LOGAN'S POV

I haven't seen Haywood transform since my whoops-a-daisy incident, which I'm mostly thankful for, but it's kinda a bummer that this means the figure of the mysterious green-eyed girl who stole my heart dies with her as well. I've been kinda disturbed by the extent that I could be so smitten with her simply based on her looks... based on a stranger's outer appearance for that matter, considering I couldn't recognise her on the bus.

Am I THAT superficial?

Maybe that's why none of my relationships have worked out. Maybe I've been listening too much to Kraken down there instead of my brain, and my heart's been taking all the damage. Maybe it's high time for a mid-term review of my evaluation criteria. After I finish that incredibly vicious Econs essay and tutorial, Chemistry tutorial, Physics lab report, 5km run and 2 hours of stick work that is.... Argh, screw that, girls are the last thing I should be thinking about. School is hectic enough with Ice Hockey and Floorball trainings occupying 6 days in a week. Focus, Logan, focus. Nationals are coming in 2 months, ain't nobody got time for chicks. Or anything else for that matter.

==

"Longan, that's not what opportunity cost means." Haywood says as she peers over my hastily scribbled answer. "Did you not read the definition?"

"I did." I say through gritted teeth. Shit, I got it wrong again? It's almost time to submit my Econs homework.  "Opportunity cost is the value of the next highest valued alternative use of that resource, isn't it?"

"Ok, that's the right definition. So what is the opportunity cost if Mr. Mars decides to invest his $50,000 to build a Snickers factory?"

"Uh, $50,000?"

"No, no, NO! Do you really have longans for brains?" Haywood wrings her hands around in annoyance and looks like she's ready to throttle me while Chad and Tim look upon my predicament in amusement. "Key word here is alternative. I'm not asking what the resource is!" Damn Haywood is really fierce as a tutor. She's like a female Coach Landon. Is it strange if I say I'm kinda enjoying this? 

"Ok, McDonald, I'm going to explain this in YOUR lingo, alright? Please listen carefully."

"A'ight."

"Say you have 5 girls who want to date you."

"Oh, I can totally relate to this example."

"So if you date Girl A, you can't date the rest yea?"

"Well, it really depends on how clingy she is."

Chad and Tim chortle. Haywood, on the other hand, simply raises an eyebrow and rewards my smart aleck reply with a sharp smack on the arm. 

"Yea, no, one is enough trouble." I say hastily.

"Exactly. So it means you give up the other girls, yea?"

"Sadly."

"So out of the 4 you give up, let's say you like Girl B the most. She will be the opportunity cost. She will be the most precious option you have to give up because you chose Girl A."

"Ohhhh. I think I get it now."

"Really?" Haywood throws me a skeptical look.

"You're trying to say if I date anyone else, my opportunity cost will be the green-eyed girl I met on the bus."

The stunned look on Haywood's face is priceless.

==

"That's not a flat pass, Haywood. Do you know the definition of flat?" I suppress a laugh as I watch Haywood's ball to Renn skitter along the wooden floor of the Great Hall. "Look at how Scottie and I are passing."

"I do." Haywood says bitterly through gritted teeth. "It's what I wake up to every morning."

"Fair enough, that's an accurate definition."

"Aw come on, Haywood, let's just accept what the good Lord has given us!" Renn returns an equally bouncy pass to Haywood, who completely misses the ball and rushes after it. "Logan you're an asshole. Anyway, what's with the knee and elbow abrasions, Haywood?"

"Uhm." Haywood looks uneasy as she struggles to give Renn a good, flat pass. "Tripped over the metal divider in the field."

Man, that metal divider sure is jinxed. Just saw some blondie fall splat on the ground yesterday during warm up with the ice hockey boys.

"RENN, HAYWOOD, GET OVER HERE." Coach Landon yells. Oh, they're gonna get it for not covering their blades right.

"Ok, everyone, semi-circle shots for the keepers!" I holler.

==

HAYWITCH

Longan.

What.

Coach Landon wants Renn and I to get our own sticks instead of using school sticks.

Wow, congrats. Looks like Coach Landon has found his first team dogs.

But we can't even pass properly.

Then practice.

How to pick a stick?

Go for a flex 29, soft to medium blade, 92cm shaft.

???

HAYWITCH IS CALLING...

"What. I'm doing my Chem tutorial now."

"I didn't understand any of that."

"Well, I can't understand my isotopes when you're talking to me."

"Pfft, what's so hard about a bunch of atoms with similar electronic configuration but different number of neutrons?"

"And what's so hard about picking a stick?"

"Ok, will you help me if I guide you through your Chem tutorial?"

"Now we're talking. I don't quite understand the concept of an isotope."

"An isotope just refers to atoms of the same element, which have different numbers of neutrons."

"But why do they have different numbers of neutrons."

"No idea. It's just how they're found in nature. Similar to why we have irises of different colors. They're all irises, just that they're naturally different."

"Like how the green-eyed Haywood is an isotope of the black-eyed one?"

"..."

"Will you give it a rest about the green eyes Longan? I understand you were traumatized by them. You'll never see them again."

"I do want to see your green-eyed isotope... It's uh, it's funny."

"I'm not a clown unlike you McDonald. Anyway I'm going to sleep. See you at the floorball shop tomorrow at 9 so we can get sticks. Bye."

...

***

A/N: What do you think of Logan's obsession with the green-eyed Haywood?

This chapter is dedicated to one of my loyal readers @SmitaShukla16! Hope this comes in time before you go for your hiatus... All the best for your exams alrightie! Your presence will be dearly missed.