Highschool in the west had 6 semesters in total. Revera High School students were about to take their final one in two weeks so the teacher had them do a pop quiz. Naturally he seperated the infamous duo.
Rows of wooden desks filled the classroom, each one occupied by a student hunched over their paper. Ryker and Brock were in the back. One was in the furthest left corner, the other in the furthest right. Students were writing down their answers to the surprise exam, their pens making frantic scratching noises against the paper.
Meanwhile the duo were making paper airplanes.
Ryker and Brock folded the paper with expert precision, launching them across the room, aiming for each other's desks. The little white missiles soared over the heads of the focused students, most landing harmlessly on the floor.
"Ryker. Brock. Behave yourselves!" The teacher, a stout minotaur with a prosthetic right arm, bellowed from the front.
The duo immediately stopped, putting on their most innocent faces, while the rest of the class tried to ignore the disruption. In the middle row, Anna was taking deep breaths and her concentration returned to her quiz.
A ring signaled the end of the allotted time.
Pencils were put down and the teacher asked them to switch paper with the person next to them.
"Brock you switch with Ryker," the teacher added.
Crumpling the piece of paper, they both shot the makeshift basketball at each other.
"If either of you get an answer wrong, you both get detention," the minotaur continued.
He demanded they read their answers in turn. The first question was answered by Brock then Ryker. It was a cycle.
"Question 20, A," Ryker said and gave Brock a thumbs up as he had the same answer.
A sigh escaped the teacher. He wanted to punish these boys but they always managed to get perfect scores. Of course he thought they were somehow cheating but sometimes the answer is the one in front of him. They were just naturally smart.
"As class representative, Anna, please collect the quizzes," the teacher instructed.
Moments later the teacher yelled out the scores of each student.
"Anna 6 out of 10. Pass," The dryad flinched and kept her head down.
Brock and Ryker both got a perfect 10 in math. Bells rung throughout the school and it was time for the next period: a more demanding class. Magic practice. The class was mandatory regardless of your ability.
It took place in the baseball field. Anna was wearing the school's sport uniform as she stood on the green grass. Ryker's eyes were glued to the shorts she wore.
A gust of wind blew at her long green braids, her smile bright as she looked at Ryker, her cheeks a little red.
"So you're participating? I thought you'd skip?" Brock asked Ryker.
Anna was standing a distance away with a group of student, yet you could tell she was alone. Occasionally she took glances at Ryker, curious or perhaps hopeful.
Ryker felt a pain in the back of the throat. He didn't want to leave her alone but this whole class was pointless for him. All it did was remind him of his disability.
"I am skipping," he responded to his bestfriend, "You can stay if you want."
A heavy hand was placed on his shoulder, "Let's go to the beach," Brock's grin was wide.
Anna's hopeful eyes flicked to him again.
For one stupid second he thought about staying.
The two valedictorians skipped magic practice and left school grounds, both with 0 in mana application in all semesters.
Sun beat down on the black mercedes as Brocked begged for the ac.
Mana practice was still haunting Ryker's mind.
"Let's get hammered," he blurted out, "We could go to Anna's store and buy some liquor."
Brock looked up from his phone, not the least ashamed of watching a cat idol group.
"Drinking at 12 seems a bit too much even for me," he said, "I'll drive home if you do."
Stopping in front of the small store, The Emerald Sprout, and taking in the scent of the salty sea, they entered the store with a beep announcing it.
"Welcome," Anna's mom greeted them with a tired smile from behind the counter.
"Mrs. Flores!" they both exclaimed, walking towards her.
After recognizing the boys, the weariness in her eyes vanished.
"Skipping class again?" she teased. She was a spitting image of Anna but with lighter hair.
"We graduate no matter what," Brock said with a goofy smile.
Anna's mom, Sarah, chuckled, "So what can I get you boys?"
"Technically we're not boys anymore, we're men," Ryker jokingly puffed his chest out.
Sarah rolled her eyes, "You'll always be the little boy who peed in my garden."
Brock burst into laughter.
"Your strongest liquor please," Ryker wanted to change the subject. His cheeks were getting red from the teasing.
The dryad turned around and picked out a bottle with a skull on the label, placing it on the counter, expecting Ryker to take a look at the bottle. Then she teasingly pulled it away from him.
"It's not for little boys."
Ryker sighed and Brock continued to giggle.
"I'm kidding honey," she said and put it back in front of him, "You two are grown up now. Practically lady-killers."
He chuckled and took out his wallet.
"How much?" Ryker asked.
Vehemently shaking her head, Sarah rejected his money.
"It's on the house."
Brock chimed in, "It's okay, we have money."
"Nope," Sarah shrugged, "Consider it a thank you for all the late night tutoring you guys gave Anna."
The boys glanced at each other, their eyebrows wrinkling as if they had no idea what she was talking about.
"Tutoring?"
Sarah tilted her head, "Yes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She always comes back tired but smiling and says you boys made it fun."
A sinking feeling hit Ryker in the stomach. He wanted to tell Sarah that Anna was lying but he also didn't want to betray his friend.
Ryker's face must have given it away. Sarah's smile dropped, "Does she not?"
Brock rested his elbow on Ryker's shoulder.
"Of course we tutor her," the golem said, not missing a beat, "We're just surprised she was that happy about it," Brock squeezed his shoulder as a warning.
Sarah's smile returned, a little forced this time.
"We'll stay pay though..." Ryker muttered.
Vines wrapped around his leg. Sarah's expression gave away her intention. She would spank him if he continued. He quickly put the cash back in his wallet and took the bottle.
"Bye Mrs Flores," the boys both said and drove to the beach.