Solving for Ex

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 the means of settling well

If every problem had as clear and quick an answer as those on the Mathletes exam, I would have been winning at life. Too bad things didn’t work like that, and Brendan, the guy I was hopelessly in love with, reminded me of the fact every day.

I could almost hear the smirk on his face from behind me on the rickety metal grated walkway at the top of Squirrel Hill’s water tower. "If a is less than b, and three squared plus four squared plus five squared plus twelve squared equals a squared plus b squared is satisfied by only one pair of positive integers, what is the value of a plus b?”

I yawned. “Eighteen.”

“Damn, Ashley. You didn’t even write that down.”

“I did in my head.” I grinned, lining up my shot.

“Doesn't count. You’ve been practicing, haven’t you? We swore we wouldn’t practice. Now you’ll be faster than me!”

“Not possible. And I haven’t been practicing. Not that much.” Only a couple of hours a day.

“I knew you were awesome, but man. That’s fast.”

My heart seriously skipped a beat.

I was in love with Brendan because he was Brendan, and I was me, and we were perfect for each other.

We weren’t together because I didn’t have the balls to tell him.

 “So. You’re psyched to be back, right?"

“Was there ever a question?” The truth was, wild horses couldn’t drag me back to my old school.

It was the last Saturday morning before classes started for the year at Mansfield Prep, and in Squirrel Hill, Pennsylvania, summer had overstayed its welcome. If I hadn’t known better, I would have sworn the fog was steam. It draped itself over the sleepy Pittsburgh district like a blanket, conforming to the curves and angles of every street lamp, late-summer rose, and porch swing. And whoever sat on them. Including me.

Even though I knew sitting up here would make the top layer of my freshly straightened hair frizz, I loved the feel of the warm wet air on my face. I loved the mountains pushing up all around the moat of rivers that cradled the city of Pittsburgh. I loved how the fog diffused even the harshest summer-morning sunshine and cast the glittering skyscraper windows in a magical mist.

 It was a welcome change from the farming town of Williamson, where my parents lived. Where I’d lived, until eight months ago.

Brendan nudged his shoulder against mine. “So you finally learned to use that thing?”

“Yeah, I actually really like it. I’m glad your parents got you such an expensive and completely inappropriate gift for no particular reason.”

He laughed. “What’s new, right? And couldn’t we have looked at foggy trees a little closer to the house? Or a little later in the morning?”

I shook my head and jutted my chin out toward the landscape. “Carpe diem, and all that. Don’t tell me you don’t think this is gorgeous.” Brendan yawned loudly. “Okay, point taken,” I said. “I owe you, okay? What are you so exhausted for, anyway?”

“Late night. Mom was out with friends and I wanted to wait up for her.”

“Your dad out of town again?”

He shrugged, confirming it, but telling me it was no big deal. “I was messing with you. I know how important the sunrise is.”

“I’ve missed this view,” I said. I’ve missed you.