#steminism

prompt: “I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but whatever happens, please… take care of my cat.”

She had an hour.

And she used to go to him.

Heroine stepped through the boy’s dorms as quietly and as quickly as she could. None of the guys were out, probably scared of the punishments for dismissing bed-time.

It didn’t matter to her.

In less than an hour, she would be too far away from the academy. Which was terrifying, but meant that she could forget about certain rules.

Just as she started to enjoy her little rebellious freedom, she found his dorm. The headboy’s dorm. Her sole rival.

The stakes were too high to care about whether or not she obeys bedtime.

She took out the key bunch she had in her pocket, which she was given by her homeroom teacher to help him ensure no troubles were made inside the dorms.

“The teacher’s bunch? hm, you know, acting like a complete nerd won’t help you become smarter than me.”

“Maybe. But it will help me sneak mice into your room.”

Now Rival will learn his lesson.

She searched for the right key and unlocked the door, a bit at unease from the audible sounds the lock made.

Surprisingly, the room was not entirely dark. Rival’s windows were open and the full moon shed some light inside.

He was not in his bed.

Instead, he was sprawled over his table, his neck placed on his bookand his back crooked onward. This did not seem comfortable. And it would hurt when he wakes up.

“How come no one invented a way to not be stiff after sitting…?”

“You mean like, stretching?”

“...”

“Nerd.”

She knew that this astronomy exam stressed everyone, but she didn’t imagine him like… He looked so tired. Perhaps she teased his last score too much. 

and she had no time to help now.

I’m scared, too.

Heroine got closer to him, and raised her hand to his shoulder, but then froze.

He had enough to worry about, and she doesn’t know how he would react to her request- Nor what he will imagine is the reason for such a strange plea…

Right now, at least one of them got to rest.

But it wasn’t just her on the line anymore. She cannot just keep these problems to herself. And maybe, somehow, she had a feeling that he would rather know.

“Hey, Rival,”

She touched his shoulder lightly. It took a moment before there was any reaction. He groaned a bit, still resting his face above his arm. He turned to her side, opening his eyelids in a rusty way.

Heroine couldn’t help but smile at his widened, chestnut eyes.

“Heroine…?”

His voice was barely audible. 

“Yes, it’s me. I came to… well…”

She took a moment to collect the right words. The stakes were high, but she couldn’t stress him more than needed.

He brought his head up and straightened himself. Looking right at her.

“What’s wrong?”

Nothing, yet. But not for long.

“I need a favor from you.”

He nodded slightly and waited. Looking more serious than she ever saw him.

She didn’t want this. She wanted to comment on his messy bed hair and banter and see his smirk and just go back to her normal life.

“I will leave the school for a while and… and I cannot take my…”

She took a big breath.

“My cat. She’ll have to stay here and she doesn’t trust anyone besides… Will you please…”

“I will take care of Nova.”

Rival tried to smile reassuringly, still looking a bit tense. But the promise meant the world to her. 

Heroine smiled for a bit, too.

“Thank you, I don’t know what I… How would I leave without knowing she’s safe.”

But both of their smiles died down quickly.

“...where are you going?”

She inhaled, hoping to keep herself calm. And him, too.

“I do not know, but I have to. And… and I want to.”

He stared at her for a moment. He still looked tired, but also tense, and… and something else.

“Is it dangerous?”

Yes. I’m scared, Rival.

“I cannot tell you, Rival. This is my own problem.”

“Hero-”

“I never wanted to get you involved. But it’s… Nova, she doesn’t trust anyone besides me, and well…”

and you.

“You can get me involved in everything,”

He said, standing up and holding her gaze.

“Whatever this is, I can help. Please, I never saw you this anxious.”

He extended his hand towards hers, not quite touching, but closer than ever.

She closed the gap, holding his hand.

I’ll miss you, Rival.

Heroine then came forward, hugging him.

He was surprised, but accepting. Wrapping his arms around her himself. It felt nice and warm, and Heroine held him like she’d hold the last piece of normalcy she had.

Her clock buzzed. It was midnight.

“I need to go.”

Heroine said, not moving yet. She felt him sighning and nodding. 

They slowly let go of each other, and Heroine took out the key bunch and gave it to him. For one last moment, he held her hands.

“I won't let you down. I’ll take care of her for as long as needed.”

“Thank you, Rival.”

Heroine started walking away, she opened the door, and looked back once more. Rival’s deep brown eyes were still on her. Still too fearful for her liking.

“I will come back, as soon as possible. Enjoy being the top student while you can.”

She meant it. She will return, maybe sooner than expected. She will come back and hug him again and banter and hold Nova and stress about their exams and everything will be normal.

He smiled at her, hope and playfulness in his eyes. That was how she wanted to remember him.

“Enjoy being a dork in the outside world, nerd.”

“Oh, I will.”

Heroine closed the door and went her way, walking with ease. Knowing that she will return She will come back to hug him again and banter and hold Nova and stress about their exams and everything will be normal.

Guys, I wrote a book that's basically just a giant love letter to Bioshock and physics then added some romance. And I'm not even ashamed 🤷‍♀️

Happy Mother's Day to some of the mothers of mathematics: the women today and throughout history whose work, socially and mathematically, has diminished the role gender has in determining which opportunities will be afforded a young person interested in mathematics.

This is so inspiring. Going to check out her TEDTalk now <3