305 Midterms Week (1/2)
(Back to Jake's POV)
The week of midterms was less about the mid semester tests and more about getting back into Mr. Atkins good graces. We did chores all week with Noah and I focusing on the yard. After cleaning the front yard and making it almost magazine worthy, Mr. Atkins had barely nodded and suggested we do the same for the backyard. So even though Noah and I didn't have any baseball practice this week, our shoulders ached from the hard labor. The front yard only took us most of the day Sunday, while the backyard had to be worked on in waves, so every few hours right after school we would go out there.
We would get a break when Mr. Atkins came home with dinner, but after that came studying for the tests we would have. Even though it would be easy for me and Noah, the same couldn't be said for the twins. The twins were both in their junior year which was pivotal and had a high level of importance for future college applications.
We did yard work after school and they would study. After dinner, they would bug me to study with them which actually meant that they needed me to tutor them in math. After almost a month of me doing their homework for them, they had fallen behind. It wasn't like they were dumb; they just liked to take the easy way out.
It wasn't hard to tutor them. After dinner, we would just go over old homework assignments that were returned to us and then some old notes of mine that contained the important formulas that would be on the midterm test. It was only time consuming.
Afterwards, Noah and I would go to the living room to watch some YouTube videos on how to be a better infielder until his dad told us it was time for bed. At school, the teachers didn't assign homework for the week in preparation for the big tests. All tests were held on Friday, but I didn't mind it. In fact, I actually liked it since I didn't have to worry about interacting with the class or making awkward eye contact with the teacher. It was a simple day of taking tests, turning them in, then waiting for the class to be over.
If there really was a bad thing to say about this week, it would be that the boys never got a chance to talk to Mrs. Atkins. That made them worried, which in turn, made me worried. She might be even madder than Mr. Atkins. By Wednesday, Mr. Atkins explained that she was busy with Zeke and wasn't that mad anymore. She just had a lot on her plate.
”I don't buy that excuse.” Noah told me when we were getting ready for bed. ”This whole trip is for Zeke. Everything is about Zeke. Zeke is the one that has to do everything and go everywhere. What could she possibly be doing for the rest of the time?”
I shrugged. Clueless.
If Noah couldn't figure out why she didn't want to speak with him and his brothers, then how could I? I don't think I've ever spoken with my mom over any phone. There was no need to. Nor did I ever want to.
Mr. Atkins did let Kyle know, though, that he could ask out Marie. On the condition that Noah and I would also have to attend the date to supervise. Us or Zeke. Kyle's face went from annoyed to suddenly okay with our presence.
”Saturday we have two games so it'll be a Sunday date.” Kyle told us Friday afternoon as we headed home from school. ”I already asked Marie and she said that works for her. She'll even bring Kaylee along to entertain you two.”