Here's chapter 2!
I'm sorry that it may seem that my chapters are rather short. That's always been a bit of a struggle to me and I'm working on it.
Enjoy :)
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POV: Jace
"You should have tried harder, Jace." The look on my father's face was stern, and I knew I wouldn't hear the end of this, especially at dinner tonight.
"I know, dad." I stuffed my hands in my jean pockets looking out the window watching the trees fly by. How hard does he think I try, anyway?
Honor roll. Scholarships. State testing scores. Everything I've ever worked for easily flashes through my mind when I think about it. And I've done so well on all of it. But not to my father. No, one simple B on my report card always resulted in a bad name for me.
Yeah, I'm smart. But I'm not your average geek; all dressed up in khaki's and thick-framed glasses and braces. I look like any average teenage boy, though. Tall, slightly muscular, and dark brown hair that was a little on the longer side. In fact, I'm even on the football team and do soccer in the spring. No, not a geek. Not a geek. Not a loser. I'm not.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts when my dad is shutting off the car in the driveway of our home. Here we go. The speech to mom. I could see it all now: Dad will be upset, mom will show sympathy, dad will get more upset, mom will side with him and apologize to me later. Every damn time.
Walking inside, I immediately start for the stairs to see if I could possibly escape the normal rundown this time. Looking back and forth over my shoulders, dad is nowhere to be found. He's probably already in the den, later he'll remember what went down not only fifteen minutes ago. I jog up to my room, which was on the second floor at the end of the hall. Next to it was my brother Max's. One of the reasons my parents want me to try so hard is because they want me to set an example for Max, but he's only a mere seven years of age.
Shutting my bedroom door behind me, I throw my backpack on the bed and collapse onto it shortly after. I have to start my homework immediately, just in case dad decided to drop in (like he always does). Pulling out the text books one by one, Pre-Calc, AP Government, British Literature; I sigh and grab a pencil and paper off the desk underneath my window.
You're probably wondering what my room is like right about now. Once again, not geeky. The walls were a dark blue, close to black, with a glossy hard-wood floor. Again, like an average teenage boy, various articles of clothing were scattered around and my football gear was stashed in a corner by my closet. Near my bed (rather small, by the way) was my desk. Made out of neatly polished oak, it held most of my personal belongings. My sketchbook, childhood memoirs, and other things one might consider personal. Other than that, the desk was topped with school notes and blank paper. Directly above was my tall window, accompanied by blue curtains. The view outside of it wasn't too bad, we have a koi pond in the backyard and lots of pine trees, which is actually nice to look at when you're bored.
A few hours later my homework is completed, and mom is calling Max and I down for dinner. Oh, what fun awaits, I thought hopping down the stairs one at a time. The dining area was just through the kitchen, and looked the same as always. White tablecloth, polished silverware.
I sat down next to Max putting my napkin on my lap (family rule) and stretching my arms. Dad was sitting directly across from me, looking down at his plate as if food would magically appear. Mom came out from the white swinging door with chicken on a large platter. The same thing we had last Tuesday. The same thing we'll have again Friday. Not much changes around here. I took off a piece and began to cut in up on my plate, avoiding eye contact with my father. All I could do is wait. Wait, wait wait. Wait for it, it'll come.
Max was the first one to break the silence. "Daddy looks mad," he said tugging on my mom's dress when she came over to give him a serving of applesauce. That boy, I swear...
Dad cleared his throat setting down his fork. I didn't even have to look up to know his eyes were burning straight into me. "Yes," he responded crossly. "I am, Max."
This time I did look up, and mom was looking at my father setting down a tray. "What now, William?" She asked. She knew very well what was coming, too.
"Your son," dad continued picking up his fork and pointing it at me, "did not fully meet the next requirements for the next insurance-aid scholarship."
Mom sighed. Yeah, she was disappointed. But not nearly as far as my dad. In this family, you have to be Harvard ready starting in year eight if you want to fit in. Let's just say I was a little shy of the deadline, and now dad sees me as a walking disaster when it comes to school. One slip-up, that's another strike for me.
"William," mom said sitting down. "You know he tried."
Dad stabbed his fork into his chicken for effect. "Not hard enough!"
This is the part where I exit. I'll hear about it later. Tonight's fight wasn't going to continue, I didn't want it to. "I'm getting the mail," I muttered getting up and pushing my chair back in.
"No you're not," dad said immediately. "You haven't finished your mother's meal." Actually, I hadn't even started.
"Not hungry," I muttered again walking to the front door and leaving, slightly slamming it behind me. One day, I thought. One day he'll appreciate me.
I opened the mailbox with a short creek and pulled out the mail. Walking back up the drive way as slow as possible, the envelope on the top caught my attention. How could I miss it? It was actually addressed to me. I stopped in my tracks tearing it open, I needed some kind of good news. Unfolding the paper, my eyes skimmed over the many paragraphs. When finished, I almost dropped the entire stack. This could be my saving grace.
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There's chapter two! Jace seems a little mysterious, eh? Why do you think he streeses he's not a geek so much? I don't know... or do I? 0.o mehehehe.
Aaaanyway, like, comment, fan! Next update should be soon!
