Chapter 5

The librarian didn't comment when I stomped up the stairs this time.

I found Benjamin hiding on the same place as yesterday and he looked up at me and gave me a small smile when I sat down.

It was a small improvement, but an improvement nonetheless.

"Hi, how's it going?" I asked him, as I took out the papers in my bag.

"Okay, I guess. Have you started writing on the introduction?"

I shook my head and gave him an apologetic smile.

"I studied for the math test all night... I never seemed to get it" I shook my head in irritation.

"Uhm, I-I can help you with that... If you'd like to...?" He offered and I just stared at him in shock.

"Yeah, sure. That would be great. I have my math stuff at home though, but when we're finished here you could come home to me." I proposed and he looked frightened.

"My parents are never home anyways, so you don't have to worry about that" I added in hope to calm him down.

"Yeah- uhm, that's okay" It looked like he was trying to convince himself more than me.

"Great! But I'll begin with the introduction then, you can start searching for articles we can refer to"

I sat down with the paper and started to write down something as dramatic and catching as possible.

"Stereotypes are something you all have to deal with sooner or later in life, where do these come from? Do they affect how we see life and love? Do your mind immediately go to 'dumb' when you see a blonde? How can we change that? That's what we're going to find out" I read what I had written down aloud and I locked eyes with Benji.

"Whaddaya think, ey?" I pushed his shoulder lightly, when he didn't answer.

"I think it was great" He sounded actually shocked and I sighed.

"And there comes the stereotypes again"

"I didn't mean it like that" He mumbled and I raised my eyebrows.

"Really?" I asked, not convinced.

"I wasn't surprised that you could put together a speak, I know your not dumb. I just didn't know it would be so good and actually make me get interested" That was probably the longest sentence he had ever said to me without stuttering.

"Oh well then" I looked down on my papers again, unsure of what to do next.

"Do you still want me to help you with the math?" He sounded hesitant and I sighed but then nodded.

"Yep" I simply answered as I started to pick my stuff up.

"Are we going or what?" I asked when he didn't move, he looked to be deep in thought.

"Hello?" I waved a hand in front of his eyes and he blinked a few times and then blushed.

"Sorry" He apologized and gently put down his papers in his backpack, careful not to wrinkle anything.

Luckily it wasn't raining today and we walked down to my car without getting drenched.

People weren't exactly discreet either with their reactions.

I saw two girls that actually pointed towards us with wide eyes and I shook my head amusedly.

I was used to this type of attention, but my dear friend Benjamin didn't seem to be that.

He frantically looked around and actually stayed rather close to me as we walked the short way to my car.

"Who is that even?" I heard a guy ask his friend and I put my hands on my hips and stopped.

I turned to look at him and I saw how he swallowed and nervously looked over at his friend, who shared his expression.

"His name's Benjamin Josephson and he's my English partner, now if you'd excuse me, he's about to help me with math, since I suck at it. Thanks" I then turned around again and kept walking, they wore stunned expressions and I couldn't help but curse my school for raising idiots.

I unlocked the car and jumped in and Benjamin sat down a second later.

"You shouldn't have done that... I don't, I don't want the attention" He murmured and I pouted my lips and looked at him.

"Deal with it"

And with those words I drove out from the parking lot and put on the music.

"I'm a brainless monkey for you, a stupid motherfucker, for you...! I wanna scream at the top pf my lungs..." I sang along to the music and Benjamin furrowed his brow.

"Which band is that?" He asked me confusedly and I gasped.

"It's Dark Pirates!" I exclaimed, surprised he hadn't heard of the band.

"They're pretty good"

"Mmhmm" I agreed as I kept humming along.

When we stopped outside my house I could see the awe in his eyes and I bit my lip before exiting the car.

"This place is huge" He whispered, his eyes traveled across the garden and over our house.

"I know" I muttered before unlocking the door.

One of our maids were standing by the door when we came in and I greeted her.

I saw her eyes land at Benjamin and she wiggled her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out, before gesturing for Benjamin to follow me upstairs.

He hadn't uttered a word since we got in and it was annoying me.

"Here are my notes" I pointed towards a pile of papers on my desk, as I closed the door.

He slowly walked over and took a look.

"You're using the wrong method" He mumbled as he took up another paper and scanned it.

"Oh c'mon, seriously?"

Fucking math, never makes any sense.

"You have to make a diagram to be able to solve this" He explained, he took a blank paper and started to draw an diagram, showing me how to use it.

"What the fuck?" I didn't understand anything.

"So you take this side, times this side, and then you divide it with the answer you got here, it's simple" He pointed towards an earlier problem and I finally understood.

"Oh god, how did I miss that?" I felt really fucking stupid and I looked at him in pure awe.

"You're a genius" I complimented him and his cheeks flushed pink.

"Not really" He chuckled and I think it was the first time I actually heard him laugh.

"Well I think you are, so take the compliment and suck it, I don't give them out that often, so you should feel honored"

He raised his hand in defeat.

"Sorry" He bit his lip and shook his head amusedly.

"Well then Benji, do you have a girlfriend?"