Savannah bit her knuckles to muffle a scream as she tried for what had to be the hundredth time to do her math homework. Since receiving the damn assignment the night before she had successfully rubbed holes in two sheets of paper and ruined three pencil erasers. At the current moment in time she was seated in a corner of the commons, wasting her sixth period lunch trying desperately to get something resembling the answers in her examples. Growling in frustration, she tossed the notebook aside, reluctantly accepting the fact that if she didn't get expert help she was going to fail her algebra class.
Closing her eyes and wincing, she took a calming breath before exhaling, picking up her books and pencil and standing. Checking to make sure the hall monitors weren't looking her way, she slipped down the hall, intent on seeking help before she was forced to turn in her pathetic excuse for homework. Luckily for her, no teachers were wandering the halls, so she was able to make it to her algebra class fairly quickly. She stopped just outside the door, leaning over and peering inside to make sure the older woman was in there. She was, and Savannah entered, her only warning a quick rap of knuckles against the door.
The older woman looked up at the sound, confusion dancing in her eyes and a small smile curving her lips.
"Savannah, what brings you here so early? Or perhaps I did not hear the bell?"
"No, the bell hasn't rung yet," the brunette said, nervously running her fingers through her hair. "I um, I was hoping you could help me with the homework."
"Did you not take notes?" Mrs. Jeepers asked, her eyes flashing.
The homework was fairly simple, and in her mind the only way one would not be able to understand or complete it was if they hadn't taken notes. Savannah winced, embarrassment causing her cheeks to flame red.
"Well, that's the thing. I did take notes, a lot of them, and I have tried to do the assignment, but I just can't understand it."
"You cannot understand it?"
"No."
"May I see your notes?" the redhead asked, thinking that perhaps she had copied something incorrectly. Sheepishly, the girl handed over her notebook. To the woman's surprise, the notes were correct and actually quite diligent, nearly better than her own. "I do not understand. Your notes are very comprehensive and everything seems to have been copied correctly. What is it that you are not understanding?"
"All of it," Savannah mumbled, her eyes glued to the ground.
"Come again?" Mrs. Jeepers asked, thinking she had misheard.
"I don't get any of it," the girl repeated, looking up and staring the older woman directly in the eye for the first time since entering the room. "I try to start a problem and somehow get turned around so badly that the answer I get is nowhere close to what it should be."
"Let me see. Do you have any of the problems you've already finished?"
"No, I got frustrated and erased them all."
"Then please work one out and allow me to watch. Perhaps I will be able to pinpoint your mistake."
"Um...okay," Savannah mumbled, writing down the first problem from the assignment.
Mrs. Jeepers watched over her shoulder as the girl attempted to solve for x, her eyes immediately catching the mistake as it was made. She allowed her to finish the problem, noticing the frustration beginning to build within her as she realized the answer was incorrect.
"See? I get that answer every time, and I know it isn't supposed to be a negative number."
"You are correct, this is completely wrong. However, I believe I have discovered what you are doing wrong."
"Really? What is it?"
"Instead of combining the two variables you need to divide them." She leaned over, writing her steps on the paper. Savannah bit her lip as the older woman's perfume washed over her. She had kept her attraction under control, her frustration making it nearly insignificant, but with the redhead that close it was hard to ignore. "You see? Easy."
"Oh, yeah," Savannah said, shaking herself out of it. "I'm just horrible at math, always have been."
Mrs. Jeepers raised an eyebrow.
"No one is truly horrible at math, one just needs the proper teacher to unlock true potential."
They locked eyes, blue on green, and something shifted. The world shrank as they looked at one another, the silence nearly vibrating around them. It should have been awkward, but for reasons neither knew it just felt right. The moment was broken as the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Savannah looked away first, a blush staining her cheeks.
"Th-thanks for the help," she stuttered, embarrassed though she didn't know why.
"You are welcome," Mrs. Jeepers replied, voice slightly strained.
Savannah took her seat, keeping her head down. As the other students trickled in she worked on her homework, making sure to do it the way she had been shown. To her delight, her answers came out, while perhaps not entirely correct, at least plausible. Sighing happily, she passed it to the front of the row as the older woman collected them, and didn't miss the way green eyes lit in pleasure as they glanced at the papers. She felt her chest warm in happiness, elated she had pleased the older woman.
As the end of the period approached, Savannah found herself nearly in tears over the latest assignment. She had tried to follow the notes, had even worked it the way she had the previous night's homework, to no avail. As the bell rang she remained in her seat, knowing there was no way she was going to complete the assignment without help. After all the other kids left, she gathered her belongings and trudged up to Mrs. Jeepers' desk. She could sense the older woman's eyes on her as she approached, but she didn't feel judgment in her gaze.
"Do you need some help?" the older woman asked quietly. Savannah nodded, feeling self-conscious that she needed assistance twice in one day. "It's all right, Savannah. It is my job after all."
The girl smiled as she saw the amusement on the redhead's face, her humiliation gradually fading.
"So, I don't understand why I can't solve these problems the same way I could solve the others."
"Ah, I wondered if anyone would be confused. Come here and I will show you the proper way to solve them."
Savannah rounded the desk to stand beside her, internally jumping for joy at how close they were. Mrs. Jeepers, for her part, felt slightly nervous at being so near to someone she knew was attracted to her. She fought it off, instead focusing on helping her student. She watched in pleasure as Savannah solved the problem with very little guidance.
"Good! I knew you could do it!" she praised, placing her hand atop one of the brunette's.
They both jumped as a shock of electricity jumped between them.
"Sorry!" Savannah hurriedly apologized. "Sometimes I randomly shock people."
"It is all right. Electricity is a mysterious thing."
Her brooch seemed to glow, drawing Savannah's eye.
"I really like your brooch. It looks very old."
Green eyes darted from her to the pin and back, a small smile curving her lips.
"It is. I've had it most of my life. It was a gift from my mother for my sixteenth birthday."
Realizing what she'd said, and that perhaps she'd said too much, she quickly glanced up at the girl. To her surprise, there was no surprise on her face, only a soft look and what seemed to be sympathy.
"You must miss her," Savannah said softly.
"I do, more than you know."
The sadness rolling from the older woman was palpable, and before Savannah could think twice she leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug. Mrs. Jeepers tensed, the feeling of the girl pressing against her surprising yet not unpleasant. Sensing she had made her uncomfortable, the girl let go, backing away.
"Sorry, you just seemed so sad," she apologized.
"I...thank you," Mrs. Jeepers said, deciding that it had helped. At least, it had distracted her enough that she forgot what they had been discussing. "Sometimes I forget that there are people who care in the world."
The brunette's eyes narrowed slightly. She sensed something deeper in the statement, but didn't want to push her luck by calling the older woman out on it. Deciding to let it go, she merely smiled before picking up her backpack.
"Well, thanks for the help. I should go, I'm sure you have things to do and my parents are probably wondering where I am."
"You're welcome. Feel free to come to me any time you need assistance."
Smiling, Savannah left, mulling over what the woman had said about people being left in the world who cared. Mrs. Jeepers watched her go, still shocked that she had been given a hug by a girl she barely knew. Perhaps she was just extremely caring, she mused as she began gathering papers. Either way, she hadn't disliked it, and the girl was the first person that treated her as something more than a teacher in a long time.
As she began grading the homework, she found herself wishing that they'd been able to talk longer.