Be Quiet

Chapter Nineteen

I laughed slightly turning over on my bed on the phone. "I just don't know how he got that score,"

"Maybe he just cheated," Billie suggested.

"There's no way he could've cheated. Y'know how strict they are in even little tests. Everyone's phones was in their bags, our bags weren't with us-"

"-Maybe he didn't put his phone in his bag?"

"Maybe... but still, it would have been obvious to spot if he was on his phone,"

"Are you sure you're not just angry about how high he scored because of your test results?"

I breathed out. Sitting up. "Maybe I am,"

"A-"

"-But I just don't understand how he doesn't know anything he's doing when he's teaching me things. I know everything he's trying to tell me is wrong. At this point I'm tutoring him. But he still got ninety two and I got...."

"....thirty six?"

"Thirty six. Y'know- it's just not fair. I put so much effort into showing everyone I wasn't stupid, and now I've came up showing them exactly what they thought,"

"You're not stupid. A test result doesnt determine your smarts. Besides, you still got the CD?" He reminded.

"It wasn't just for the CD Billie. I wanted to give you something into proving I wasn't a lost cause. I wanted to do it as a big fuck you to everyone who thought I was,"

"I know Mal-"

"-You don't,"

"I do, trust me on that I do,"

I took a deep breath in. Asking. "How?"

"You don't think I was the same? I want to help you so much because I know how shit it feels when everyone thinks you've got no potential. I reminded you how much I knew you could do these things because that's what I needed," He explained, very very briefly.

The line was quiet as I took in what Billie said. "So what were you like in school?"

"Well..." He started. "I can't even describe in a better way than like you. Just getting into trouble for the hell of it. It's fun until everyone wants you to start getting serious,"

"Did you?"

"Wanna know a secret?"

I smiled against the phone. "Go on then,"

"I dropped out,"

"What!?"

"Jeez! Don't have to deafen me!"

"So you dropped out but I can't!?"

"I dropped out for my band!"

"And you were still successful!"

"Are you in a band!?"

"Are you!?"

He went silent one. I waited patiently for him to answer being still, even with movement, for a few second before I thought he might've hung up.

I checked the phone, no. He was still there. Just very quiet. "Billie Joe?"

"Can I tell you another secret?" He laughed slightly.

I scrunched my nose, furrowing my eyebrows confusedly. "Another one?

"Yeah,"

"Okay... lets hear it,"

"Y'know the CD I gave you?"

"Thats the secret?" I asked defeatedly.

"No- Mallory. Be quiet,"