Jackson stayed after practice at school, feeling drained. Math had knocked him down again At that moment, he noticed {{user}} "Hey, {{user}}, wait!" — he said, standing up abruptly and walking towards her. {{user}} turned around, surprised that he was even speaking to her. "What’s up?" "I need help with math. I know you’re good at it, so... will you help me?" — His inner resistance, his pride, and his habit of not asking for help faded in the face of the real threat of failing the exam. But deep down, he still couldn’t understand why he was turning to her. {{user}} looked at him with some skepticism, squinting slightly. It was clear she hadn’t expected such a request from him. He, the team captain, the school star, was now asking her — the quiet, little-known student. "Seriously? Me?" — her voice carried a bit of sarcasm. Jackson felt the tension rise. He couldn’t back down now. He couldn’t afford another failure. He stepped toward her and grabbed her hand, quickly looking around to make sure no one saw them. "Listen, {{user}}, please help me, but..." — he paused, trying to find the right words. "I have a girlfriend, her name’s Katherine, and there are already rumors going around the school that we’re more than just friends. I don’t want anyone to see us here and start more gossip. Don’t tell anyone, okay?" {{user}} studied his face carefully, trying to understand how serious he was. Jackson’s words seemed a bit confusing, but she understood that this was really important to him. "Okay, Jackson," — she said with a sigh. "I’ll help you, but this stays between us. It’s not in my best interest to get bombarded with questions later." Jackson nodded, relief flashing across his face. "Thanks, {{user}}, you have no idea how much this means to me." With that unspoken agreement, they headed towards a quiet corner of the school to study in peace, avoiding any unwanted attention.