Between Us

Distractions and Decisions

The bell rang, signaling the start of the test, and the classroom fell into an almost eerie silence. The only sounds were the soft rustling of papers and the scratching of pencils. Jayden settled into his seat, his palms slightly sweaty as he stared at the test in front of him. He had studied for days, reviewed every formula, every concept, and had even gone over problems that were above his grade level, just to be sure he was prepared.

But still, as the paper in front of him seemed to blur for a moment, Jayden couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Maybe it was the pressure of the test, maybe it was the knowledge that Konner was sitting right beside him, or maybe it was the fact that Julio—his friend who always seemed to be in trouble—was already making his way over.

"Jayden," Julio's voice whispered loudly from behind, "Hey, you think you could, like, help me out a little? Just a peek at your answers, man. Please?"

Jayden didn't have to turn around to know exactly what Julio was asking. The way his voice had dropped to a pleading tone was enough. Jayden couldn't help but roll his eyes. Julio, who had an uncanny ability to charm anyone into giving him what he wanted, seemed completely unbothered by the test in front of him.

"Julio, not now," Jayden muttered, trying to focus on the first question. He glanced at Konner for a second, hoping his friend wouldn't notice, but Konner was too absorbed in his own test to pay attention. Still, Jayden could feel the weight of his presence beside him.

"But Jay," Julio's voice dropped even lower, and Jayden could hear the desperation in it. "C'mon, I'm, like, so bad at this. I can't even with this stuff. Just a little peek at your answers, please?"

Jayden clenched his jaw, already knowing how this would play out if he let it. Julio had never taken anything seriously, and the more Jayden tried to push him off, the more persistent he became. But Jayden wasn't the kind of person to let someone get him into trouble—especially not on a test that was going to impact his grades.

"Seriously, Julio, you can't just cheat off me. This is a test, not a joke," Jayden whispered back, glancing toward Mr. Lawson, who was walking down the aisles, ensuring everyone was working quietly. The last thing Jayden needed was getting caught helping Julio, who never took anything seriously, especially not his schoolwork.

Julio leaned even closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I'm dying here, Jay. Look, I'll totally owe you one. You can have all the gossip I know. I'll even—"

"Julio!" Jayden cut him off, his voice a little louder than he meant, and he looked over at Mr. Lawson to make sure he didn't hear. But, of course, the teacher was distracted, chatting with someone at the back of the room.

Jayden tried to focus back on the test, but Julio, in his typical relentless fashion, wasn't giving up so easily. He shifted in his seat, and suddenly Jayden felt the pressure of Julio's gaze, peeking at his paper.

Jayden's stomach twisted, the temptation to just give in growing stronger. The problem in front of him—something that seemed easy to him but probably impossible for someone like Julio—was simple. But it was a simple math problem he was doing well above his grade level, and he couldn't risk getting caught helping.

Before Jayden could say anything more, Julio's hand suddenly slid over, as if to accidentally brush against his answers. Jayden shot him a sharp glare, but before he could stop him, Julio murmured again, "Come on, Jay, just one answer. I swear I won't make this a habit. You can't leave me hanging like this."

"Julio, seriously!" Jayden snapped, shifting his paper away, but he did so quietly, trying not to attract attention.

Just then, as if on cue, Konner glanced up, looking briefly between Jayden and Julio. His expression was unreadable, but Jayden couldn't shake the feeling that Konner had noticed. He caught his breath, embarrassed.

"Everything alright, guys?" Konner asked, his voice soft but concerned.

Jayden quickly nodded, swallowing his frustration. "Yeah, it's fine. Just... dealing with distractions."

Konner's eyes lingered on him for a moment, and for a brief second, Jayden thought he could see a hint of something—amusement? Concern?—in his gaze, but Konner quickly looked back at his paper and scribbled down an answer, not pressing any further.

"Seriously, Jayden," Julio muttered under his breath. "You're a total ass sometimes."

Jayden bit his lip, not wanting to argue, but also not wanting to help. "No, Julio. Just do the work like everyone else."

Julio sighed dramatically, but thankfully, he moved back to his own paper. Jayden could feel his heart rate slow, but the tension in his chest didn't quite go away. Now, the entire situation with Julio had thrown him off, and he had to focus harder than ever to settle back into his rhythm.

He looked at the next question, trying to calm himself. It was an advanced concept—something that wasn't even in their current curriculum—and Jayden could already feel his brain kicking into overdrive as he worked through the steps in his head. His pencil moved quickly, the numbers flowing with ease as he worked through it like it was nothing. He didn't even have to pause to think.

When Jayden glanced at Konner again, he was surprised to find Konner looking at him this time—not out of curiosity or judgment, but something else. Maybe it was admiration? He had no idea. Jayden quickly looked away, focusing on the test again.

The minutes ticked by, but Jayden was starting to feel more confident. It wasn't even a challenge to get through the problems in front of him. This was his element. Math had always been a place where he could find peace. It was as if the numbers spoke to him, guiding him through the steps, making everything seem so simple.

At some point, Jayden finished the test, looking around. He glanced at Konner, who was still working, but Jayden could tell he was nearly done too. And for some strange reason, Jayden felt a little lighter. Even with the distraction of Julio's antics, there was a sense of accomplishment in how quickly he had handled the test.

Konner finished his test a few minutes later and handed it in, offering Jayden a small, knowing smile as he did. Jayden returned it, feeling something in his chest flutter that he couldn't quite explain.

Julio, on the other hand, had barely touched his test. He was still scribbling away, desperately trying to get something done in the last few minutes. Jayden just shook his head, hoping that Julio would finally understand that this was about more than just getting by—it was about doing the work and taking responsibility.

As the bell rang and the test papers were collected, Jayden walked out of the room, his mind still buzzing—not just about the test, but about everything else. Maybe the test was over, but the questions between him and Konner were just beginning.