Chapter 6: New Bond
879 Words
The next morning, the classroom buzzed with noise long before Mr. Benson arrived. Students leaned across tables comparing answers from the assessment while others argued over who probably scored the highest.
Damson rested his head against his palm near the window, barely listening.
The classroom door suddenly opened.
Mr. Benson walked in holding the remaining assessment scripts.
Almost immediately, the room quieted.
“These are the last papers,” he announced as he adjusted the stack in his hands.
“Samuel — 56%.”
A few students snickered.
“You can do better, Sam.”
Sam groaned dramatically from the back of the class, making a few people laugh louder.
“Jade — 84%. Very good.”
Jade grinned proudly before turning toward Damson with a smug expression.
Damson rolled his eyes slightly.
“Oh… the other twin. Jake.”
Jake slowly lifted his head.
Mr. Benson adjusted his glasses.
“You should ask your brother for some tutoring,” he said before handing him the script. “But you still tried. 60%.”
The class burst into soft laughter.
Jake looked like his entire future had just been destroyed in front of everyone.
“I’m a little disappointed, Jake.”
Jake immediately sank lower into his chair while Jade covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
After handing out the remaining scripts, Mr. Benson finally placed the empty stack onto his desk.
“Now then,” he continued, “after marking all the assessments, we can officially choose our Class President and Assistant.”
The room became noticeably quieter.
“Jackson Miller scored the highest with 98%. He will be the new Class President.”
The class clapped while quiet murmurs spread across the room.
Damson’s fingers tightened slightly around his pen.
Someone near the back whispered loudly enough to be heard.
“Damson finally lost his spot.”
A few students laughed.
“Quiet,” Mr. Benson said sharply.
The room fell silent again.
“Damson scored 94% and will be Assistant Class President.”
Damson forced a smile, but something about it looked fragile.
Beside him, Jackson noticed immediately.
Jake did too.
“So did Jade.”
“Both of you, come forward.”
Damson stood up slowly.
Mr. Benson pinned the badge onto Jackson’s blazer first.
Jackson barely reacted.
Then Mr. Benson turned toward Damson.
As his hand briefly touched Damson’s shoulder while adjusting the pin, Damson flinched slightly.
It happened fast.
Small enough that most people wouldn’t notice.
But Jackson did.
For a second, his eyes lingered on Damson quietly.
“There,” Mr. Benson said. “Congratulations.”
The class clapped again as they returned to their seats.
Later during break, Damson sat alone near the playground fence, staring absentmindedly at the students running across the field.
“You disappeared.”
Damson looked up.
Jake stood there holding two juice cartons.
“You looked lonely,” he said awkwardly before sitting beside him.
“I’m fine,” Damson replied automatically.
Jake handed him one of the drinks anyway.
“You know,” he said quietly, “Assistant Class President is still really impressive.”
Damson gave a small shrug.
Jake hesitated before speaking again.
“Then why are you hiding here alone?”
Damson looked away toward the field.
“I just wanted space.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jake moved closer.
His voice softened.
“You don’t always have to pretend you’re okay.”
Something in Damson’s chest tightened.
“I know how it feels,” Jake said quietly.
Damson immediately looked down.
His eyes burned.
“Thank you,” he whispered quietly.
Jake smiled again before quickly wiping under Damson’s eye with his thumb.
“Don’t cry too much,” he joked. “Jade would never let you recover from it.”
A weak laugh escaped Damson before Jake suddenly straightened up excitedly.
“I have an idea.”
Damson blinked. “What?”
“Tutor me.”
“What?”
“Hear me out first,” Jake interrupted quickly. “If you teach me Maths, I improve… and maybe you’ll stop looking like someone stole your soul this morning.”
Damson laughed quietly despite himself.
Jake pointed at him dramatically.
“See? It’s already working.”
Damson shook his head.
“Why not ask Jackson?”
Jake’s expression immediately changed.
“I tried,” he admitted. “He keeps telling me to study alone.”
He sighed dramatically.
“Which sounds very inspiring until you actually try doing it.”
“Arrogant,” Damson muttered quietly.
Jake chuckled.
“You seriously don’t like him.”
Before Damson could answer, the bell rang.
And together, the two of them walked back toward class.
- Writer
