Braxton Academy

Chapter 39

NAOMI'S POV:

"Naomi, are you okay?" Jasper asked, extending his arm to lightly brush his hand against mine.

I inched my knees tighter into my chest, trying not to seem so squeamish. "I'm fine."

I hadn't told Jasper about my grade, nor have I told him about my pathetic effort to hide the test from everyone else. Mr. Davis wasn't the only one I was afraid of disappointing, it was bad enough I had to listen to Mr. Quimby lecture me about how much better I should be doing.

"I don't believe you," He moved closer and let out a small smile. "You look like you have a secret. Something's on your mind, something's making you feel guilty."

He saw right through me, he always did. Maybe I was subconsciously horrible at hiding my emotions, or maybe Jasper understood people much better than I knew, but he could always call me out on my lies.

I don't think I like that about him.

We've been sitting here for almost an hour, watching the sun fall below the hill. Neither of us had said much, mostly because my mind was occupied and he was left to deal with the awkward silence. I keep replaying all the feelings of self-doubt and despair that I feel whenever my dad would tell me that I could do better, that I should have done better...telling Mr. Davis, who emphasizes so much how important my education is, is something that I just don't have the heart to do. I can't let him down again.

"Naomi, talk to me." Jasper said with a full heart.

The confinement was eating me alive, it felt like there was rift in my heart every time someone spoke to me. I needed to let this out, but would Jasper think less of me if I told him?

"I, uh," I wiped my glassy eyes. "I got a bad grade in Geometry."

"Oh." He nodded, patting my hand in the process. "I'm sorry to hear that, are you worried about telling Mr. Davis?"

I let out an ironic chuckle, "Well, about that..."

We made eye-contact given his confusion, I was hoping he would put it together so I wouldn't actually have to say these words out loud but he seemed lost.

"I," Crouching my knees even tighter against my chest, I whispered the remaining sentence. "I forged his signature on the test and gave it back to Mr. Quimby."

I turned my head immediately because I was too afraid to see his reaction, I could hear him shift back some but that was all.

"You what...? Naomi, you need to tell Mr. Davis what you did."

"No," Shaking my head, I wiped my cheeks on my shoulders. "no, no, I can't do that."

"You have to, it won't be long before the school phones your guardian to discuss it. How bad was the grade?"

"It was bad." Tears began flowing from my cheeks, which incidentally embarrassed me even further. "Really bad. I can't, I just can't tell Mr. Davis."

"How bad? You can tell me."

Sniffling, I could feel that rift inside my chest growing deeper and deeper. "I got a C+."

He leaned back, blinking at me a few times. "Naomi, that's not that bad. You should have just of told Mr. Davis from the beginning instead of..."

"No! No, absolutely not."

"I know the punishment will be severe but..."

"I'm not worried about the punishment," I glanced out the window, trying to dissipate my tears. "I'm worried he'll be disappointed in me."