his hand, "Come on, stand up."
"I said I wouldn't be able to walk for three days." Gabby teased.
Michael exhaled and squatted before turning his back to Gabby. The boy turned his head over his shoulder, "I'm going to carry you on my back, okay?"
Gabby's cheeks flushed and she stood up quickly, "What's wrong with you today ?!" She walked ahead of Michael, "You really are embarrassing!"
"Why? You said you couldn't walk." Michael teased. They then walked over and took their shoes.
When Gabby finished putting on her shoes, the girl frowned and then took Michael's hand.
"Don't go to class yet! I'm still too lazy to see the teacher's face." Gabby pulled her hand as she watched them walk toward the classroom.
Michael stopped in his tracks and turned his head, "Who wants to go to class? I want to invite you to the infirmary."
Gabby narrowed her eyes trying to see if the boy in front of her was lying. Michael rolled his eyes and tugged at Gabby's hand, "Don't believe it? I want to give ice cubes on the soles of your feet."
"Then why would you need to do that in the infirmary?" Gabby asked.
"So won't be ashamed." Michael replied as he stepped faster.
-
"What's with your feet?" Daniel asked in their dinner.
"Ah, I was playing basketball with my friends without shoes." Gabby answered as she played with her food.
Agnes snorted in annoyance when she heard her daughter's answer, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop acting like a boy?"
Gabby lowered her head, and a moment later she heard her mother's voice, "I'm just worried. Next time be careful." Agnes continued.