This time Oliver leans close, which is exhilarating for two seconds. Then: “He sounds like he needs you.”
“You should go,” Ruby says.
I raise a brow. “You think so?” Iamcurious about what he needs. “Alright,” I decide, gathering the remains of my lunch and standing up. “I shouldn’t be too long.”
Before I leave, Ruby makes kissy faces. “Go, meet your lover.”
“Ruby,” I groan. I give her my middle finger and she laughs.
Knowing there’s nothing I can say, I walk to the library.
“Are youkiddingme?”
Noah is leaning over his Psychology textbooks, one cheek pressed against a piece of paper with a diagram of the spinal cord reflex. “I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”
I raise one finger. “First, I don’t take Psych.” I raise another finger. “Second. I’m not your tutor that you can summon whenever you like.”
“Just help me out,” Noah says, pulling himself off the book and flicking through the pages. The table we’re sitting on is empty except for us, though the rest of the library is busy. Students like to come here to play chess, discuss video games and flick through the magazines.
“You’ve got to help me, Eve,” Noah says, grabbing my arm. “I cannot fail. My parents willcrucifyme. The school will force me to go to another meeting with an academic advisor, and it will suck.”
In the corner of my eye, I see Ruby and Oliver enter the library. If they’ve come to stalk me, I’m going to explode. Ruby sees me and smiles while Oliver’s eyes slide to my arm. Noah’s still holding my wrist, and I pull it away.
Noah follows my line of vision. “Is he your boyfriend or something?”
I bury my head in my hands, half out of exasperation, half to hide my embarrassment. When I speak, my voice is muffled. “I understand why you do so poorly at school.”
“Why?” he asks.
“Because you don’t even listen!” I say, raising my head. “Did you not hear me on Monday talk about how I don’t have a love life?”
Noah stares at me for a bit, before his mouth spreads into a smile. “Oh. Right. Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Look, let’s talk about what we can do to salvage your Psych grade—”
“You got a little something on your cheeks,” he interrupts, gesturing.
“What? Food?” Oh god, did I have food on my face that entire time? Did Oliver see it —
“It’s not food,” Noah says, before erupting with laughter. “Your cheeks are pink. You’re blushing! Do you like him?”
“Can you shut up?” I hiss. My head whirls around but no one is paying attention to us, and Ruby and Oliver are on the other side of the library, chatting to Isra and Jasmine, who are playing a card game.
“Okay. Sorry,” Noah says. “But it’s weird.”
“What’s weird?” I ask, my body stiffening.
“You. Having a crush on someone. Although I suppose Oliver makes sense — he’s smart and … smart …”
“I don’t have a crush on him. We’re friends. He’s Ruby’s brother.”
Noah puts his hands up in surrender. “I shouldn’t waste more of your time. Can you help me?”
Grateful to drop the topic, I give Noah some basic tips that he can apply to any subject. Read the questions carefully, fill in all the lines and answer the questions with so much detail, as if the teacher knows nothing. Do multiple-choice last. Use all the time. Don’t sit there and daydream about footy or whatever.
“Is that what you think I think about?” he asks.
I ignore him. “With these tips, hopefully, you’ll pass. Also, trying to remember the content would be helpful too.” I notice that his pencil case is messy and organise it to have something to do with my hands. “Aren’t there people in your Psych class you could have asked for help from?”
