Olivia stared down at her paper. She had written her last name on her paper, but that was all; she just didn't understand where on earth other people were getting these numbers from. The professor hadn't put a chart on the board and Olivia had no idea what they were all talking about when they mentioned Pathagorean. It just made her think of geometry.

She bit her lip and was surprised to feel frustrated enough to almost cry. She'd never felt this clueless before. Finally, she decided she needed to ask whether she was mocked or not. It was a moment of humiliation for asking a possibly stupid question versus a whole year of frustration for not. She rose her hand shyly. "Um... professor? I need help. I'm so confused."

She watched the professor come over and her heart thudded, certain she was being foolish had had simply miss some instruction. She was certainly prepared to be reprimanded.