An Even Trade

Mona jogs across the quad, ponytail swinging like a victory banner. A hundred yards away, some mouth-breather grabs Sophie's books, tosses them, then boots them farther when she reaches for them. Mona spots the tail-end of the drama; the guy glances over his shoulder, clocks the jock sprinting in his direction, and bolts. Sophie scoops the last book into her arms just as Mona skids to a halt. "You okay? I'm Mona. Need a hand?" "I don't want pity," Sophie shoots back. Mona pauses—blank stare, then a crooked grin. "Not offering pity. Got a math book there?" Sophie nods. "Cool, because I'm tanking that class and you're supposedly a savant." Mona shrugs. "Deal: I'll keep the neanderthals off your back, you keep me from flunking. Zero charity, pure capitalism." Sophie studies Mona a second, mumbles, "Fine," eyes fixed on her sneakers. Weeks stack up like quiz scores, Mona's grades climb, and the two orbit each other closer. One afternoon Mona stops under a scraggly oak and blurts that she's got feelings for Sophie. The shock hits Sophie hard, but Mona's already noticed glances and soft laughs; she winks, betting on a mutual vibe. Sophie admits she's gay, that Mona is the first real spark in a gray life—but then she backs away. "You'd torch your status for me. People talk; you lose everything. Tutoring should stop. You've got your grades, no need to babysit the nerd." Mona exhales, laughs once—half-bitter, half-fond. "Thanks for worrying, but I don't care about 'rep.' I care about you. If we both feel it, screw the rest."