6 months earlier MANDY POV Well, I was never like the mathematician Pascal, that solved Euclides´ 32 propositions at the age of twelve. Far from that. But I always loved math, and my teacher, Mr. Jackson encouraged me very much. Since I was ten I also took part in math competitions and was used to win. So, it was natural for him to recommend me to be an intern at ‘Billions Investing Group.’ I was amazed to be introduced to the CEO himself, Mr. Boss. “Welcome aboard, Mandy. We expect a lot from you.” “Well, sir, since I´m only 15 and work as an intern, I hope you don´t keep your hopes too high.” He gave a little laugh. He seemed to be enjoying my answers so far. “We invest in geniuses. My personal friend Prof. Jackson talked highly of you.” “What exactly did he say?” I was kind of in shock now. “He said that you can solve almost any math problem that we present you.” I cou

MANDYMark kept staring at her in the middle of the cafeteria. She was unsure of what to say or do, when he asked, “You are very good at math, right?”“Is that what Charlie told you?”“Yes. And also, everybody kind of knows, with you winning competitions and all.”Wow. He had noticed her. If she didn´t already love math, she would start this moment, just for that reason.“Let´s say that math is my thing,” she decided to clarify that.“Good. So, I was thinking if you could help me for the next test. I really need to improve my grades. The swimming coach kind of implied that.”“Are you failing the class?”“We can say I´m average. See, math is not my thing,” He informed her with a big smile that moved her. Coming to think of it, he was always so serious. Now that she saw his smile, she loved it.“I´ll help you s

MANDY POVSo, it´s Sunday morning and here I am, running in the park with my ninja mom. And it´s more than just a figure of speech. My mom is black belt in many categories of martial arts. Her two favorites are karate and jiu-jitsu.She works as a personal trainer with emphasis in these fights. Anybody would think that the weekends were days of rest for her. No way. They were days of exercise.We had come to terms that I would join her for running on weekends and that was it. Mainly I was kept in good health, but she didn´t force me to like the same things she did.I think nobody works out that hard with such happiness. She jokes and smiles and encourages you naturally.And it´s not an obligation of her job. I mean, when we visit grandpa in his farm on vacation, this woman chops wood. “For the fun of it,” she says.I´m so proud of her. Due to good genes and so much practice of sports she looks amazin

MANDY POVSo, another experiment happens at my internship. I´ve been going there for a couple of weeks now. The schedule arranged is that I go on Fridays full period and on Saturdays, only mornings. It was decided so, because I won´t miss many classes this way. On Fridays we have two classes of math at school and the rest are arts and reading, which I can do at home. On Saturdays the school is closed, so I don´t have classes to worry about catching up.My work at Billions Investment Group is very exciting for me.I´m in charge of calculating and estimating gains and losses of companies the group is thinking about acquiring.Mr. Boss also gave me a special project that is the apple of his eyes. It involves investments in the Stock Market and I have to discern among choices, and of course estimate, in short, do the math. George said that it shows that Mr. Boss has confidence in me.And now, here I am at the shopping center, wi

MARKMark parked the car in a calm street beside the municipal park and they had a talk.“I was avoiding you, Mandy, because I was ashamed. To be restrained by a woman and unable to escape… I imagined that you thought I was weak.”“Oh, Mark, sorry. You couldn´t have known… It didn´t even pass through my mind that you were weak…”“How come?”“You see, my mother is a martial arts master. She is black belt in many categories, and I mean, many…”“Really! I´m impressed now.”“You are allowed to be. See, a bull couldn´t have escaped her…”He gave a small laugh now, starting to be at ease.“Mark, I´m sorry that I didn´t explain all that to you sooner.”“It´s just that she is a normal size woman. I mean, I´m taller than your mom, and she paralyzed me.&