The Rift by J.T. Stoll

Author:J.T. Stoll
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: save the world, young adult urban fantasy, high school fantasy, adventure magic, fantasy coming of age story

6. Algebra

Pieter lightly jogged through an empty, locker-lined hallway. It wasn’t that this weekend’s excitement had caused him to sleep in; it was that every weekend’s excitement caused him to sleep in. Now that he drove himself to school, his mom didn’t bother him in the morning.

Pieter slid into a seat near the back, directly behind Gloria, just as Mr. Miner finished the roll call. “Pieter Walters.”

“Here,” Pieter called out. Every once in a while, his last name came in handy.

Mr. Miner, a tall black man wearing floating math symbols on his tie, leaped into a lecture on quadratic equations. The bleary-eyed students slowly felt the freedom of the weekend drain away. Pieter stared at the back of Gloria’s head.

South Obispo High was about ten years old and lay spread across a hillside surrounded mostly by undeveloped land. Unlike the older SLO High across town, South Obispo drew students from nearby county land and a couple towns down the freeway. Pieter heard some of the teachers who’d grown up elsewhere talk about how they loved the small town feel of the school and how they never wanted to teach anywhere else. He couldn’t wait to leave this parochial village for somewhere fun.

At the same time, he recognized most of the students. They’d grown up together, and he brought spice to their life. They appreciated his humor, if he did say so himself. Barriers of cliques didn’t bother him; no label defined him. He was Pieter; he got along with everyone from Neil to the football players. From the potheads to the church kids.

“The four of us should meet and talk,” he whispered to Gloria.

She jumped a little at the sound of his voice. “Yeah, you think?”

“Hadn’t heard from you since that night.”

“It was a lot to take in, and…”

“You slept about twelve hours yesterday?”

“Yeah,” Gloria said.

“How about after school?”

“I’m busy after school every day this week, mostly work.”

“You have a job?” Pieter asked.

“Yeah, Bueno Taco. Lots of drunk college students on weekends.”

“Sounds entertaining.”

“Usually.”

Gloria was so different one on one. She actually talked.

Mr. Miner spoke up. “Pieter, can you tell us the value of X?”

“Three fifths,” he responded.

“That’s… that’s correct.”

“You know me and math; we’re like this.” Pieter crossed his index and middle fingers and held them high. “Now, do you mind? I have a conversation to finish.”

A few laughs around the class. Mr. Miner said, “Yes, actually. There’s an empty seat up front if you’d prefer.”

“Well, Gloria, yes I love you, but I already have a girlfriend. And I have to pay attention in math class.”

A few students laughed. Gloria said nothing but slunk low in her seat. Pieter stared up front and zoned out. His mind flashed to the dying form of James and the feeling of Croga’s strength in his muscles.

Then he heard Jed’s words. “Your deaths will entertain me.”

Mentally, he pictured the highlander as a little girl in a pink dress and moved the voice up a few octaves. “Your deaths will entertain me.” Given the choice between terror and humor, Pieter preferred humor.

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