Chapter 2: The Day of the Results

Shane woke up the following morning, reinvigorated for the new day. He wasn’t as worried as he should be like the other learners in his class. Everyone had a knot on their stomach, because it was the day of their results. That morning Shane wanted to go over to Andrew’s as usual, but just as he was about to leave his house, he saw Andrew walking down the street over to him. Andrew was a nervous wreck. Shane couldn’t help but feel sorry for him when he saw the dark rings under his eyes.

It was understandable. Andrew’s parents were successful people and they demanded nothing less than perfection from their son. That’s why they hired a private tutor for him from a very young age. Andrew did his best so he could only hope that his results would reflect that. After all, their family name was on the line.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say it is still too early for you to cry now. We still haven’t received our results yet,” Shane said as he wanted to start some banter with his friend again. However, Andrew was quiet. Shane realized that the weight on his shoulders must have been immense that morning. After all, this was the moment he was working for all his life. He had to pass, and pass well, otherwise his parents would not let it go.

“Let’s get going,” Andrew said. Shane can’t remember when was the last time he saw his friend as quiet as he was then. The two of them would always tease each other, or rather Andrew would tease Shane. Shane didn’t even have the guts to ask Andrew about Maddie again that morning, which was a daily ritual for him.

After about twenty minutes, the two boys arrived at Waterfalls High. Around them were countless nervous students, with half-bitten nails. Shane looked around and his eyes landed on his crush again.

Maddie was standing in the embrace of Caen again. The two of them were the ‘it’ couple of the school and usually everyone would have been jealous about the bond that they shared, but that morning everyone were too worried to think of anything else. The students all gathered for assembly at the hall.

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen, I guess I should call you that now,” the principal greeted the students, while trying some humour. As expected, very few students let out an awkward laugh.

“Today is the day that all of you have been waiting for. This is the day that you have been working for, for a decade. Although some of you will be ecstatic with the news you will receive, some of you will also feel as if your world comes crumbling down, but let it not be the end. You should always strive to be better tomorrow than you were today,” the principal continued. The students listened attentively to his 20 minute speech before he announced that all of them should gather in front of their respective classes. The results for each class was posted next to the doors. He didn’t even have time to complete his sentence, when a bunch of students sprinted out of there. Soon, within 5 minutes, the assembly hall was completely empty. Principal James could only laugh. He expected that to happen. After all, he knew exactly how nervous the students were.

Shane and Andrew ran with the other students to their classes. Shane and Andrew were in the same class and when they arrived in front of their class, there was a huge line already.

“I did it! Thank God, I did it!” one of the students shouted out from the front of the line. He had tears in his eyes.

“How can this be? I did everything I could, but how could it not be enough,” one student said. Shane could hear a mixture of emotions, but he still didn’t have a worried expression on his face. By that time, Andrew’s face was already pale. He couldn’t handle the pressure anymore.

Shane wormed his way to the front, pushing out other students of the way. He wasn’t going to wait any longer. When he reached the front, he scanned through the names on the board.

“1. Melissa Bear, 2. Henry Jenkins, 3. Andrew Bennet, 4. Shane Lincoln ...” Shane didn’t even bother to read any further. He realized that the learners in the top ten all had an average of about 90 percent.

Shane immediately ran over to Andrew, who was still standing around and biting his nails. He could see that his friend was worried to death, but still Shane decided to play around with him.

"I just came from the board and I'm sorry to say, but you scored outside the top ten," Shane teased Andrew.

Andrew fell to his knees and almost let out a loud cry when Shane took his hand and put it in front of his mouth. He really wanted to see Andrew cry, but even he knew that would have been too much.

"Can't you take a joke? By some miracle you managed to beat me yet again," Shane said as he sighed. Andrew didn't even have to bother asking if he passed because he knew that if he beat Shane, then he must surely be in the top 10. That meant he had an average of at least 90 percent, after all Shane was not an average student.

"Tell me the by how many positions did I beat you?" Andrew asked as he looked at Shane with puppy dog eyes.

"I managed to get fourth position, while you just scraped into the top 3," Shane said as he smiled. He wanted to be in the top 5 for a change, but it was never his intention to score first. There were too many hassles involved, with students drooling over other students because of an academic mark.

Shane felt that as long as he was not outside the top 10, but not first, he would be given a pass by everyone around him as well as his parents and teachers.

"Let's go celebrate at the gaming arcade right now. My treat," Andrew suggested. Who would have guessed that just a few minutes ago he was ready to cry in front of the whole class like a baby? Shane made sure to remind him of that.

"If I was you, I wouldn't have said a word. Like always you couldn't break the top 3 again," Andrew said as he retorted. Shane laughed at him because it was good to hear that Andrew didn't lose his sense of humor.

"Let's just go and play a few games for today. You know from tomorrow we can start expecting our acceptance letters from the colleges we applied to," Andrew said. Shane nodded. He and Andrew both applied to Cornell University. Shane wanted to study Computer Science, while Andrew had his heart set on biomedical engineering from a very young age.

Shane also applied to Sommerset University, because that was one of the universities that Maddie applied to. He still had his heart set on following her, but he didn't reveal this to Andrew. It was the one secret he kept from his friend.

"Let me first go home and tell the folks. They didn't show it this morning, but I'm sure they couldn't sleep last night at all," Shane said. He told Andrew that the two of them could meet later at the gaming arcade. Andrew was too happy to refuse. He didn't plan on going home just yet. After all, there was a lot of celebration to be done.

Shane said goodbye to his friend as both of them went their separate ways. Shane wasn't as excited as Andrew because he didn't expect to fail. He knew from the beginning that he would pass. He just prayed that two or three students, including Andrew, would get more than him.

Shane really disliked the spotlight, that is why he spent most of his life as just an average boy making his way through high school. He had two or three girls approach him during his five years of high school who confessed their love to him, but he gently rejected their advances. He had his eye on one girl and he wasn't about to compromise.

That was also his fatal flaw. He never had any courage to ever go over to Maddie and tell her about his feelings for her. He knew that she was out of his league, but it didn't hurt to fantasise about her every once in a while.

Shane arrived at home and his mother and father were sitting on the porch in front of their home. They impatiently waited for Shane to return and when they saw him, they tried to act as natural as one could. Shane could see their were anxious to know how he did.

When they left school, every learner had to pick up their statements of results from their classes and Shane hid his behind his back. He tried his best to put up a sad face.

When his parents saw his dejected look, his mother ran up to him and hugged.

"I'm proud of you no matter what. You cannot let a bad rapport card bring you down," Sheridan said softly. Shane could see her wipe a tear from her eye. His father was disappointed too, but he tried his best to remain stoic. Shane walked over to him and handed over his statement. Brian opened it, without expecting too much, but to his surprise, the more he read, the wider his smile grew.

"Honey, inside the house right now. You can go get it," Brian said as he looked at his wife. There was tears in his eyes. Sheridan immediately understood what her husband meant.

She went inside the house and grabbed a small box which was wrapped in paper. She smiled proudly as she handed the box over to her husband .

"Don't you ever dare scare me like that again," she said angrily as tears filled up her eyes. She looked at her husband as he gave the present to his son.

"You really did us proud there, Champ," Brian said with a face full of pride.

"Me and your mother decided that since you gave your all, we should reward you for your hard work. And just a disclaimer, you are not allowed to refuse or reject this present."

Shane knew how sincere his father was and he gladly accepted the gift. He slowly opened the box and when he saw what was inside, even he started to tear up.

Inside the box was a key to the 2016 model Honda Accord. Shane knew just how much that car meant to his father, yet he decided to give the car to his son. That was something he couldn't put a price on.

"I guess it is finally time for us to admit that you have become a man. Now, it is time for you to pave your own way forward. I knew that you would make us proud, so please accept this gift from us," Brian said.

Shane was aware of the financial problems that his family was going through, but they still decided to give him the car. It was a prized possession that his father only drove occasionally, since he used the truck for most of the days when he could still work. He knew that rejecting them, would be an insult.

"Thank you very much. I promise not to disappoint you," Shane said.

Thereafter, the three of them went inside the house and enjoyed the feast that Sheridan prepared for them. Shane knew that despite the problems that they face, he couldn't have asked for better parents than the ones he had.

He was truly blessed.