𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐀 ✔︎ (ongoing)

|04| results

I wake up with a rumbling stomach on a Monday morning, yawning several times before forcing myself to get out of bed and get ready for school.

Today is the day I'm getting my exam results and my stomach is tying with several knots just thinking about getting the paper back.

Before I head downstairs after getting ready, I check my phone and find Solomon had spam called me about twenty times which I hadn't known since I left my phone on silent all night, so I call him back.

He answers after two rings.

"Francisco, you won't believe what I'm about to tell you right now," he says, really quickly while panting as if he had just ran a marathon.

"Oh, really? Try me," I challenge, teasingly.

"Right, so Sam literally just emailed Sir for his results and Sir emailed back with a screenshot of the spreadsheet and you were on it, you got--"

"No!" I shout, blocking my ear with my free hand. "Don't spoil it for me, the tension is killing me and I don't want to know right now. I'll find out when I get to school and receive my paper."

"Jeez! Alright then, I guess I called you for no reason." I can imagine him shrugging and pouting on the other side of the line.

"There is a reason. What did you and Sam get?"

"Oh I got seventy-two percent. That's alright, I guess. I'm not that bothered about it. Sam got sixty-nine percent."

I raise an eyebrow, even though he can't see me. "Are you sure Sam didn't copy off you?"

"I'm pretty sure he sat on the other side of the hall. Anyways, I'll catch you later, Francisco."

"See you," I say and end the call.

I run downstairs, almost bumping into an old woman waiting for her order at the counter.

"Watch it, young man!" she says, scowling at me.

"Damn, I'm sorry."

"Watch your language too!" she yells.

I shrug and go round the counter into the kitchen after Grandad greets me with a small smile.

"That's my grandson you just shouted at there," I can hear him saying.

"I was expecting you to shout at him before I did," she replies.

It takes every brain cell to stop myself from saying something back to her but I can't just talk like that to an old woman, especially with the sentence I have in mind to yell.

Instead, I busy myself by spreading butter on a slice of hot toast and boiling water to make myself a cup of tea. Yeah, I know. Tea. I guess it's my daily routine, or habit shall I say.

I slip out of the house after saying a quick bye to Grandad and meet Sam and Solomon near the bench outside the chippy.

"You won't believe your results, Francisco," Sam says as soon as I walk up to them.

"I don't want to know yet, Sam," I reply a bit firmly.

"I know, Solomon told me you didn't want him to spoil it for you. But all I can say is, it's quite decent-"

"Sam!" Solomon warns.

"For me, but won't be for you," he continues.

Solomon slaps his forehead with the palm of his hand as I let out a grumble.

"Thanks for letting me know, I guess," I say, sarcastically.

"Oh, no bother!"

He clearly doesn't get the sarcastic tone in my voice, but you know, I'm used to Sam. A bit soft in the head.