Misalignment | ✔

tests

As always,
my plan seems to
begin and end
with Matty.

"I need
your help,"
I burst out
when I meet her
by my locker
after school.
It's not like
I can wait -
there are only
three weeks left
between me and those
dreaded tests.
I don't think
I can handle this
on my own
for any longer than
I have to.

"What's wrong?"
she asks immediately -
and as always,
she remains
unruffled,
even in spite of
my outburst.
The slight raise
of her eyebrows
belies her faint
concern, though.
"You're not in any
legal trouble,
are you?
I have no way of
bailing you out,
so don't ask.
Or did Flory burn
the house down?"

"Not quite,"
I sigh,
grinning at her sarcasm,
"though
that last one
is more likely
than you would think."

"Oh."
She pauses,
frowning abruptly
in the midst of her joking.
"Then,
is it..."

I can tell
what she's about
to ask
before she can even
finish the thought.
"No,"
I hurriedly
assure her -
and her shoulders
seem to sag
with relief.
"He hasn't even
spoken to me
since before the break."

Seth Hunter,
the former terror
of my school days,
has seemed to think
that keeping his distance
from me
would be much more
worth his while
than the alternative.
I'm not complaining,
of course -
but it's surprising that,
in addition to
avoiding me,
he's taken to denying
my existence
altogether.

For example -
"Cam?"
he asked in response
to the teacher's query
about my presence
the other day.
"Who's that?"

In some ways,
it's a little annoying,
as though it's just
a new way
for him to jab at me,
however indirectly -
but it's not
nearly as bad
as the blatant bullying
that ensued
before.
I'll take this
over his former treatment
of me
any day.

"It's actually
about exams,"
I tell Matty now -
who,
as everyone else
has seemed to
thus far,
grimaces in disgust
at the very mention
of the dreaded tests.
"I...uh,
am really bad
at taking tests,
and exams are usually
very rough
for me.
I was wondering if-"

"I was going
to ask you
the same thing,"
she interrupts,
eyes wide.
"I'm horrible with tests,
too..."
She laughs, then,
rather awkwardly.
"I was hoping that
you
would be able to help
me."

I can't suppress
the smile
that tugs at the corners
of my lips.
What are the odds,
anyway?
"Just our luck,"
I tell her,
grinning fully.
"But we can still
study together,
right?
I'm sure we can
come up with
something
that will help
the both of us."

Matty's answering nod
is immediate.
"I know we can,"
she confirms -
and there's no doubt
in my mind
that she's right.
The determination
in her eyes
tells me as much.
"C'mon,"
she continues
after a beat,
motioning towards the doors,
"let's get going.
The sooner we start,
the better we'll do,
right?
We only have
three weeks."

The groan
I let out at that
only makes her giggle
rather loudly
in the emptying hallway.
"Gosh, Matty,
don't remind me..."

×

/coughs what nERDS--

These past couple chapters have been sorta boring, but there will be more exciting things up soon, never fear... I almost cried at work writing the chapter for a few days from today (from laughing, of course). New character on the way. Can't say much yet, but she's...great. I guess. Let's just say that.

If you guys liked this chapter, I would love if you would vote and leave me some feedback! It would be very much appreciated c:

Also, I sort of have a headcanon that Cam curses a lot and Matty smacks them for it or makes them start a swear jar or something, but this story is supposed to be PG (since when do you ever write anything that's PG, Mack ???), so with the exception of Seth's cursing in that one chapter (shame on him), there can be none of that here. Sorry, Cam. Take your dirty mouth elsewhere, please and thanks.