Chapter 93 - Fraction and Multiplication

Elfie didn't have a good feeling when he saw the classroom they were going to enter. He didn't know how such blatant disrespect to campus property was allowed. Did nobody bother repairing the classroom anymore because of the terror that resided within it? Were these delinquents going to beat him up and hang him by his underwear at the school gate like what he saw in movies and books? Elfie felt his legs trembled and stopped twenty feet away from the classroom.

Scarlet saw how their classmate froze up in fear. Alex was also unusually stiff. The girl still hasn't overcome her fear of the scary-looking boys when she first accompanied Jasper to check out the Entrepreneur's Circle. Scarlet giggled. They were going to be in for a surprise now. After Jasper's influence, the class of delinquents were nothing more than a rowdy bunch of misfits. They were welcoming to anyone related to Jasper and didn't usually question people who didn't give them the judging stares first.

"Come on, you two..." Scarlet grinned and hobbled towards the door.

Alex was having second thoughts and wanted to make an excuse to escape the tutoring session she agreed to help with. Elfie didn't look any better. Jasper had already gone in the class and Scarlet hobbled over slowly. Before the two more cowardly children could make their escape, the door opened and a rather handsome looking student made his appearance.

"Scarlet! Come, let me help you with the bag. The rest of us are waiting for you. The Chief said that there would be two more tutors coming to join us for today's session?"

The dollish girl grinned. She turned back to look at her sister and new classmate. "That's them," she pointed out while shrugging off her backpack for Tom to help carry.

Alex blushed when the princely-looking boy reached out to take her hand before planting a chaste kiss on the back of it.

"You must be princess Alex," the campus casanova smiled and led the smitten girl towards the class like a pied piper.

Elfie couldn't help but watch in horror as the charming upperclassman led the gullible girl into the dungeon-like classroom. Nobody was here to stop him from running away but as a hacker with a strong sense of justice, Elfie couldn't let his classmate get tricked and led away right before his eyes. He gathered all his bravery and proceeded onwards with shaky legs. His heart was ready to burst out of his chest as fear fuelled his actions.

The programmer yanked open the door and was surprised by how many strange-looking boys there were in the class. Alex and Scarlet were the only females and Elfie found himself not knowing what to do at the doorway.

Nobody paid him much attention and the programmer took some time to observe the different species of students in the strange classroom. In the corner, there was a boy who was half-n.a.k.e.d. His shirt was nowhere in sight but Elfie could see that he was a martial art enthusiast as he practised swinging his nunchucks. 

Not far from the martial artist was an oversized boy with all sorts of cringe-worthy trinkets. He had expensive headphones and was tapping his feet to the rhythm of the music that Elfie couldn't hear.

Elfie felt his jaw slacken with the level of chaos of everyone doing their own things in the class. He didn't know how so many different types of students could even coexist. Rules and regulations didn't seem to apply to this particular zone and Elfie didn't know what he should be doing. Scarlet was surrounded by the more normal-looking students and had already delved into helping them study. Alex was being interrogated by some other boys and looked highly uncomfortable with all the questions thrown her way. Jasper was still busy setting up his teaching materials and struggled with the projector.

Deciding that he could at least be of help to the boy with bangs, Elfie headed over to offer his assistance.

Once the projector was set up, the lights were dimmed and the chatter eventually died down. The students quieted down and brought out their books from underneath the desks. Jasper told Elfie to help him with any students who seem to be struggling with the lessons. He would be going through new topics and those who struggled to understand old ones needed more assistance.

"We don't have much time before the mid-year examinations after all," he told the programmer sadly. The sigh that followed told Elfie everything he needed to know about how the situation was looking.

"Where are you covered until? Maybe I can help..." Elfie offered and Jasper turned to look at him for a moment without saying anything.

The programmer was startled when he saw a sole tear falling from beneath the bangs and panicked. Without holding back, Jasper dumped an entire list of topics they had yet to cover before the mid-year examinations for three main subjects. Elfie was a little surprised that electives were not included and Jasper explained that it was a strategy.

"Core Subjects hold higher credit points than electives. For them to get a passable acc.u.mulated credit point, it is wiser to focus on the beefy topics. I ditched some topics for certain subjects based on analysis of past year papers. They don't amount to many marks. On the other hand, I need these topics I circled to be mastered. It's going to help them pass."

Elfie took a look at the topics and shuddered. He wasn't too good at them himself and the thought of teaching someone else what he wasn't familiar with scared him.

Jasper saw the conflict in Elfie's expression and put a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder.

"Don't worry," he told the hacker. "These boys are dumber than you think they are. Let me handle the ones who already understand the concept of multiplication and fractions, all you need to do is teach fractions and multiplication to those who still can't cope. They're all hanging out in that left corner."

Elfie didn't know what to say and nodded. If it was only fractions and multiplication, it should be easy, right?