Home for the Summer // KJ

04

Chapter Four

"fuck the SATs bro"

    Marley flipped through the pages haphazardly from the SAT practice book that Karl's older sister, Corry, had given to her the summer before her sophomore year of high school. Marley didn't have any siblings, nor did Corry have a sister, so they attracted to each other like a magnet when Karl and Marley became close freshman year. At first Corry was going to give the book to Mars as she wasn't aware her brother wanted to study much for the PSAT, but he was very adamant on needing the book too so Mars agreed to share.

    Right now she was in the library after school let out trying to study for the PSAT they were forced to take next week. Even though it wasn't taken as a true score, it did test how well they may do on the actual SAT which was important to Marley, so she was actually studying for it. Karl, on the other hand, had absolutely no desire to and hadn't touched the book since Corry had given it to them months ago.

    She did one more practice question before giving up, her head accidentally slamming against the library table loudly. Her eyes darted up then, scanning the room for anyone else around to see if she'd disturbed the quietness, but everyone had gone home for the day except for the last librarian cleaning up their space.

    Karl had packed his things up from his locker and into his backpack, making sure to bring his math folder home despite not needing to because he knew Marley struggled with the classwork today; if she wanted to, he'd give her the worksheets and explain how to do the problems. Math wasn't his strong suit either but between the two of them, he was able to teach her enough to get her through each test and quiz and homework assignment. Afterwards, he grabbed his car keys from the magnetic hook in his locker and slammed it closed. He tried sending a text to Marley to see if she was already outside by the car, but she wasn't answering, so he assumed she was.

    He passed his drivers' test in August, leaving Mars the unlicensed one between the two. She was eligible to get hers if she wanted, but she didn't have the money to afford drivers education which was mandatory in their state for minors, so she was going to wait until she was eighteen to get her license. Karl didn't mind though; he loved having an excuse to see his best friend everyday. He was able to pick her up for school everyday and drop her off, even go to her house after school if he wanted.

    Once he got to his car, his shoulders dropped when he saw Marley wasn't leaning against his car ready to complain about getting there first and having to wait long for the car to be unlocked. He threw his bag into the backseat of the car, leaving the car unlocked as he went back into the school to find his friend. He thought maybe she was at her locker still, maybe she was talking to a teacher and let out of study hall late, but that idea left him disappointed as well. He had the idea to check the library next when he got an incoming call from Matt. 

    "What's up man?" Karl answered, hovering around Marley's locker. If she was in the library, he didn't want to disturb her by being on the phone.

    "Yo dude, you down to come over and play COD?" He asked and Karl could hear the sounds of the game in the background along with a few of their friends, though he couldn't pinpoint who exactly.