Ash

After patching things up with Tomoko, I rushed to soccer practice. I was a couple minutes late and I was praying my coach wasn't paying attention to the time. I get to the field to see all the other guys lined up to do drills. I try to sneak in line but my coach calls me out.

"Hayashi!"

Shit! I walk over to him slowly, dreading the lecture he was sure to give me. I stand in front of him and instantly burst out an apology. "Please forgive me, sir. I lost track of time and I—"

He put his hand on my shoulder, shutting me up. He sighs. "I hate I have to do this, Ash. I gotta bench ya."

"What?! C'mon, Coach! I was just a couple minutes late. Can't you cut me some slack?" I pleaded with him.

"I can't cut you any slack when you're failing, boy!"

"But my grades are fine, Coach. I'm struggling a little in—shit!" Stupid calculus, I thought to myself.

"What have I told you about your grades, Ash? If you start falling behind, I have to follow the school rules and bench ya!" Coach said in an irritated tone.

"I didn't know my grade was that bad, Coach."

"Well you need to figure out what you can do to get your grade up, Hayashi. I need you for the big game in two weeks. You know what happens if you can't play in the game."

I'll be cut, I finish Coach's warning in my head. "I got you, Coach." I take off running back to the school building, hoping my calculus teacher would have some mercy on me.

"That's not fair!" Emiko exclaimed through the phone.

"Tell me about it." I plop down across my head, frustrated with myself.

After talking to my calculus teacher about my grade, he told me the only way I could improve it was by getting a tutor and passing the midterm exam in two weeks. The same day as the big game.

"Can't he give you a test before the midterm?" Emiko asked.

"He said he doesn't want to confuse me because the material we'll be going over in the next two weeks will not be on the midterm," I respond dryly. I can't believe I let my grade drop so low.

"Well is he gonna at least assign you a tutor?"

"He said he would ask around."

Emiko gasped. "What about Tomoko?"

"What about her?"

"She can tutor you! She's in my calculus class and she's always passing the tests."

"I don't know, Em…" I didn't want to get in the way of Tomoko's writing or make her uncomfortable.

"C'mon, Ash! This is serious. You don't want to be kicked off the soccer team, do you?"

No, I don't. But I don't want Tomoko to feel obligated to tutor me either.

"I'll just ask her tomorrow. The worst she can say is no, right?"

It was no use trying to dissuade Emiko in asking Tomoko. Once Emiko had her mind set on doing something, it was as good as done. I just hope Emiko doesn't come off too strong.

Tomoko

I look down at my buzzing phone and sigh. My publisher kept bugging me about doing an interview to talk about a sequel to the Moonlit Pegasus. Something I'm not trying to write. I send the call to voicemail and proceed to open my locker.

"Tomoko!"

I turn around to see Emiko running towards me. I almost run away but I knew that would be stupid. Emiko hasn't done anything to me.

"I'm so glad I caught you before the first bell. I need to ask you something," Emiko said, slightly out of breath.

I turn to look at her and felt so inferior. Even though we wore the same uniform, Emiko made hers look like a million bucks. You can't be mad at Ash for dating someone so ridiculously beautiful, I think to myself. "What is it?"

"Ash was hesitant about me asking you but since you two are friends, I know you won't mind helping him out."

Me and Ash friends? I could feel my heart breaking into tiny pieces. "Help him with what?" I ask, looking at my feet and trying not to cry.

"Well, Ash isn't doing so hot in calculus so he's been benched. And unless he passes his midterm, he'll be cut from the soccer team."

"No!" Ash couldn't be kicked off the soccer team. Not only was Ash their leading scorer but he loved soccer. Anybody that watched him play knew he breathed it.

"I know right! How unfair is that? There's a big game the day of midterms and if Ash doesn't play in that game, he's out." Emiko grabs my shoulders. "Tomoko, you have to tutor Ash. You're his only hope to pass."

Why am I his only hope to pass? Emiko was just as good as I am in calculus. She gets the answers wrong sometimes but she still has an A in the class. "Why can't you tutor him?" I ask softly.

Emiko smiles at me. "I don't want to distract Ash. Soccer is too important to him."

Every bad outcome that could happen ran through my head but I couldn't let Ash get cut from the soccer team. Not if I could help it.

"Okay. I'll do it."

I saw him in the back of the library at my usual table. Frustration lines were on his forehead as he tried to work out a problem. I could tell his body was tense.

I take a deep breath and walk over to the table. Ash was so into solving the problem he didn't even notice me sitting across from him. Fortunately, I can read upside down.

"The answer is 3," I tell him.

Ash looks up then, his eyes widening at the sight of me. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"A few seconds."

He nods his head then looks back down at the problem. "How is it 3?"

I take the paper Ash was working out the problems on and start making corrections. Then I stop. "Ash?"

I didn't have to look up to know he was staring at me. The warmth of his glare gave me goosebumps. "Why didn't you ask me?" I glance up to see Ash scratching his head. He actually looked uncomfortable.

"I thought I might get in the way of your writing and I didn't want you to feel pressured into helping me."

"But I wanna help," I tell him.

Ash grins and grabs my hand. "Thank you."

I don't move for a minute. I just stare at his hand on mine for the longest, hoping I'll never forget this moment. Then I remember he'll never be mine. So I pull away and give him my sign.