A Preoccupied Mind

Deneli continued to skim through the math book. No such complicated thoughts ran through her mind, though it really was exactly what she was doing. In the meantime, those numbers "x" and "y" were really beginning to get on her nerves.

The idea dawned on her that maybe she could solve to figure out what numbers they were! She selected a random equation which held the number "y" and grabbed for a loose pencil and paper. She flipped the paper over to be sure it didn't have Ambrose's homework or something on it and wrote the problem down at the top. y=3x+6. She began to solve for the number x, then substituted the answer into the original equation, however she was left stupefied at the answer she got. y=y... It failed to answer her question.

Deneli looked back towards Ambrose, pausing a moment before pointing at the number "y" and speaking. "Ambrose, what's that number called?"

Ambrose's ears perked as he heard the dragging of paper and pencil. What was she doing now-- passing a note over to him? He had his answer, though, when the question was asked. He didn't even know which number she was pointing to, his eyes still focused on the thin pages. He brought his head in closer, his nose gracing the page:

". . . scientific method. In his essay 'A Guess at the Riddle,' Peirce discusses how things may be broken into three parts . . ."

He wasn't going to answer her; that would only prove that Ambrose was still listening. No. It was best to ignore such things, even when he wanted to answer.