Inferno Part 2

~28~ You Blew It!

Luke's POV

Mason is passing out the grades from the projects today. I'm so nervous. I HAVE to get an A on this. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how well I do on the test in three weeks, I won't graduate. I tried to get him to tell me last night, because the suspense was killing me, but he wouldn't.

"I'm not telling you, Luke. You will find out when the rest of the class does," he snaps. I've kinda bugged him all week about this.

He starts passing out the papers now. His scoring is weird. He outlines everything he grades on, and gives you a certain amount of points for each section. I'm basically dying when he gets to me. He doesn't even make eye contact with me, he just sets the paper, face down, and goes on to the next person.

I just stare at the paper. I don't think I can actually look at it now. I basically possibly graduate, or I don't, depending on what this paper says. That's a lot. I suddenly feel like I'm going to throw up.

I finally decide to just do it. I pick it up and close my eyes. I finally turn it over, and see a big, BEAUTIFUL "A" written at the top. I don't even care about the other stuff, the A is all I need.

I let out a huge sigh of relief and hang my head. I'm halfway there. I'm going to have to thank Kelly. She is the reason I got this A. This project was so hard.

I look up and see Mason smiling at me. He knows how hard I worked this last month on this damn project.

The bell starts to ring, and Mason talks over the commotion of people standing up and grabbing their things.

"Luke, can you stay after for a minute?" He asks.

Great. Am I in trouble? Can't a guy get some slack if he got his very first A on a project?

I nod as I pack up my stuff. I go slowly, so everyone else in the class leaves. I don't feel like getting my ass chewed out in front of everyone. Once everyone leaves, I zip my bag and go up to him

He looks at me hard for a moment. Yup. For some reason, I'm in BIG trouble.

He comes around his desk, still glaring at me. Suddenly he smiles an ear splitting grin and brings me into a hug. He even kisses my head. "I'm so damn proud of you, Luke. I hope you're proud of yourself too" he says, still smiling.

I smile back. "I am" I say as I sling my bag over my shoulder.

"This test is going to be hell. You're halfway there. You can do it, but it's going to be hell" he says sadly.

I sigh and leave silently. I don't think I can actually do it. Kelly is good, but she isn't a miracle worker.

At lunch, I decide to go up to Kelly. I hardly acknowledge her at school. She's ok, but I don't need to be friends with her. I go to her table, and all the other nerds stop and ogle at me.

"Hey" I say with a smile.

She looks at me, surprised that I'm at her table.

"What's up?" She asks with a small smile. I don't think she likes me very much. I can't blame her; I've been awful to her for four years.

"I just wanted to thank you. I got an A on that project. Half-way there," I say with my crooked smile.

She gives me a genuine smile and nods "Great job, Luke. I knew you could do it."

"Well, it was mostly you. If I knew nerds could be so useful, I would have had you guys helping me since freshman year" I joke.

As soon as I said it, I heard it. Damn.