To Have Loved [BxB] Book I ✓

Chapter 20

a/n: I regret to inform you all that there will likely not be a Christmas special today, but there will be a few Christmas chapters coming up, it's just that they won't be coming out on the 25th. I decided that instead I would drive the ship into an iceberg and watch it burn for angst. Remember that comment about this being a rollercoaster? yeah. Anyways, enjoy! Also, I hope everyone's having a very merry Christmas or happy holiday season if you don't celebrate. I love you guys and hope you're all doing well!

Exactly six days later, Kayden had done pretty much no additional studying. He kept up with his classes, for the most part, he half-heartedly took notes, and he participated in class discussions, but he still hadn't really started buckling down and cramming in all the information from the rest of the term like he thought he would be doing by now. He also thought that usually, according to past years, he wouldn't even be keeping up with assignments by this point, so maybe he shouldn't be too worried about it just yet. He was kind of hoping that his study session with Elias would be extremely helpful and get him caught up with everything he needed to know to be honest.

"Alright, how about we go back to one of the earlier segments on the Egyptian civilizations," Elias said, flipping through the book.

"Didn't I fail that test?" Kayden asked, scooting his seat next to Elias' so he could look at the textbook.

"Yes, which is exactly why we're going to do extra work in it to make sure it's drilled into your head before the twentieth," Elias said as he adjusted his glasses.

"That sounds uncomfortable," Kayden said, continuing on his work of adding a few stickers onto the calendar.

"Have you been making notecards like I told you to start doing last Friday?" Elias asked. Kayden shifted in his seat, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, see, the thing is, I've just been so busy with homework-"

"I know for a fact you go out to the skatepark more than three times a week." Elias looked at him pointedly.

"But I never feel like making flashcards or rewriting the notes, and it takes so much time and effort."

"It's supposed to, that time and effort is what's going to help you pass. You have ten days and six subjects, three of which you can't afford to not study for. These midterms are worth twenty percent of your grade, if you fail them, it could knock you down a letter, but if you ace them, it'll bring them up or secure them."

"I've got ten days."

"Only ten days," Elias said, flipping a page in the textbook.

"Would you stop being so uptight? I've got this, I'm fine. I've been doing great in my classes-"

"Because I've been helping you study and I've been making sure that things get done and filling in some of the blanks for you like making notecards and helping you read the textbook, but I'm not always going to be around to do that for you. You need to be able to study by yourself and still feel confident in your abilities." Elias said, looking at the redhead with his full attention now.

"I will, I promise, but soon-"

"No, Kayden, you need to listen to me and trust me when I tell you that you have to start now. This is not the time to be hanging up Christmas lights and fucking around, you need to be working, and hard at that."

Kayden looked at him, fiddling with his hands in his lap. He didn't want to think about all this right now, and despite Elias' calm voice, he still felt like he was being yelled at somehow. There was a pit in his stomach and he just felt helpless, like he always did when this came up again. He hated school, he hated studying and homework, maybe he hated Elias too.