Buckle down

The weekend had started and so had the time for the students of Mountforth high to buckle down and study for their upcoming tests. This was also the case for the students residing in the Westwood residence. Jenny had woken up early and had gone for a run before sitting behind her desk and starting her studying. Jason however seemed to have a different approach. He was in the living room gaming. Jenny paid it no mind at the beginning, but when she came down for her lunch break and saw him still sitting there without having moved an inch she couldn't help herself. She sat down next to him with her plate of food in her hands and said "Jace, don't you have to start studying soon? We have three tests on Monday, will you be able to finish preparing for them?" Jason didn't break his eye contact with the screen and simply said with a smile on his face "I attended the classes didn't I? What more studying would I need to do?". Jenny was flabbergasted by his answer and said "What do you mean? Are you trying to tell me you won't do anything else to prepare?" Jason had just finished clearing the level he was playing and finally turned to look at her. The moment he saw her shocked expression mixed with a certain sense of concern he let out a chuckle. "Instead of worrying about me, shouldn't you be more worried about yourself. You don't want to end up in the bottom of the class during your first exam week do you?" and he gave her a teasing smile before turning back to the screen and starting the next level. Jenny stood up and replied challengingly "Hmph, of course I don't. Suit yourself if you don't want to study. Don't blame me if you have to take re-exams during our second week of vacation. I will leave you in the dust with my scores!" She turned around briskly and went back upstairs with a new fire lit inside her to study her butt off. She would show that arrogant man what she was made of.

The rest of the weekend was spent with Jenny locking herself in her room to study, only coming out to eat her three meals and for her run in the morning. In the blink of an eye the weekend was over and she was siting across the papers of her first exam. She glanced over at Jason, who was sitting diagonally opposite from her. He was sitting there as relaxed as ever with a stone cold expression scribbling away. His expression broke into a more gentle one the moment he felt her gaze. He turned and gave her a smile, balled his hand into a fist and mouthed the words 'fight on' before turning back to the front. Jenny let out a deep sigh and flipped open her exam paper. It wasn't long before she started writing, erasing and rewriting until the teacher announced the end of the test. Jenny finished her last sentence and turned her paper in. She let out a second sigh to let go of the breath she didn't knew she was holding in and left the room for her ten minute break. After that the second test would start. Jason had already finished the test and was waiting on the other side of the door for her to finish. She didn't understand how he could already be finished. Did he do so well or were there so many questions he did not know the answer to that he gave up and walked away early. But if that was the case, how was he so calm while taking the test. She didn't have long to worry about him, before she started worrying about how she did on her first test at her new school. With her head filled with questions she walked out the door to meet up with Jason. He was leaning against the wall and waiting for her with a gentle smile on his face while looking at her. She took slow steps towards him and the world around her seemed to fade out. She didn't know why, but she always felt a sense of calm when looking at his clear eyes. They reminded her of the calm of a vast land of ice or a large body of water. Feeling instantly drawn to him. She surprised both Jason as well as the other students surrounding them when she hugged his waist and buried herself in his chest.

Though unexpected, her action was certainly welcomed by Jason, who wrapped his arms around her and hid her from the glances. While he gave her comfort, by stroking her hair and holding her tightly with his other arm, he shot the other people with a murderous look telling them to look away. Jenny wasn't aware of any of this as she was lost in her own bubble of comfort. She had always placed great value on her studies and was proud to have always done well at school. That was why it was so hard for her to finish her first test with such an uncertain feeling. Usually she was top of her class, was the first to leave and always knew she had done well. She could predict the questions that would be on the test when she went through the studying materials. However this time wasn't the same. She was barely able to finish and she had to rewrite her answers so many times that she didn't even know what it was she had written down in the end. Seeing how much what took place in the classroom had affected her, Jason felt bad that instead of helping her study he was having fun teasing her. He didn't know it meant that much to her. He was certain she hadn't done too bad considering how much she had studied these past two days. And he knew from what his parents had told him and how well she was able to come along with the classes, despite entering midway, that she was a smart girl. But if she didn't believe that and worried about it like this, it meant he had to step in. He glanced in the distance as he thought of how he was going to help her tonight.