WHAT'S LOVE?

Alex's pen on paper. He was hunched over his notebook, his brows drawn togeth

on, something didn't add up, and he had to start over. Frustration built in his chest, but he ref

notebook, intending to ask Mia fo

ing attention

s she stared out of the library window. Her math textbook was

she had only given him the question to kee

tered, dropping his

her serene expression givi

on bubbling to the surface. "I've tried everything,

minor inconvenience. "If you can't so

He sat up straight, his frown deepening. "You're

f you're not going to put in the effort to sol

on his face. "Then show me how to do it. You're the genius

ve to figure it out yourself. If you can't even do that, then

in the air, hea

s eyes wide with shock

time to waste on someone who doesn't want to try. If you're not wi

hurt. He had known Mia was strict and no-nonsens

ally, his voice tig

f she didn't believe him, b

blem. His mind raced, replaying everything he had learned about so

returned to staring out the win

t a fire igniting inside him-a d

choed through the library, si

a satisfying thud. She glanced at Alex, who was still h

slinging her bag over her shoulder and wa

swirling in his chest. He gathered his things slowly and

rmined to crack the problem. He spread out his textbook, notebook, an

h he tried, the numbers refused to add up. His frustration grew with each fa

's voice broke thr

ng in the doorway. She was dressed in her work clo

ours," she said, stepping

tupid math problem. I can't solve it, and if I don't

er protective instincts k

nning the problem with a thoughtful expression. She grabb

ing the pen down. "This doesn't make se

. "It's from the textboo

Well, don't beat yourself up over it. Ma

mumbled, though hi

demeanor was replaced by a heavy sense of dread. He knew today might be the end o

tion. He slumped in his seat, staring blankly at the board

face them. "Here's an equation I want you to try. It

ized the equation on the board. It

he steps to solve it. Finally, he would get the a

as about to write the nex

ut firm. "That equation is incorrect. It's mi

to look at her, murmurs

quation. After a moment, he nodded. "You're absolutely righ

, his hear

had known the equation was unso

desk as realization hit him like a punch

eaction, returned her attention to t

churned inside him. He couldn't understand why she would do something like that

lear-he couldn'