I wait impatiently as she calls name after name. Olivia, Delilah, and Rat Boy all get their tests before me, and look pleased. It isn’t until Tracy has the last test in her hands that she calls my name. Of course.
I walk up to her, my heart thudding nervously in my chest.
“Here you go, Bronx.” Tracy hands me my test, her face neutral.
I immediately stare at the red ink scribbled at the top of my paper, my heart faltering for a moment. Swallowing hard, I quickly regain my composure and walk back to my desk. I feel Olivia’s eyes burning into me but I refuse to look at her, taking my seat and shoving my test into my backpack before anyone can see.
“What? Fail again?” I hear Rat Boy snicker maliciously, and it takes everything inside of me not to lunge over the table and break his fucking nose. Along with his jaw. See if he can make any more smartass comments after that.
Olivia quickly shoots him a glare, and for a split second I see a flash of regret cross his face. He’s only guilty because he upset her; he couldn’t give his own kind’s ass if he hurt me or not.
Olivia’s eyes eventually swing to me, softening, full of questioning and worry. I can tell she’s dying to know about my grade, but she’s too polite to flat out ask me.
I only shake my head, grabbing my lab manual as Tracy begins teaching this week’s lesson and shoving my nose into the book.
The rest of the lab I try my best to focus, acting as neutral as possible. I can tell Olivia is trying to walk on eggshells around me, worried about my reaction, or lack thereof, after getting my test back.
When Tracy dismisses us, I can’t pack up my stuff fast enough and head out the door. I make it halfway down the hallway before I hear footsteps running up behind me.
“Bronx! Bronx, wait!” I hear Olivia call after me, her footsteps nearing closer.
“Bronx,” she says breathlessly, catching up to me and grabbing my bicep.
I stop in my tracks, and she cautiously walks around me to stand face-to-face. Those warm brown eyes search mine, worry marring her forehead.
“Bronx?” she says softly, still desperately searching my eyes for some sort of answer.
I let out a sigh, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose. When I finally look up, I watch her face fall and shoulders deflate.
“How bad?” she whispers carefully.
Instead of answering verbally, I shrug off my backpack and reach inside it to pull out my test. I hand it to her, restlessly shifting on my feet.
Slowly, hesitantly, she grabs my test from my hands, her eyes immediately landing on my score. I watch as a handful of emotions scroll over her face. Her brows pinch together in confusion for a few moments before smoothing over, and she blinks a few times.
Confused, she frantically flips through the pages, eyes scanning my answers. She eventually makes her way back to the first page, her eyes trained on the red ink once more.
Her eyes snap up to mine, widening in shock and surprise. “Bronx.”
I can’t help but grin, gently grabbing my test back from her. My smile widens as I stare at the 82% and the B- written at the top of my paper in red ink.
“You did it,” she breathes in disbelief, a slow smile making its way onto her face.
I nod, my grin almost splitting my face. “I did it.”
“You did it!” she exclaims excitedly, throwing her arms around my shoulders, hugging me.
I immediately wrap my arms around her waist, picking her up a few inches off the ground and spinning her around a couple of times in the middle of the hallway. She lets out a melodic laugh, taking a step back to look at me when I set her back down.
“You scared the heck out of me!” she cries, shoving my shoulder.
I can’t help but chuckle, placing my hands on her shoulders and running them down her arms until I capture her hands in mine. “You can sayshit, Finch,” I tease. “And come on, did you really think I’d fail with you as my tutor?”
She shyly tears her gaze away from mine, humbly shrugging a shoulder.
“I passed all because of you, Olivia,” I say, dipping my head to meet her eyes. “Thank you.”
She blushes. “You’re welcome.”
