"Time is up!" the boy snatched the book from Nora and stared into her eyes with a smirk.
"Now solve it for me from the start to the end and explain its main points." His last line was vicious because the book had not explained the main points. It had written reference page numbers for explanation.
Nora’s lips curled. She took out her notebook from her bag. But instead of starting to explain, she kept staring at his face. It made him uneasy. It felt like she could see through his trick. But there was no way she had noticed so much in just two minutes.
"What? Do not tell me that you are begging me to renege the bet?" he smirked. He was thinking too much about her expressions. She was not writing. Did it not prove that she did not know what to write?
"No, I am making sure that you pay for it." she extended her hands and Emma rolled her eyes. But passed the money to Nora.
Nora kept the money in her pocket and only then did she start writing. It felt like a robot was working. No, a robot could not explain in such simple words. They have complex words and mechanical language. But what explanation could there be for her smooth explanation? The way her hands glided through the paper felt like an art.
"This.."
"Did you not understand? I will charge extra for repeating." her voice was lazy but her eyes were cold. The boy did not dare to throw an insult. But his money..!
He opened the book and matched the theorem. She had solved it perfectly. He could not understand the solution in the book but he understood what she had told him.
"That is not fair! You must have known this theorem in advance and now you are cheating me." he claimed, "return my money or i will complain to your head teacher." Nora frowned but the boy did not care.
Who would believe that a school student could solve the sum easily.
"Jack.." his name sounded different from her lips. "You can go to the principal and complain, I do not care." she closed the book shut with such force that he took a step back instinctively and rubbed his neck. Why did he imagine that she was beating him?
"Come on my friend." Emma wrapped her arms around his. "You should not be a spoilsport after losing. After all, you have chosen the question yourself. Right?" Emma did not speak loud. But the library was silent and everyone had been looking at them since the start.
Feeling so many eyes on him, the boy could not continue to threaten Nora. But it was all his money.
"Ha! I will see you." throwing a threat at her, he left the room gritting his teeth.
Emma scanned the room. Her gaze dancing over their faces.
"Anyone else want to come and try? We are kind and would not increase the price."
"....." they were being charged a thousand dollars for solving one sum and Emma dared to say that she was not charging much? Could she be serious? Many wanted to try but they did not want to waste their money. And those rich brats who could spare money easily were not cramming in the library.
"No one! I guess I have to find another spendthrift later." she shrugged and sat beside Nora. "so, are you going to keep all the money or share some with me?" Nora fluttered her eyelashes seductively. The move could make any man crazy for her. Too bad! Nora was not a man.
She snorted and started studying again making Emma speechless.
"Nora!"
"I do not see any reward so I took what I can get." Nora shrugged her shoulders and flipped another page making Emma speechless.
"Fine! I have come to pass you this." Emma passed a letter. Nora stared at it for a long time. "Tsk! You are afraid of taking a letter and here I thought you were brave!" her lips quivered only then did Nora take the letter and read it.
Her eyes flickered as she read the letter and put it in her bag. She stood up to leave with a grim face but Emma frowned.
"I have given you your reward. Should you not return me money now?" Emma was faster than Nora. she was already blocking Nora’s way but Nora only sighed.
"Did you not say that you have come here to give me this? I have already paid for it. How could this be a reward? If this is a reward, return my payment for it then?" which would be ten times more than the pocket money they have snatched from the boy.
Emma was tricked! But instead of feeling angry, it thrilled her.
"Ha! Being smart, are you? Make sure you always be smart or you will regret it." Emma flicked her hair and walked out. Nora held the bag tightly as she left the library.
Walking to her room, she searched for the number of Mr Michael from the website.
"Hello Michael, how have you been?" She dialed the number and changed her voice before speaking. It sounded seductive and adult. The man paused on the other side.
He distanced himself from the phone and checked the number again. It was unknown but this voice.
"Michael, did you forget about me? Hotel Landsom, Room No 401. You left without saying a word. It made me anxious." finally his face changed. His eyes widened and his hands quiverd a bit.
"I have told you that it was a mistake. I was drunk. Did I not pay you enough and tell you not to call me? How did I leave without saying a word?" He cursed the woman. He wanted to kill her now.
"But..."
"There is no but. i have not forced you that night. or i have promised a future. Whatever happened was consensual. So, stop acting like a victim now."