Predicamental Upperclassmen || Luis Mendoza

Chapter 27

November soon ended and December rolled around. The next few weeks were less than benevolent. As we were given the last pieces of paperwork and projects to finish up the semester, I got more and more packed. It wasn't until after our last unit tests that we went back over what we learned in August. Going back and refreshing over the beginning already put a huge weight on my shoulders, and review over past unit after past unit just did nothing but add to said weight.

Me and Luis saw each other a little less around this time for even over the weekends, we were busy with exam reviews and test guides. So, that meant we couldn't hang out like we wanted. On some weekdays at first, his aunt wanted him to come home after school to concentrate on his reviews instead of heading over to my house, but Luis had told her that he'd rather study with me. So SOME weekdays he was allowed to come to my house.

Exams didn't take long to get here at all and the day after we would take them, I got super nervous. My stress had done wore me out, but not heavily because I was learning to control it better as well as my anger, which I had only felt rarely thanks to counseling. We had 5 straight days of finishing our exams. A day for each period. The other classes were fine, but math was a little longer for me. When the day of that exam was done and mostly everyone else had finished, I was given another opportunity after all the days were up to finish it during the last 4 days of school. Music's exam wasn't really nothing but a performance again. We had to perfect our posture and our parts. I guess I sung my alto part pretty well.

Before long, the very last day of school approached which was a half day for us. Around 11:30 am, we were set free. I wished all of the rest of the ducks an amazing Christmas break and promised some of them I would contact them if given the chance. I go with Luis to his car since he had took us to school that day so I wouldn't have to drive. We get in and drive home to his house. I tilt my body back and throw my head upwards.

"FINALLY!!! ALL THIS BULLSHIT IS OVER!!!", I shouted as loud as I could.

Luis just let out a quiet snigger, "at least for two weeks before we have to go back and do it all over again for 5 more months."

"Shut up, don't spoil the moment", I snap at him jokingly.

"It's the truth", he spoke up again, "but I can't wait to see what this Christmas break of ours will be like." He smirked over at me lovingly.

"I'ma let your lil ass know right now: if you try to make up any excuse like 'how about we move the mistletoe over the bed' or sum shit like that-"

"I'm not, I'm not", he promised, "we were so close to me getting my PERSONAL Christmas dinner meat into your OWN oven, I'll tell you that."

"Well, my OVEN is broken and unusable this year, so your meat is gonna have to sit out and not go in."

"That's okay, baby. We ain't gotta sneak nothing this year. Plus, I don't feel like damn near getting caught again. Like seriously, hard to believe your little cousin still fell for that lie when she walked in on us kissing and cuddling and you said you were lying on me because you were looking at something in my eye trying to get it out."

I just laughed at the memory as we continued home. "I hope she forgot about that......"

On the 21st, 4 days before Christmas, me and some of the ducks were chilling over at Luis' house for his 17th birthday. We played games, had cake, played more games and told jokes about funny moments they had at games and practice as well as outside of the two. When the party was over and everyone else left, I sat with Luis on the couch.

"Here", I said taking out a small white box with a blue bow on it, "I figured I saved the best gift, well at least the best in my opinion, for last."