Lawrence

Gisa

Classes were fully back in session which meant Gisa's life was taken over by homework. She hadn't really cared back on the island, getting an education there didn't really mean one would get a job. Emma was a perfect example, she was a genius. Competing for the valedictorian spot her senior year being only sixteen? No, Emma wouldn't have had any opportunities on the island because of it. Gisa was as smart as a brick when it came to science and math and all of that. But she was one of the more well-off on the island due to her ability to use her fists. It was twisted.

She hauled her thoughts back to the worksheet in front of her. If she wanted to get a good job here she'd have to actually work at school. She frowned at the algebra equations in front of her. X's and Y's and weird symbols. She understood it better than she had before, but it was still hard. Jamison and Ron usually studied with her, but they'd had plans. So Gisa was alone at the library, writing with a pencil, then erasing, then writing. She growled in frustration, snapping the pencil in two.

"Hey, what did that pencil ever do to you?"

Gisa turned to glower and Emma's friend Lawrence. "What do you want?" She bit out. Emma said that he was nice, but Gisa never really liked him. He was so blunt, and he made her feel stupid.

"Sorry, I was just over there and noticed you were having trouble. I came to offer help if you want it." He said innocently.

She frowned for a moment, debating it. She knew he'd definitely help her out… but would he be so insufferably rude that she wouldn't be able to stand not putting him in a chokehold? She sighed heavily. "Fine. Just don't be so cocky and stuck up. It makes me hate you."

He winced. "Emma says I come off too strong sometimes. I try not to be, I just have a hard time remembering to be nice when I deliver facts." He hesitated a second. "Can I sit down?"

Gisa let out a small noise meant to be confirmation. She was only letting him help her reluctantly. When he'd pulled up a chair beside her at the long table, she pointed to the second problem. "I got stuck here so I skipped around and did the ones I could, but I'm lost. The symbols confuse me, and I always forget the formulas, let alone know which one to use." Gisa frowned. "I totally understood pre-algebra, but algebra is like a whole new world."

Lawrence nodded. "The leap from pre-algebra to algebra is bigger than most people like to admit. Pre algebra doesn't prepare you for algebra as well as it could." Gisa watched as he took in the first few problems. "Okay, you did question one just fine. What's wrong with question two?"

Gisa shrugged. "Well question one, all I had to do was move that two, and then it was easy. I don't know how to move the numbers over in the second problem."

Lawrence nodded. "Yeah, moving the numbers would be difficult. What if you moved something else?"

Gisa wanted to laugh at herself. She'd never thought to move the x! "Oh, I guess that makes sense." She took her pencil and answered the problem.

"Nice!" Lawrence said. "And while you were doing that, I glanced at the others you had finished, and they're all correct. Except problem eight, but you just added wrong in the last step. You got the hard part right."

Gisa fixed the mistake, then pointed to the fifth problem. "What about that one?"

Lawrence nodded. "You'll need a formula for that one. Can you guess which one?"

Gisa shook her head, trying not to get frustrated. "I told you I can't remember them."

"Do you have your textbook with you?" Lawrence asked, gesturing to Gisa's full bookbag.

She pulled out the worn blue book with the yellow stripes. It was too cheery to be a textbook. "Yeah, but I don't know how it will help. It's the same thing that my teacher says. And I can't use the textbook during an exam. I need to memorize them."

"I know," Lawrence said, fishing something out of his bookbag. "Why don't you go find the formulas though? You can't start memorizing them if you can't see them."

Gisa rolled her eyes, her right hand fiddling with the snapped pencil while her left hand flipped to the correct pages.

Lawrence pulled out a few notecards, writing the name of the formula on one side and the formula on the other side. "Flashcards can help you memorize them. You live with Emma, right? I bet she'd be happy to quiz you. Plus, now you have easy access to the formulas if you staple these in your notes." He handed them to her, along with a few blank ones. "These are for the future formulas."

Gisa stuffed them in the pocket of her notes, making a mental note to go find a stapler later. "Um, thanks Lawrence." She said awkwardly.

"It's no problem, Gisa. If you ever need help again, you can let me know. Here!" He wrote his number down on a piece of paper. "I know that sometimes it can feel bad asking for help, but now you better understand what you're doing, right? And I love to help, and especially I love math." He nodded with a laugh as Gisa split into a grin. "Yeah I know, I'm a nerd."

Gisa shook her head. "No, you're just like Emma. Maybe a little more awkward, but let's be real, Emma is probably the most perfect human alive."

Lawrence nodded, "Yeah, I love studying with her. She doesn't study with me as much since she started dating Sean, but I'll take what I can get."

Gisa frowned, "I don't like Sean."

"You don't like very many people." Lawrence said.

She scowled, "Careful what you say Lawrence. But you know what? Emma hasn't been herself since she started dating him."

Lawrence's features pinched a little as if in concentration. "Yeah, she seemed a little more stressed out and sad? The other day she was crying about some anniversary that she wouldn't talk about or something. Was she okay?" He looked genuinely concerned.

Gisa sighed. "Be careful with Emma. She's a private person. She doesn't like to share too much about herself. And it isn't because she doesn't like you, it's just how she is. You have to remember, we may be teenagers just like you and the rest of the school, but the four of us from the island have grown up completely different. We've seen some things that would shock many of your parents and grandparents." Gisa looked at the pencil in her hands. With half a thought, a little flame burned it to ash. Lawrence looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't open his mouth. "Emma may look like a delicate sixteen year old girl, but she's been through a lot of pain and suffering. There was an anniversary recently, but I don't think she'd like me sharing. Just remember to be kind and to not push her on matters she doesn't wish to discuss." Gisa sighed, dumping the little pile of ashes onto the table. "Thanks for the help Lawrence."