Starbird

Chapter 19

“You should come over today,” I told Rowan as we were packing up after class the next Thursday. “I really want to study for AP Euro before the exam next week.” Rowan’s eyes shot up to met mine.

“Go to your house?” She barely choked out.

“Yeah? You can quiz me on the Dark Ages. I don’t think I know it well enough.” Her face was contorted funny as she seemed to process my proposal. 

“Will...” she mulled over her words and tried again, “will James be there?”

Ah.

“No, I don’t think so. He should probably be at work. I’ll just call my mom to let her know.”

“Are you sure he won’t be there? I really don’t want to freak out.”

“He won’t be there, I promise.”

She thought it over when she finally said, “Alright, let’s go.”

Three hours later, we had notebooks strewn across the room, laptops open to testing sites, and Rowan rattling off questions getting me to answer them. She laughed at me every time I complained about the exams because she wasn’t taking them nor did she need to take them, she was just interested in the classes.

“In the late 15th century, taxation and enforcement of the laws were assumed by what?” Rowan asked from her position on my desk chair as I lay sprawled across my bed on my back, my textbook on my stomach.

“What?” I asked, sitting up to stare at Rowan.

“In the late fifteenth -”

“No, I heard the question, just what kind of question is that?”

“One that’s bound to be on the exam, probably?”

“I’m going to die, oh my gosh.” I flopped back on my bed, groaning.

“No you’re not, just think about the question. You know it, you’ve been studying for a long time now,” Rowan assured me as I racked my brain. It was blank. All of it just suddenly blank. I grabbed my textbook and started flipping through it.

“Put it down, Cam! No cheating! You know the answer.” I was about to protest when suddenly I heard voices echoing up the stairs. My eyes widened as I snatched my phone from the floor and looked to see three messages from James.

From: Jamesie Poo

Bringing over everyone. Ava, Gem, Carson, and Liam. Tell mom.

Did you tell Mom yet?

We’re bringing pizza. :)

Each message was a minute apart from nearly ten minutes ago. How did I not here the beep or at least feel the vibrate?

“Cammie baby! Are you here?” James yelled up to me.

“Yeah! In my room, one second!” I yelled down, shooting up from my bed and closing the door all the way.

“Hurry up or you won’t get food!” He called back. I turned to see Rowan, eyes focused on me and her mouth dropped.

“You said he wouldn’t be here,” she said after what felt like forever.

“We’ve been up here awhile. It’s nearly 7.”

“I’m not ready to meet a celebrity.”

“There’s actually five downstairs.” Her eyes bulged.