Older Brothers

Chapter Thirty-one

The next day, after school, I found myself sat in my bedroom, going through my notes for my English test. I was nervous and stressed and the more I looked at the notes, the more stressed I became.

"But why is the setting significant?" I stressed as I flipped through pages of my old English notes on Othello.

When I transferred schools, my new school were studying Othello just like my old school, but my new school were so much further ahead that I didn't have all the notes. I missed a lot basically.

I checked my phone and saw a text from Madison and smiled. Maddie was a complicated person person, but she'd always had my back. I couldn't ignore how much better it made me feel that we were talking again.

Coming to the bonfire on Friday?, Maddison texted.

I bit my lip. I knew that people from my old school would be there, but I didn't realise it was something that Maddie would go to.

Yeah, if I pass my exam and get in the top ten, I texted back.

Maddie replied quickly, top ten? Who has time for that?

I sighed ana replied: I have to, my family are strict about test results.

Maddie replied, boring. There's more to life than a ranking system.

My conversation with Maddie was interpreted by a knock on my door. I looked up to see Elliott stood in my doorway with his arms folded.

"Hey, Khlo, getting much studying done?" He asked me, eyeing my phone in my hand.

I bit my lip. "It's hard, Elliott. I don't get it."

Elliott sighed and came and sat next to me on my bed. "What you doing?" He asked and looked around at my notes. "English? I thought that was your favourite subject?"

"It is, but I don't get it here. I think i missed a lot when I moved schools."

Elliott nodded, seemingly understanding. "I get it, Khlo. It's always hard moving, but you've just got to work harder to catch up. You've got this."

"You know you saying that doesn't help, right?"

Elliott chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you what will help. Charlie's downstairs with Tommy studying. Charlie seems to be studying English too, why don't you go and see if you can help each other?" He asked me.

I sighed. "Okay."

Elliott helped me gather my things together and we headed downstairs to the living room where Tommy and Charlie seemed to be sat together. Their notes were all over the floor. I was actually shocked I didn't realise the pair of them studied.

"You got room for one more?" Elliott asked. The boys looked up and saw me. "Khloe's struggling a bit and could do with some help."

Tommy and Charlie looked to each other and Charlie budged up, freeing a spot for me between them.  "Sure." He said.

I was surprised to see them together, but I suppose they must have made up now.

"Thanks." I said, coming and sitting down between them.

"No problem." He said, giving me a small smile. I could tell he was trying, but his smile seemed somewhat forced.  I pretended not to notice it.

Elliott left the room and soon it was just the three of us.

"What you studying?" Charlie asked me.

"English, you?"

"Same." He said and picked up a book that was full of notes.