The TA's Secret Equation

Summary

To trick my mom into letting me leave for school a week early, she eyed me suspiciously: "The Chen boy next door goes to the same university as you, why isn't he leaving early?"

I nervously rubbed my hands.

"You're going to see a boy, aren't you? It's fine, I'm not some old-fashioned prude. Here's an extra three hundred bucks, go have fun."

I accepted it with overwhelming gratitude: "Yes, yes, yes, whatever you say!"

My mom bought it.

On the train, I pulled out a brand-new physics textbook and scratched my head, desperately copying notes.