A House Full of Brothers

Chapter 27

  "I don't know, Brooklyn." Justin sighed. I finally decided to talk to my brothers about graduating early.

  "Oh, come on! It'd be so cool. Not many people get to say they graduated two years early." I smiled and jumped on the counter.

  "You would end up leaving Kyle and Chase." Jackson tried to persuade me away from the idea.

  "They're fine. They're both popular, they don't need me there." I shrugged.

  "Fine." Justin rubbed his forehead. I know they wanted to say no but they lacked reasoning as well as energy.

  The next day, before school started, I talked to my counselor.

  "Oh, Brooklyn! I've been waiting to hear from you." She had a large smile on her face and her hair was neatly pulled back. "So, what's the answer?"

  "I talked to my brothers and they said it's okay." I mumbled, still not having enough courage to be enthusiastic.

  "So that's a yes? That's great!" She answered her own question. "While you do fit most of the criteria, there are still some things we need to work on. You only need to get 2 more math credits and another personal finance credit. You have two electives that aren't necessary. What if we put you into a 0 hour class and then use your two electives as well." She spoke quickly. This was when I got confused and anxious.

  "I'm not good at math. I can't do 3 math classes. I failed math twice this summer." I tensed in my seat.

  "We'll get you a tutor." Ms.Adams said calmly as she leaned back onto her chair. "I have just the person." She stuck her finger in the air.

  I rose an eyebrow, signalling her to move on. She dug through her several stacks of papers.

  "Blake Anders." She smiled. I tried, I really did, but nothing could keep the laugh from breaking through my lips.

  "Blake?" I reassured and laughed a bit harder when she nodded.

  "He's actually extremely good at math, quite advanced." She informed me. I stopped laughing. No he isn't. No way.

  "How? He's gone to school like twice this year." I exaggerated.

  "I guess he's just one of those people who are amazing at math." She shrugged. I went from laughing hysterically to confused to mad within a few seconds. I take notes, study, pay attention, actually go to school, and I can't do math to save my life. Why the heck is he so good at it?

  "He is currently at the top of an Ordinary Differential Equations class." She nodded, understanding why this was confusing to me. What the fuck is that?

  "What is that?" I probably looked like a mad and confused child with my eyebrows furrowed and my head tilted.

  "To be honest, I have no idea." She looked just as confused as I did at that point. "Do you want his help or not?"

  "Yeah." I sighed out, feeling semi-defeated. I was happy that I now have an excuse to hang out with him, but I was not excited with the idea of having a tutor and I was extremely frustrated that all Blake had to do was be born in order to get a good face, a good body, not a completely douche bag personality, and a talent for math. For being born. How is that even fair?

  She typed some things into her keyboard and then looked up at me.

  "So 0 hour can be for Algebra 2, sixth hour - gym - can be replaced with a fine arts class, and seventh hour - culinary - can be replaced with pre-Calculus. If it would make you feel any better I can talk to Blake about also switching his culinary to pre-calculus and then talk to the teacher about allowing him to help you." Ms. Adams suggested. I nodded, not knowing what else to do. "Great, what class would you like to take for fine arts?" She looked at me expectantly. I thought for a bit then I remembered that Kyle was in the only painting class in the school. 

  "Painting?" I gave a light smile. She nodded and with a few more clicks of a mouse and taps on the keyboard she sent me out after telling me the new schedule starts tomorrow. I skipped over to where my brothers, Kyle, and Blake hang out.

  "How was your little meeting?" Kyle asked and then poked my side which made me flinch away.

  "It was fine, I'm gonna be in two new math classes and then I get to be in your painting class with you!" I swayed on my feet and gave a goofy grin to Kyle. Then I motioned him down to whisper about how Blake would have to help me. I know my brothers won't be happy and I know Blake will be less than thrilled to retake a class so I only told Kyle. He smiled but rolled his eyes.

  "Hey Mini-Robins." Blake came out of nowhere and ruffled my hair. I smacked his hand and tried to flatten out my hair.

  "You know I have a name." I scoffed playfully. 

  "Yep and you also have nicknames. I prefer those." He teased. The nickname did fit, I'll admit considering I am having to look up to glare at him. I stuck out my tongue and rolled my eyes at him. I decided that this would be a great time to tell him about tutoring me. I know he'll be frustrated but he frustrated me, so it's only fair.

  "Well, I have a secret to tell you." I said sarcastically, he sensed the sarcasm and narrowed his eyes. 

  "What?" He folded his arms.

  "You know how I'm trying to graduate early?" He looked confused but nodded. "Well, I need more math credits to do so." He began to shake his head, getting a feel of where this is going. "So, Ms. Adams helped me and said I should get a tutor. Then, the weirdest thing, she recommended you. Then she shared the fact that you are extremely gifted in the math department." I continued to taunt him. He lightly grabbed my wrist and led me away from the large group of boys who - like usual - were discussing some party.

  "You can't do that, dipshit. You have to be quiet." He said in a duh tone. I rolled my eyes.

  "You really think people don't see you walk into that class?" I raised an eyebrow.

  "They don't, smart ass, I actually take an online course." He corrected me.

  "What's the big deal if they know? 'Oh Blake is good at math, what a geek, guess we can't be friends with him'?" I used a dopey voice for the last part and made quotations with my hands. "Or does it invalidate your 'bad boy' status?" This time I folded my arms.

  "Brooklyn, you don't know how those boys work." He pointed to the crowd we just dispersed from.

  "If they are assholes then you, Kyle, and my brothers shouldn't be in there." I scolded.

  "Well, I am." His stern demeanor was replaced with a small smile, knowing that if he smiled I wouldn't be irritated. It worked. Ass.

  "Anyways, you're tutoring me now." I smiled.

  "Aren't you acing every class?" Blake looked genuinely confused.

  "You wouldn't be tutoring me if I was, now would you? I actually suck at math." I bit the inside of my cheek.

  "Like Chase?" He laughed a bit. Blake grabbed his bags and we headed to our class when the five minute bell rang.

  "Exactly like Chase, except I try." I sighed.

  "Do your brothers know about me tutoring you?" He asked with a knowing smile. I crinkled my nose and shook my head.

  "Nope. I'm gonna let the counselor tell them then pretend I didn't know." I pursed my lips.

  "Wow, look at you, being a rebel." His voice was just leaking sarcasm.

  "Yeah, such a rebel, getting the school's biggest nerd to help me with some classes so I can graduate early. You might as well write a book about me." I went along with it and rolled my eyes. 

  We got to my class and he let out the mix of a laugh and 'bye' as he walked down the hall to his own class.

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