Omission

Consequences

*A/N* So remember that time I said this would have like five chapters and 15,000 words? Well, it's getting a little teensy bit longer than that. Considering I'm more than 13,000 words in and haven't hit the main conflict, it will be a little bit longer. But I'm loving writing this so much and I feel like I'm getting back to writing well (at least somewhat.) I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

_

The teacher handed Riley his test paper, face down and folded inward. She didn't look at him like she did the students around him, commenting positively on performances and improvements, only looking the other way as he grabbed it. Riley knew this song and dance, and it made him not want to unfold the stapled packet of papers.

Squinting his eyes shut in atrocious anticipation, he flattened the paper on his desk and took a lightning quick glance.

A bold, red, circled 47% stared back at him. Riley felt that adding the overly large "F" next to the percentage was just kicking him while he was down. Adjacent was "Signed by parent and returned by end of week" scrawled in his chemistry teacher's loopy script.

Weighty disappointment pulled him down in his seat as he glanced around him and saw nothing less than an 84% from the classmates around him. Slouching down in shame, Riley hastily buried the test paper in his backpack, right next to the algebra test that showed a red 56% and an identical message to get it signed by a parent.

He'd studied! Put forth honest effort to not only keep up with the materials, but to actually understand them. Riley had time for that sort of thing now. A test could be at the top of his priority list instead of trying not to starve. And this is what his honest efforts got him. Two tests that he exceptionally failed.

It was disheartening to say the least. So much so that Riley didn't bother to pay attention in class. Why should he try to learn if, even trying his best, he completely failed to understand?

Having his Mom sign both his failed tests would be humiliating. Especially with how he'd told her how much he'd studied for this one. All in hopes of seeing one stupid twinkle of pride from her.

Well, he couldn't be further from that now.

Riley remained hunched down in his chair, unable to think of anything but the stupid failed tests, the tangible proof that he wasn't good enough for this school. The proof that he'd have to show his Mom.

Being picked up from school by his grandpa in a luxury car was certainly a mood-booster for Riley.

"Do you have your driver's license kid?" Roy asked him, and Riley shook his head. He wasn't even close. A few disastrous driving lessons with his Mom (which he found he was too afraid of failure to even back out of the driveway), led to even more catastrophic lessons with Brad.

After the last one, where Riley had accidentally landed them partially in a ditch, they hadn't tried again. Hadn't even approached the topic of trying.

"Well how about tonight I take you out and let you drive this car? Driving lessons with me will be a lot more fun." A smile split Riley's face and the warm type of nervousness, the one he still couldn't get accustomed to, fluttered in his stomach.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"I'd like that too Riley. We'll go out after dinner tonight and get you behind the wheel."

And for that precious few minutes, Riley didn't feel the ticking time bombs in his backpack. Dread for his mother's disappointment (on top of all the other things she was probably feeling about him since her parents arrived), took a backseat and he soaked up the positive attention, pocketing the memory of feeling like a normal kid for later.