How Not to Take a Test or, Another Secret Is Unveiled
Tuesday, Night
Takeru sat at his desk, in his room, spinning around in the chair. His big test in History was the next day and he had been going over date, after date, after date, memorizing each one and it’s meaning on the history of Japan and the world. It all came down to this. He had been taken the specialized history courses for over a year now and it was time for him to prove that he deserved to keep taking them, or at least, until the entrance exam.
Takeru wasn’t sure why, but along with Languages, History seemed to interest him more and more as he went through school. Each event in time affected another, though at that time they would know it. All over, things happened simultaneously. Takeru chuckled at the thought of what was happening right now around the world. There were probably millions of students spinning around in chairs studying for tests. The funny thing was, somehow, each of them would find a way into the life of the other, if just for a passing moment.
Some called in coincidence, Takeru liked to think of it as fate. Fate…yeah, fate. Real nice person, that fate character. Look at the position he was in. Hikari was on the one side and…Tony…no…Koushirou on the other. No. It couldn’t be like that. Koushirou was with Jou…and besides…Koushirou…there was something there when they had talked two weeks ago. Just something hadn’t clicked. Takeru had felt himself retreating into a corner and not even realizing why.
Sure, the elevator probably freaked him out, but even before that, after Takeru had asked and let it slip about Tony…God, everything ended up about Italy. No matter who it was, whenever Takeru got into contact with another Chosen, Italy always ended up in the conversation. Whether it was his fault or not…he really wished he could just move on.
Takeru knew, deep down, that he hadn’t moved on. He hadn’t even begun to heal. The hole, it was still there. He had just thrown a band-aid over it and hoped it would just heal. It was still the same hole Takeru felt rip itself open after Tony died. Correction: After he watched Tony die. That hit him hard and was like a cold bucket of water over his head. He now knew things he wished he didn’t.
Tony…was he really just a one time thing? Even thought he’d “come out” to Mimi, Kou, Yama and Sora, that didn’t mean things couldn’t change, right? Takeru shook his head and turned back to his desk and the looming dates. He did dare a look at Patamon, who lay on his bed, already asleep.
He had been sleeping a lot lately, only getting up to eat and chitchat with Gabumon every once and while. He barely spoke with Takeru these days. Ever since the concert…Takeru sighed. He would talk to Patamon, one of these days. He just needed to find the time and work up the courage.
Courage…something he was going to need Friday…Hikari….
No! He needed to focus on these dates. That test was important and he couldn’t stop studying to muse all night. He still needed to finish memorizing the American Civil War along with the rise of Communist Japan before World War II.
It was going to be a long night still. Takeru got up from the chair and stretched. He was going to need the hard stuff. Break out the coffee!
Walking into the classroom the next day, Takeru yawned slightly. He had been up ‘till one or two in the morning, but it had paid off. He was certain he had every date necessary to ace this test. The teacher wouldn’t be there for another five minutes, so Takeru took the time to take a sip of the bottle of tea he had with him. The rest of the class sat, noses buried in notes and books, looking over those last couple of dates in the vain hope that they’d imprint themselves on their brains before the teacher walked in and demanded that everything be put away.
The sliding of the door sent a shiver up Takeru’s spine as he pulled out his pen and cleared his desk. Within minutes, the test lay on his desk and he was allowed to turn it over and begin.
”First question. What happened in the year 1789 and what was its biggest influence?”* Takeru mused to himself.
He began to write, smiling to himself. Man was this teacher predictable.
“Don’t forget, two hours and not a second more!” He called out, returning to the papers in front of him.
Takeru chuckled, two hours would be more than enough.
An hour later, Takeru sat furiously writing, question after question flying by him as the answers transferred themselves to the paper. It wasn’t until a question about the Civil War came up that Takeru had to stop.
He was meeting Hikari in two days. What was he going to say to her? How was he going to say it? He stroked his chin and set his pen down. This was going to be even harder than the test, because he had one chance. Only one chance…
No! The test! If he didn’t finish….he had to finish. He picked his pen back up and started to write, his mind blanking suddenly a picture of him and Hikari appearing, along with one of him and Koushirou.
He closed his eyes and tried to will the pictures away, but both stayed, emblazed images on his brain. He shook his head and picked up his pen, but the only thing he could think of was Koushirou and Hikari.
“Damnit.” He muttered.
He really didn’t need this right now. Only two more questions and he was done. He had done it. Finishing the accursed History test in less than an hour thirty was an accomplishment, especially if someone got a perfect score like he was two questions away from.
”Think Takeru! Think!”
The only thing he could think of was the two people mentally fighting for his attention, his time, his…love. He shook his head and closed his eyes and sighed quietly. He had to get a grip on himself. This test was a lot more important than either of them.
Right?
Takeru flipped through the various pages of the test and began to scan his answers, his jaw dropping as he saw that every single one was wrong. He looked up to the clock and back to the paper. He couldn’t possibly change all his answers now!
“Why today of all days?!” Takeru thought hopelessly, going back and changing the answers to the first question.
He worked backwards as quickly as he could, changing years and events left and right. Koushirou and Hikari were the furthest things from his mind as the clock told him that he had five minutes left. He still had half the exam to correct! He doubled his pace, but to little avail. He had only corrected two more questions when the teacher called out for pens to be put down.
Takeru fought back a mix of anger and sadness as he rose from his desk to go to his next class. This was not why he stayed up ‘till one in the morning….
Takeru sat in a booth in a less visited corner of the school. He had felt sick to his stomach and got permission to leave school early because of it. So here he was, crying his heart out over a stupid test he failed because he couldn’t get his love life in order. Wait, what was there to order?
He was with Hikari, Koushirou with Jyou and seemingly happy. Besides, Kou didn’t show one bit of being interested, so there was no need to pursue something, right?
Takeru sniffed and wiped his eyes. He had to stop retreating into the corner when things looked bad. He had to stand strong and take over his life. He was not going to let life lead him; it was time to take the reigns. He would get over the history test and keep doing well in English. He was going to do it. Whether it killed him or not. That..or there was always that bottle of tequila left over from the last time his “friends” came over….
And Hikari was in for a surprise Friday and Saturday as well….