X1/2= -b+[6 2-4ac]
2a

Thud. Thud

y=x4(x3+2x+5)

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound of B kicking A's chair was too distracting for Near. It was so loud that Near covered his ears with both hands and grunted looking down at his unfinished calculus problem.

Near eyes traveled to A. She seemed as frustrated as him, but didn't bother to turn back and tell Backup to stop it.

Maybe because she wasn't a confrontational person. Maybe the attention would encourage B to keep doing it.

Both were horrible reasons.

Thud.

"Everything okay over there?" The calculus professor turned the direction of the three.

"Professor Smith. May I please go to the restroom?" Alternative asked and he nodded yes and turned back to the chalkboard. Quickly writing more problems for the students to solve.

She quickly stood up and rushed out of the room. Near didn't blame her. She seemed more tired than ever. He wondered if B kicking her chair was breaking her.
It was breaking Near. He couldn't concentrate. The sound was too loud. Near didn't like loud noises.

"Professor Smith, may I go to the restroom?" Mello asked and Near's eyes travelled to Mello's direction who was sitting at the opposite side of the room.

"Yes Mello," Professor Smith replied. Didn't bother looking away from the chalkboard full of problems and equations.

Mello left the room and Near suddenly felt the need to use the restroom as well. However he knew it was likely due to a domino effect.

Thud. Thud.

"Professor Smith, Backup doesn't stop kicking the seat in front of him," a girl sitting next to B complained.
Matt took this opportunity to quietly exit the classroom.

Near's attention turned back to the Professor as he heard the Professor sighed in frustration and finally turned back to look at the students.

"Backup, please go to the counselor's office so they can change your class schedule. Exams are coming up. We cannot afford any distractions," Professor Smith said as he opened one of his desks's drawers and took out a paper.

B abruptly snatched the paper away and walked out of the class as he shot a death glare towards the girl and then at Near.

Near asked to go to the restroom as soon as B left the room. Surprisingly the Professor allowed him.
Maybe Professor Smith didn't care how many students were in his classroom. He only wanted to continue doing what he loved the most, which was to solve calculus problems, at peace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mello and Matt walked the hallways of Wammy's. Both whispering and laughing at the fact that they just smoked a joint in the boy's bathroom.

Matt had seen some of the older boys doing it several times before. The older boys said it helped them relax and cope with all the stress coming from the classes.
Matt didn't know if this was true but he wanted to try it out, and Mello was in.
Matt did it out of curiosity while Mello did it to cope with the sea of anger and frustration inside of him for not being able to have a perfect score and beat Near.
They didn't know if it worked but they walked the hallways laughing, whispering, and feeling great.

Matt came to an sudden stop and pointed at a distance.
Mello's blue eyes travelled to the direction his best friend was pointing at.

Backup cornering Alternative in a lonely, almost hidden, hallway.

She avoided his eyes as he frantically searched for hers. Paper and pen in his hand. Offering it to her. Like a sacrifice.Whispering something to her the two boys couldn't hear.

Matt and Mello stop talking. Stop breathing in order to be able to hear.

"Please fake this signature," Backup pleaded. "So the Professor can think it was the counselor refusing to change my schedule."

"Sorry," Alternative mumbled still avoiding his eyes and the paper and pen being handed to her. "I don't know cursive."

Bullshit. She was perfect. Cursive writing was all over her notes. All over her name. All over her presence. Her thinking. In all her dreams and aspirations.

Alternative's back against the hallway's wall. Backup in front of her. Paper and pen in hand. But Backup wouldn't back away.

"Hey leave A alone."
Matt quickly turned to look at his friend Mello who was already walking towards A and B. He hated that Mello was so impulsive sometimes.

Mello finally got close to B and A.
A quickly ran as soon as all B's attention was on Mello.

Mello saw Backup's eyes traveled from his eyes to his forehead.
A smile appeared on B's face.

"Mihael Keehl," B murmured and walked away from him.

Mello stood frozen in place. Eyes widened. Staring at B as he walked away.

"How could Backup know my real name?" Mello whispered as his friend Matt ran to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Matt was covered in goosebumps. No one was supposed to know their names. That was confidential. That was prohibited.

Mello's and Matt's attention turned at the sound of something dropping to the floor.

They saw a white toy robot, and Near a few steps away from his toy.

"So you heard? You've been spying on me?" Mello angrily accused Near.

"No. I was not spying on Mello, but I know Mello's real name now," Near admitted.

Mello pushed Near towards a wall, and Matt quickly pulled Mello away from Near.

"Stop Mello," the redhead tried to calm his best friend.

"Don't worry. I won't reveal Mello's identity to anyone," Near assured.

"How can I believe you?" Mello asked Near.

"I will tell Mello my real name," Near said. Matt let go of Mello taken aback and Mello took a step back from Near unsure of what to say.

"My name is Nate Rivers," Near confessed not breaking eye contact with the blond.

"Nate Rivers," Mello whispered, repeating what his rival had just told him.