Follow the Stars: A Ben and Grace Stone Origin Story
Chapter 2: Ben's point of View.
Ben stared at the formula on the board and carried 1. Numbers were so simple to understand compared to people. They were logical. Why couldn't he get his students to understand that fact? He wasn't getting through to his students. They weren't really even his students. They were Doctor Boyle's students. He was just the teacher assistant. Most people believed that meant he was a graduate student. He was actually working on his Bachelor of Sciences degree in mathematics. But, Professor Boyle felt that Ben was the second most capable member of mathematics department. Even though Ben was only starting his third year. So, when Boyle had taken a sabbatical to study sun spots and solar eclipses across the world, he had convinced Ben to teach his classes. The only problem was, Ben hated people. His sister and Michaela and their mother, Karen would confirm that Ben was not a people person. When Ben turned 16, his relationship with his mother became strained. Maybe because he turned away from religion and became immersed in science, because it made more sense to study the stars then to follow them and believe in fate or some higher power? Or maybe it was that boomerang he stole? Whatever the reason, Ben missed his mom. He missed her listing to his problems and he missed her home cooked meals. But, he had never been good with people and that was probably why he couldn't connect with other students. Teaching paid the bills and allowed him to live off campus in an apartment with one roommate: another loaner who didn't ask Ben to participate in social life and who left Ben alone with his numbers.