The Code of Aries ?

(10) Brains & Pockets

I quickly grabbed my bag and searched for the single pen I had inside. When Aries saw me, he sighed and handed me his own pen instead. I thanked him for it and eventually started answering the test I'm assuming he made himself.

The test contained items that I was familiar with, but at the same time, the majority of them were problems I knew nothing about. Instead of panicking, I took a deep breath and started filling up the ones I knew like I was some genius.

I was worried that Aries would be staring at me the entire time, but while I was answering the test, he pulled out a laptop from his bag instead. Right after, he took a pair of glasses and wore them, and that was the moment I got completely distracted.

I felt like I was in some rom-com series, and Aries was one of the main characters while I was sitting here as an extra. How can he look twice as attractive just because of glasses? How is the word fair?

"Thirty minutes," Aries suddenly reminded me, snapping me back to my senses.

I quickly looked down at the test again and started mentally computing for items that obviously needed a scientific calculator. Aries must have noticed me again because he sighed and handed me a calculator this time.

"Thank you," I say, and Aries nods his head and starts typing something down on his laptop.

"What are you working on?"

"Our final thesis."

"You're already starting with your thesis?"

"We just got our topic approved last week, so I'm already working on the references we'll need so I can start with the introduction," Aries explains, making me nod my head while I continue to stare at him.

"What's your topic about?"

"You only have twenty-five minutes left," he answers instead, and I quickly look back at the test paper again.

It took a while and a lot of guessing, but I was able to answer some of the items while simultaneously trying to figure out how to properly use the scientific calculator.

When the forty-minute mark was over, Aries pushed his laptop aside and started checking my paper. I was very confident that I wasn't going to pass this diagnostic test, but thankfully Aries didn't look disappointed by the results.

"Looks like we have a lot to work on..." were the only words he told me before taking the algebra book so he could start teaching me the lessons one by one.

Aries was patient with me and was quick to grab my attention whenever I lost concentration. He would ask me a question that would bring me back to focus. Sometimes he'd even ask random questions like what color pen he used so he'd know I was still listening.

Ever since I started studying, this was the first time I genuinely started learning something. It did not only boost my respect for this outstanding senior, but it made me realize that he will definitely be an outstanding teacher in the future as well.

When I become a senior, will I ever be like him? Will the freshman student who I'll be partnered with be as amazed by me as I am by him now?

"Let's try to answer this part again."

After two hours of one-on-one tutoring, Aries gave me another test to answer. This time, I knew how to use a scientific calculator. But more importantly, I knew how to solve the problems when I saw the items. I couldn't help but speed through it with more certainty.

"I'll give you another forty minutes," Aries tells me, and I nod my head and continue answering the test.

Aries started working on his thesis again while I solved the problems. While answering, the light outside the window suddenly changed, making me realize that the sun was already setting and the library was no longer crowded compared to when we first got here.