Trouble ▸▸ Kellic

22.

"What's got you in such a cheerful mood?" Justin asked me during breakfast the next day. Pressing a finger to my lips, I felt myself smiling, but didn't bother wiping it away.

"Nothing," I replied, challenging Justin's knowing look with a playful one. Justin didn't comment on the subject again and went back to his breakfast. Pulling a chair back, I took a seat beside him. Momentarily, I considered leaving to get some breakfast, but decided I wasn't hungry thereafter.

"Any exams today?" I asked Justin after a few moments.

"No, and thank God," Justin retaliated quickly. "I've had multiple the past few weeks all spread out. Looks like I'm catching a break this week," he added, taking another bite out of his toast.

"My luck isn't as great. I've got two; first and fifth hour," I complained, sighing and resting my head in my hands. My eyes drifted to Vic's table where he sat with Mike, Jaime and Tony, nonchalantly talking to them and appearing to have skipped breakfast also.

"Sucks for you," Justin teased, punching my arm and nearly shaking my off guard self out of my seat.

"Don't be an asshole," I retaliated, hitting him back. Justin laughed it off, making me smile as I focused my attention on him rather than on Vic. We weren't a couple, remember? I had no reason to be with him when I didn't need to be.

Justin and I discussed various topics for several minutes before parting for first hour. Quietly, I sat down at my desk and pulled out a notebook, flicking through the thin sheets of paper before finding my notes and reviewing them. Once again, I had procrastinated studying the material until right before the test.

More students filed into the classroom, paying no attention to my hunkered over figure whatsoever. I scribbled a few notes out, finding them completely useless. Hastily, I jotted down more concise versions of my long notes. I felt a sudden weight on the other end of the desk, but didn't bother looking up to see who it was.

I heard the bell ring as our teacher made his way to the front of the class. Reluctantly, I closed my notes and set them aside, listening to his boring introduction to the exam before it was eventually passed around the room to every student.

The first page looked like a foreign language. Not even my notes were going to save me this time. I wanted to let out a sigh, but decided it was better to keep quiet. Skipping around the test, I answered the questions I knew as best as I could.

The chair next to mine let out a screech. I cringed at the cacophonous noise, glancing up to see Vic looking right back. He smiled, holding up his hand in greeting. His chair scooted closer to mine and his lips parted, letting out a breath. Barely audible words escaped from between his lips.

"Turn back to the front page," Vic ordered, pencil staggering on his own test. Quirking my eyebrows in confusion, I shook my head. I opened my mouth to object, but before I could speak, Vic was already talking again. "Don't question me, just do it," Vic ordered again. Rolling my eyes, I flipped my papers forward and gave him an expectant look.

"What?" I whispered in agitation, my eyes wandering to the clock hanging on the closest wall to me. We were almost out of time and all Vic was doing was holding me up. My eyes met Vic's momentarily before he took a glance at his paper and then to mine. His fingers landed on top of his test before they slid it towards me. My eyes widened.

"No," I opposed bluntly, sliding the test back to Vic. He shook his head, sliding it back immediately. We went on like that for another good two minutes before I looked at the clock again and saw we had ten minutes of class left. Ten minutes to complete this entire test and at least attempt to get a good grade.

I glared at Vic, but didn't stop him the following moment when his test glided towards me once more. Biting on my lip, I pulled the test towards my own and picked up my pencil, beginning to copy Vic's answers onto my own test.

Vic and I didn't speak for the rest of the class as I worked in utter silence, answering each question as quickly as I could. I even went to the extent of rewording some answers so it didn't appear like I had been cheating.

When the bell rung, I was quick to stand on my feet and hurry my paper to our teacher. He gave me a disapproving glance, as if he had already decided I did the worst on the test out of all the other students. And for all I knew, he might have been right. I wouldn't necessarily trust Vic to excel in his classes.

"I didn't need your help," I muttered to Vic as he followed me out of the classroom and down the nearest hallway. All he did was smile and shrug.

"Whatever you say," he retaliated, following me for several more minutes in silence before slipping off, probably to attend his next class which we didn't share.

Vic and I didn't communicate for the rest of the day, even when I returned to the dorm that night. Vic was already fast asleep, which was surprising considering he was usually up late at night on his computer. Doing what, I had no idea.

I woke up the next morning to an empty dorm and after I had dressed and gone down to the lobby for breakfast, Vic wasn't there either. I skipped eating yet again and chatted with Jaime for several minutes before excusing myself to attend first hour.

The bell rung, and Vic didn't show. Where the hell had he disappeared to? My thoughts were interrupted as our professor passed out graded tests, to my dismay. Usually it took him several days to grade our papers.

My test was slipped in front of me face down. Hastily, I pulled it forwards and into my fingers, flipping the paper over to reveal my grade. It was an A; a low one, but an A at that. Usually I was an average C and D student. A smile spread on my lips.

You're smarter than you allow yourself to believe.