There are only
three days now
separating Matty and I
from exams -
and it's certainly
not enough.
It's like a
catastrophic countdown
constantly echoing in our ears,
reminding us of the fate
that awaits us.
Or maybe I'm just being
too melodramatic
about the whole thing -
but I'm still
not quite sure
if our preparations will
have been enough
in the end.
At this point,
they seem more in vain
than anything I have
ever done.
We've resorted to concentrating
on our worst subjects
in hopes that we will
improve on them
in time to be tested.
Matty helps me with
my history, while I
try to teach her how
to solve chemical equations.
I am by no means
a good teacher, though,
so my attempts often leave her
frustrated and confused,
despite my best intentions.
"But how does
this molecule thingy
get over to
the other side?"
she bursts out
after a
long and fruitless
mini lesson after school.
"You have to
combine all the elements
that are similar, right?
Then why can't you just
put it over there
and add them up?"
"Because of the coefficients,"
I wearily repeat
for what must have been
the hundredth time today.
"And this one
is already attached to
another element -
you have to
break them apart."
"Oh, alright,"
Matty shoots back
sarcastically.
"Let me just
go and find my
sledgehammer,
then.
That'll do it..."
It's silent
for a moment.
Matty meets my
exasperated gaze,
worrying at her
bottom lip
to keep back a
tiny smile -
and then she
bursts out laughing,
unable to contain herself.
I can't help but join in,
and our attempts at studying
are soon abandoned
once more.
"We're not
going to get anywhere
at this rate,"
I tell her when
we've calmed down some.
"Exams start on Tuesday,
and all we've been doing
is joking around
like this.
Not that it's exactly
a bad thing,"
I add when
she flashes me a
suddenly confused expression,
"but we need to
know the material,
or else we won't be able to
answer the questions properly."
"But this is
important, too,"
she insists.
"Remember when I said
we'd figure out a way
that we wouldn't
panic
or freak out
or anything like that
when the tests came?
I figured that if
we remember
laughing and enjoying ourselves
like this,
it won't be so bad
during the exams.
It'll be like
we're still at your house
studying and having fun,
instead of taking
a huge, stressful test."
That is actually
one of the smartest things
I have ever heard her
come up with.
I would never have even
thought of something like that
myself.
Leave it to Matty
to be the
intelligent one here,
though.
But she soon gives
a rueful grin
and looks away
when I don't answer
immediately,
as though she's
ashamed.
"It's probably
a really stupid idea,"
she mutters.
"We should just
focus on knowing
the material and stuff,
like you said.
I'm sorry-"
"No,"
I interrupt.
"It's a good idea.
I think it will help,
even if just
a little bit.
It won't help us
to know all the facts
if we can't focus
or keep from
panicking
through the whole test."
"You really think so?"
Her expression is
so happy
and so full of hope
that I can't help
but smile as well.
She's like a little kid
in more ways than one -
eager to please,
enthused by even
the smallest of things -
though much less
forgetful and childish
than my mother is.
It always comes back
to my mother, it seems.
She is the epitome
of a child,
at least so far
as my experience goes,
even at the ripe old age
of forty-something.
"I know so,"
I tell Matty,
and her grin stretches
from ear to ear.
"We're going to do great.
There is no way
we're going to fail
these tests."
Her answering nod
is immediate.
"Me, too,"
she says.
"We'll do the best
out of everyone -
I just know it."
Maybe she's exaggerating
a little bit,
but there is no doubt
in my mind now
that's she's right.
I mean,
if coming out to her -
one of the scariest things
I have ever done -
proved to be
so successful,
how will these
silly tests
be any different?
×
Wattpad hates me, I think. It doesn't help that I'm still trying to get used to the app again (and consequently got frustrated and gave up on using it to post this chapter today), but either wattpad wants me to fail, or my laptop is just being reeeaaally sluggish and idiotic today. Or it could be both, who knows. Technology hates me, I'm telling you...
Anywho, I'm thinking that there will only be a few more parts, like maybe three or four. I'm not gonna drag it on forever for dramatic effect, because it'll just get boring and old really quickly. Who knows, I might add more parts when I go back and revise this to fill in any holes I might have left as a result. So be it, lmao.
If you guys liked this chapter, I would love if you would vote and leave me some feedback! It would be very much appreciated! c:
YOU ARE READING
Misalignment | ✔
Teen Fiction"There are a million shades of grey between their black and their white - but no one ever cares to see them." In a world with a limited view of gender, Cam Shills struggles to come to terms with their identity as neither male nor female, a shade of...
