Part 2The Geometry of Love

The bleached-hair boy was sleeping on his desk. I swung my backpack over. The screech of the chair against the floor was ear-piercing, waking him up. He lifted his head impatiently, eyes full of undisguised rage, staring at me in surprise for a few seconds. He probably didn't expect anyone to dare provoke him. He lowered his eyelids disdainfully: "Get lost." Me: ... He must think I'm another admirer trying to sit next to him. Men... so narcissistic... disgusting... Tsk tsk.

I ignored his gaze and calmly moved all my books over. The bell rang for the end of class. He slammed his hand on the desk. My hand froze while organizing books. I looked up at him, confused. ? After a few seconds of standoff, he spoke again: "Get lost. I don't like you. Are you deaf?" Me: ? I took a deep breath, pouted in confusion, and refused to indulge him. I poked his chest with my pen, forcing him back inch by inch: "Can you stop being so narcissistic?" "Not every girl who gets close to you likes you! Open your eyes and look. I'm last place! Last place in the class, get it?!" "By the time I got in, there were no seats left! Only this one! If I don't sit here, where do I sit?" "Also, go ask around. I am Lucas's number one simp. Who likes you?" "I'm busy simping for him. Zero people care about you!"

This little bleached-hair kid is all thorns! But I, the class porcupine, am not just a name either. He stared at me silently for a while, then got angry: "You're proud of that?" He probably despised me for being a simp. I flipped my hair heroically, put my book in the drawer, looked up into his dark eyes, and said: "Yes, I am proud. As long as I'm not simping for you."

He looked like he wanted to say something, but my childhood friend Lucas happened to walk over. He had his hands in his pockets, swaying over to me. His gaze shifted from my head to the bleached hair, then back to me: "Jane, what's the meaning of this?" "Not simping for me anymore? Planning to simp for him?" "Moving on?"

I don't have a good temper. I was just annoyed by the bleached-hair kid, and now the guy I like is questioning me like this. Acting like he's my boyfriend controlling me. Even with a good temper, I'm still human! I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my notebook, ignored his gaze, and walked straight to Daniel. Then I said in a soft, sweet voice: "Daniel... I don't understand this question..." Daniel likes me. He said I could ask him anything. But I liked Lucas, so whenever I had a question, I used it as an excuse to pester Lucas to explain it to me. I treated his patience as special treatment for me. Actually, thinking about it, he's like that with everyone.

Daniel clearly didn't expect me to come to him. He looked pleasantly surprised, his ears turning red. I sat opposite him, very close, and asked softly: "This question, I still don't get it..." Yes, this was the question I pestered Lucas about for ages before he explained it to me. Halfway through, Bella couldn't stand me being close to Lucas, so she brought a question to him too. Lucas was ecstatic that Bella approached him. He finished explaining to me hurriedly and sloppy. Then he immediately and patiently explained to Bella.

I don't know when Lucas walked up to us. He pretended not to care, looked closer, and realized he had already explained this question to me. He broke down a little and questioned me angrily again: "Jane, I explained this to you. What are you trying to do?"