"Oh, hi guys. Your time was changed, you should be able to take the test in about ten minutes."
"Hello. Do you know if there's going to be other people in the room?" She hums. "Yes you, and then. Hold on, Brandon Foley."
"No way. Really?" Sophie looks up at me. "Yeah why? Did you know him?" I huff. "Not personally no. I know the name."
"Oh. Weird." I shrug it off. "Theo- Luke, help me."
I rush over, picking him up by his jumper. "I need you to calm down. Okay. I'm gonna give you your homework and then you're going to sit still and work on it. Okay."
"I want to do the test she's doing." He pouts. "Do you have your overlay?" I asked, hoping he didn't remember I'd brought it. "You have it. Miss Sophie."
"Yes honey?" He skips over to the desk. "Can I do the same test as Ellie?"
"You want to do a college admissions test?" She asks. "Yes. Yes I do."
"I mean. It's not really up to me- no. No you cannot." Theo turns around to glare at me. "I know what you're doing. Stop it. Please Miss Sophie. Please."
"It's really not up to me kid I'm sorry." He sniffles. "Hi Luke."
"Hi, hello Aaron." Elise rests her head on my arm. "What's up with this guy? Why are you all gloomy?"
"I want to do the amusement test." He smacks his foot down. "He means the admissions test." Aaron tuts. "Ah, okay. Well if you sit over there I can get you the spare one."
"Really? Yes! Oh- sorry." He runs over to his seat. Sitting with his hands on his lap. "He's like, eight. Are you sure this is your best bet?"
"Kids are curious. If he wants to do the test then I will not say no. Okay, Brandon should- ah, okay. Brandon and Elise if you would like to follow me we can get going."
I've never hugged anyone like this before. "You are going to be fine. Stay inside the box, use the black pen I gave you and you should be fine with no trouble."
"Yeah." I kiss her forehead. Letting her walk behind Aaron. "Oh my god, hi." He could only give a quick hello. "Hi. Good luck."
"Thank you." I turned around, Jordan sat beside Theo, he seemed pretty curious. "How's it going?" Theo shushes me. "Exam time."
"Stay inside the box." I said quietly. Jordan's eyebrows as close together as he could get them. "Did you eat your worms?" I asked, watching his eyes light up with a nod.
"Nice. I'm glad you liked them." I was pacing around trying to focus on anything other than her and this test. I wasn't sure why I was worried, it wasn't a hard test but they might e made her do a different one.
Either way I knew she wasn't going to struggle. But thinking about her the way she was when she was studying had been worried.
The two hours had gone by so quickly I'd almost questioned if the timer was right.
"That was so easy." She whispered. "Yeah?" She nods. Making her way over as she lets out a deep huff. "See you at the top I guess." Brandon says with a smile as he makes his way out. "We can't go yet, he's waiting for Sophie to mark his paper."
"How'd you reckon you did little one?" Elise asked. He hums. "Not good, 20 percent."
"No don't put yourself down Theo that's the opposite of what you need." I said. He scratches his chin. "Twenty, two."
"Is that cause I played the song this morning?" He nods at me. "It is."
"That's fair. What did he score?" Sophie looks up at me with a look I can only describe as pure confusion. "22 percent."
