Song: Little Bird, album 5, by Ed Sheeran

Angels' POV

"Good Morning class." My dear teacher, Mrs.Newman says, with a bright smile across her face.

It's no surprise that she's met with a crowd of frowns in response.

"Alright then. We may as well make the most with what time we do have, yeah?" She tells us, and I here a few chuckles heard around the class. A boy in the back of our class raises his hand, "Yes, Mr.Boive?" She calls out.

"Why do you even work here, isn't your husband like a billionaire or some shit." He states bluntly and the class instantly bursts out in a fit of laughs, even Mrs.Newman's smiles widens as she hears the statement.

"Yes, my husband is, 'a billionaire or some shit', but this is a passion of mine. Surely I won't just give it up and sit at home being dormant becase of his income." She responds to him with a kind smile

"But moving forward, we have work to do today." She waves her hand about, "I'll do my best to minimize the work for you as best as I can, but you guys have to at least do something in my class. I won't allow myself to be a help to creating a generation of pillocks." She says and the class just laughs again.

At least she's actually a decent professor.

"Do the worksheets placed on your table. I am expecting on you guys to finish it in by the end of class. It is only four worksheets and you guys know all of this information, that is if you've been listening during the lectures." She gives a pointed look to s few sheepish students, then breaks a smile.

"Go on, if you need help, I'll be at my desk." Mrs.Newman tells us and I immediately place the worksheet in front of me and begin the work.

The worksheet, as she said, isn't that hard considering we've been reviewing the riemann sum for a good amount of time by this point. When I'm about halfway worked through the first problem, I hear my name being called.

"Angel! Could I please grab you're attention for a minute please?" Mrs.Newman comes so she is standing in front of my table, rather to being seated at hers.

"Uh, yeah. Of course." I murmur quietly and take a quick glance at her before bringing my eyes back to level at my desk.

"One of my students hasn't been doing the best in this class and came to ask me for a bit of help. I would do so, but I'm a little-preoccupied marking papers from my other class. Now I know you like to work individually, but you are my star student in this class. It would be a great help to me if you could help him along for today and the next couple class periods to get him all caught up." She states, and I think by the look on my face and yes, I'm actually making eye contact with her now-she can already tell what my answers about to be.

"I'll give you extra credit if you'll help me with this." She says in a quieter tone, a bbit teasing though it's obvious she does actually mean what she's presenting.

I give her a light nod and say a quiet 'yes', which causes her to present me a smile in return. Of course doing things on my own is prefereed, I could never turn down a professors' request, and one of my favourites at that especially.

"Alright, I'll go get Mr.Black and send him right over to you." She states and I feel my eyes about pop out of their sockets at the name I'd just heard.

"Wait, I don't think I want to do this anymore." I rush out, almost at a pace not understandable.

Instead of giving me a nod of understanding or an 'okay, as I expected her to do so, she just walks away from me, I simply decide to go back to work, a little confused by here response but ultimately deciding that she's likely accepted my decision.

"Angel." I hear Mrs.Newman's voice come from above my desk and I look up, only to see her standing with Zanthus next to her.

"I would like you guys to start on lesson five, and then take it from there. Go as slow or as fast as you see fit." She tells me, and I can't help but sit and stare at her with my mouth partially open.

I see Zanthus walk to the chair next to me a bit cautiously, before he sits down beside me. I can't decide whether or not I am thrilled or afraid that he's so close, it feels like my emotions are hitting an impasse.

Oh lord.

I look up to find Mrs.Newman standing above me with an almost defininte smirk on her face, though it quickly turns to a bright smile per usual.

"Thank you, Angel, I'm sure you two will get along just fine." She says before doing a quick pivot and making her way back to her desk, leaving me alone with Zanthus.

"Uhm, so let's start," I said, but it came out as more of a whisper.

As I look to my right I see Zanthus nod before he begins to rummage around in his bag to grab his textbook. Once we both have our books at and turn to the beginning lesson of chapter five, I take a breath and recollect myself, preparing for what's about to happen. I truly can't believe I have to teach Zanthus maths.

"So, we can start by learning the basics of the Riemann Sum. Y-You normally use it to approximate the area of functions, lines, and graphs, but it can also be used to find lengths of curves and so on." I start off, doing my best to keep my tone above a murmur so he can actually hear what I'm saying. "It's more vaguely just an approximation tool if you would call it that."

Zanthus just stares at me a bit, his eyebrows furrowed as if he's trying to take in what i'm saying. It takes him a minute, but he ultimately gives me a quick nod before scribbling down a few notes on his notebook.

"O-okay, so you want to start with the right Riemann sum?" I ask him and he immediately nods in response. "Alright, so taking a look at the book, f is here approximated by the value at the right endpoint. This gives multiple rectangles with base Δx and height of," I pause when looking over to see Zanthus staring at me intently.

It seemed he was glancing at me with a sort of intent, like he was trying to pick me apart with his eyes and uncover me whole. I can't help but say I felt a little uncomftorable under his gaze, a bit exposed even though I was most definitely covered.

"Zanthus, are you even listening to me?" I ask him, doing my best to keep my tone soft and even.

He seems to be snapped out of whatever train of thought the moment that I speak my first word. His eyes dart around the room a bit before he looks back at me, seeming almost apprehensive as he does so. He gives me a quick shake of the head, answering my question without words, and then offers me a shy smile as he does so.

Zanthus Black just smiled at me, and I'm almsot ceratin I feel in my stomach.

My cheeks heat up instantly under his smile, and I can only imagine how red I must be at the moment. Contrasting my skin my pale skin, my blush it's very easy to see. I could tell I was basically the color of tomato at this point because I saw Zanthus' smile widen at my heated cheeks, and turn into a knowing smirk.

I shake my head and rid my thoughts of Zanthus, and place my focus back on the lesson at hand. I explain a bit more without faltering to my surprise, and give him a few problems out of the book to try on his own. It's clear to me soon enough that he hasn't quite caught the hang of the lesson at hand.

"Uh, would you like any help?" I ask him, though he just shakes his head. "Okay, w-well tell me if you do, need help that is," He pausesand passes me a small smile before giving a nod and returning to his work.

"Zanthus, do you need my help?" I ask again, truly wanting to help the struggling lad at this point.

I'm a bit shocked when his head whips towards mine, as he nods his head vigorously. His eyes look a bit doe like, wide and quite upset, likely because he's frustrated with himself. It makes me feel a bit bad for him really, considering he was trying his hardest it seemed.

"So, how's it going over here?" I hear Mrs.Newman interrupt, and I am hesitant to answer, not wanting to say the wrong thing and or upset Zanthus.

As I think up a response, I wonder it bit why Zanthus isn't making any move to respond. It's only now I note the fact that he's quite literally not spoken a word since he's sat down. Quite odd, but I'm in no place to question him of course.

He's Zanthus Black, he does as he pleases.

"Uh, yeah! Everything is going just swell." I finally respond and offer her a small smile as I do so.

She claps her hands and beams down at the two of us as if a proud parent. "Oh isn't that just lovely! I'm proud of the progress you two have made as well. I always knew I could count on you, Angel." She tells me and I just nod in response, while Zanthus remains silent.

"Well anyways, I'm off to the loo, if you could keep an eye on the class? I know you're in college but you know how to lads in the back can get. "

"Of course, yeah. Go on." I tell her sincerely, even though I know there isn't really anything I'll have to do.

"Thank you, Angel!" I hear her say and she is almost halfway across the room by the time I even begin to respond, which is quite humorous to me.

I see her turn before she shuts the door behind her, and look from me to Zanthus before giving me a quick wink. She is quick to move along like it never happened, though I'm sure the surprise is painted across my face.

I can't help but think of what she insinuated there. Of course, Zanthus and me could never have anything going on amongst each other. He's, well him, and certainly not someone I'm fit to get involved with.

I have to remind myself that he's Zanthus Black. He's the incredibly defiant character who finds joy in bringing people down. He's the boy who beat up that one lad just a few weeks ago, and for no reason at all. He's no one fit for me and I am not about to get sucked into him.

Though on the other end of it all, I can't help but recognize the part of me that's attracted to him in a way, He's presented himself in such a soft, so to say, way that I had never expected him to have. So although I know that it's wrong-I can't help the part of me that is itching to get to know him more, to be aorund him more.

"So, is this going to continue on during next meetings here...or is this just like a one-time thing?" I ask him, only recieving a bit of a confused glance from him in response. "Will you need my help in classes to come?" I clarify, choosing my words carefully.

I just get a very firm shake of the head from Zanthus, which results in me letting out a shaky breath.

"Excellent," I say, mustering up the widest smile I can for him, and he returns one twice as wide back to me.

Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into.