Chapter five: The Big Test

Chapter five: The Big Test

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Is what I heard Friday morning.
I couldn't have possibly slept in, I thought. I looked at my alarm clock, 5:30 A.M. I still have a whole hour to sleep. I rose out of bed, headed to the door, and then opened the door. Matt was on the other side.
"What are you doing?" I asked. "I still have another hour."
"Don't care," he responded. "Get your butt down to math class." He shut the door. As puzzled and doubtful as I was, I showered, got changed, and headed down to class. When I arrived, there Matt was sitting at Mr. Hendricks' desk eating an apple. As soon as he saw me, Matt leaped out of the chair, over the desk, and onto the ground. I never knew he could do that.
"You may ask," Matt began. "Why... am I here?"
"Right on the money," I replied. He looked at me as if I were dumb.
"Don't get smart, Evans. Now, if you want to make it to the MLB, you must past this test."
"News flash!" I said frustrated.
"Daniel! Last chance," he warned. "If you are tired during the test, then you won't pay attention, then you won't pass the test, then..."
"I get it!"
"So," he continued as if I had never spoken. "You will exercise for one hour to get you pumped up."
"What!" I complained.
"Don't be a sissy, Daniel. It's for the best."
I sighed. I looked back just to make sure that no one was watching.
"Embarrassed, Evans?" he asked.
"Do you have to notice every little movement that I make?"
"I apologize," he said. "Now, twenty-five jumping jacks... go!"
For some reason, I listened and did as he said. After I finished, he told me to do thirty squats, then fifteen push-ups, then fifty sit-ups! Finally, I heard:
"Done! You have completed your exercise."
I looked at my watch and saw that it was seven o'clock. If I awoke at 5:30, took a half an hour to shower, brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and got changed, that led me to 6:00. Man, I had been working out for a whole hour. Time really flew.
"Okay," Matt said. "Do you feel awake?"
"More than ever," I replied.
"Well, you're not clean," he examined. "Get upstairs and shower, class starts in a half hour."
I have decided to start listening to Matt. He seems to be a lot wiser than I am. Quickly, I ran upstairs to my dorm room and did my normal routine that I do in the morning. Class starts at 7:30 A.M., I came to class at 7:35.
That won't help; I thought when I entered the class.
"Mr. Evans, you are five minutes late."
I braced myself for a punishment. For good students who had a good reputation, being five minutes late is okay. I'm not a good student, though, I am a bad student with a bad reputation; and I hate to admit it, but Mr. Hendricks doesn't like me very much.
"Fortunately," he continued. "Matthew told me that you and he are close friends and he assured me that you would be here soon. So I waited and sure enough, he was right."
"What's your point, sir?" I asked.
"My point is, you are not in trouble... sit down!"
Then why did you mention that I was late? Why not just keep your mouth closed? I thought to myself.
I sat down next to Matt and took out my pencils. Mr. Hendricks went around the room passing out our test papers. When he arrived at me and Matt's desk, I reached out to grab my paper. Mr. Hendricks pulled the paper away and bent down to tell me something.
"You better not disappoint me, Daniel," he ordered. "Matt has been telling me how he is your tutor. I expect great things from you. Matthew is a smart boy."
I managed to smile and say:
"Yes sir, I won't let you down," I assured him.
He handed me my paper and walked away to pass out the other tests. I stopped smiling and turned to Matt.
"I hate that man," I whispered.
Matt smiled and looked down at his paper. I think that that is the first time Matt has smiled in his life. Mr. Hendricks finally made it to the front of the class.
"You have one hour to finish this test everybody," he said. "Once you finish, head to your next class. Tomorrow, your grades will be hung up on the wall. Your test starts... now."
I quickly looked down at my paper and saw my first problem. My brain froze. I forgot how to do this problem. I looked to Matt about to ask for help. I figured that probably wasn't a good idea. I closed my eyes and tried to remember what Matt told me. Thinking and thinking, I remembered. A great giant smile went across my whole entire face. I jotted down the answer and moved on to my next question. I whipped through all fifty questions in ten minutes. I checked my answers really carefully seeing as I flew through the test so quickly. Everything was right. At least that's what it looked like. I checked through one more time and still, all correct. I had to let this happy feeling out. I didn't know how though. Without thinking, I jumped up and shouted, "Woo Hoo!" Everyone stared at me.
"Sorry," I said. "It won't happen again."
Although I said sorry, I couldn't help from smiling. I handed Mr. Hendricks my paper and ran out of the room. I went to my dorm room and waited for my next class to start. The whole time I was thinking, I'm going to the MLB!