Trigonometry

“What would you say is good numerical representation of the distance between you and Mel?”

Joshua stared, then shook his head. Savannah must be going through once of her phases. It had been a very bad idea on the school system's part to introduce her to geometry.... Heaven knew what she'd do with higher math under her belt.

“Why do you ask?” He avoided meeting her eyes. That could also be extremely dangerous to his sanity.

“No reason... Just one of my little projects.”

Let's see... she's taking Trig now... Vague memories of endless triangles and squiggly lines floated out of the haze of yesteryear.

“Trigonometry... that means you'll be figuring out a triangle. What kind of triangle?”

To Joshua's astonishment, she blushed. Savannah! What on earth...

“Just... a triangle... Well, I may have to use vectors to account for direction...”

Direction? What... Oh. Oh, Savannah. “Are you attempting to solve a love triangle?”

Her blush rose. “So what if I am?”

With difficulty, he kept the smile off of his face. “I thought you didn't care about that kind of thing!”

“It's an interesting concept! Now that I have the math to model it... well...”

“So my dear, faithful, totally-oblivious-to-my-feelings Melanie and I are two of the angles... What... Who... Is the third?”

“I suppose the scale for estimation of side lengths will have to be based on attachment, period, not just romantic attachment... Also, what would the angle measures represent? Hm...”

“You're not answering my question, Savannah.”

“Fine... I'll give you an answer, but only after you give me a side length. One to ten, one being strangers and ten being bonds unbreakable by man or monster.”

“Well... we're pretty good friends... I mean, not as close as you and I, but... good.”

“A number, Josh?”

“Okay... Um... six.”

Her eyes gleamed. Joshua knew that look well. She had captured raw data, and God help the poor numbers she took.

“The bell's about to ring. I'll tell you tomorrow.”

“The suspense will weigh upon me as a plutonium brick.”

“I'm sure.”

*** 

“The hypotenuse is the square root of 136. Angle M... Melanie, of course, has a sine of...”

“Who's the third angle, Savannah? You promised you'd tell me.”

“I promised no such thing!”

“Yes, you did, and you know it.”

“All right... Angle... S... it's me.”

He looked at her, head tilted in thought. “You don't just mean as a friend-point, do you.”

Her voice was small but firm. “No. As a girlfriend point. Unfortunately, the vector's facing the wrong way.”

“Savannah, you are a unique example of humanity. And far braver than is probably good for you, but...”

“My confidence was bolstered greatly by that six. A six point five, a seven, and I'd have been done.”

He looked at her again, long and hard. She had the prettiest eyes... all stormy and gray... And a smile that could illuminate Moscow in a blackout...

Another memory sprang out of the nebula of vaporized Trig in Joshua's head.

“Hey, babe. What's your sine?”