Reconnecting With Old Friends

Entering the house, Jake saw Sky in the living room watching TV. "Hey bro, welcome back." Sky said to Jake. "Thanks. You do know the examination is coming up right?" Jake asked. "Yeah so?" "Shouldn't you be studying instead of watching TV?" "I'll study when I wanna study, and shouldn't you be studying instead of going out with girls?" "Look who's talking, the player himself. Like you don't go out with every girl who asks you out." Jake retorted. "What can I say Jake? The girls love me, that's not my fault." "Whatever. Is dad home?" "Nope." "So you've been home alone all day?" Jake asked surprised. "Are you kidding? I can't stay home alone all day, the boredom would kill me. I actually just came back a few minutes before you came in." "Dad must have a lot of work to do. He's usually home by this time. Anyway, you had dinner yet?" "Yeah, I ate at Cole's house." Sky replied. "I'm gonna try to study a bit before going to bed. Are you going to wait up for dad?" Jake asked Sky. "Yeah."

After a quick shower, Jake brought out some of his notebooks and the handouts they had been asked to buy. Starting to read from the beginning of what he had been taught since he moved to Ansteria, Jake found out he was actually understanding what he was reading faster than he used to. Whenever he studied what he had been taught before, Jake used to have a hard time understanding the topics he was reading. He could spend days trying to understand one topic and it was thanks to his friend Adam that he and Ryan were able to pass the examinations, though Jake always did better than Ryan.

Now as Jake was studying, he was understanding it faster than before. 'Is it because the stat for my mental moxie is now sort of high?' Jake asked himself. 'Well this is great. This way, completing the studying quest will be a breeze when Cat gets here tomorrow and I'll be able to pass my examination with a better grade.' After reading for an hour, Jake was getting tired. "Man, reading sure does take it's toll on a person and I've only been reading for an hour. Hopefully with Cat's help, I'll be able to read for longer than that." Jake said to himself. After closing his books, Jake decided to give Ryan and Adam a call because he had only spoken to them twice since he moved in with his dad.

"Jake, old buddy. How have you been? " Ryan asked over the phone after the call connected. "I'm okay. Hold on, let me add Adam to the call." Jake added Adam to the call so that all three of them could talk together. "Hey Jake, what's up?" Adam asked immediately he was added. "I'm fine guys. How have you two been?" Jake asked both of them. "What can I say man? This place has been kinda boring without you." Ryan replied. "Seriously?" Jake asked surprised. "Na." Ryan answered laughing a bit. "Life is still the same. You know what? Adam even got himself a girlfriend." "Really Adam? You have a girlfriend?" Jake asked. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Is there a problem with that?" Adam asked. "No." Jake answered. "I'm just surprised. I mean, you were always the most uptight out of all of us. How'd you pull it off?" Jake asked. "Yeah Adam. Why don't you tell Jake how you got a girlfriend." Ryan chimed in. "Well," started Adam, "it took a lot of uh, courage, I had to uh, man-up and go for it." "What?" Ryan shouted, barely able to control his laughter. "Jake don't listen to this guy, I basically pushed him up to the girl. When I found out he liked her, you know I have a sixth sense for this kind of thing, I kept telling him to ask her out but he didn't listen to me. So one day in the school corridor, we were walking to class when we saw her at her locker, I had to push him to her to get him to talk to her." Ryan narrated. "Are you done?" Adam asked. "That took a lot of bravery, right Adam?" Jake joked. "Do not mock me." Adam replied. "What's her name?" "Jennifer." Adam answered. "How about you Jake, any girls yet? Or are you still mourning Gwen?" Ryan asked. "You know she's not dead right?" "Duh! But she's dead to Jake. So Jake, any girls?" "Just one." "Ooh. What's her name?" they both asked. "Her name's Catherine." "How beautiful is she?" Ryan asked in a hurry. "How's that your business? Whether she's beautiful or not is my concern not yours." "Come on man. A guy can't ask a question anymore?" Adam said to Jake. "Okay, she's very beautiful. That's all I'm gonna say." "But why?" Ryan complained. "I didn't ask if Jennifer was beautiful, did I? Anyway... "

After talking with them for a couple more minutes, Jake ended the call and dropped his phone on the bedside table. "Should I call Cat?" Jake asked himself as he was about to lie down. "She might already be asleep. Let me check." Grabbing his phone once again, Jake gave Cat a call.

***

*ring* *ring* Opening her eyes and stretching a little bit on her bed, Cat saw her phone ringing and picked it. "Hello?" she said. "Hey Cat. Sorry, looks like I woke you up." she heard the voice on the other end say. "Jake? Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?" "No no." Jake said hurriedly. "I didn't mean to wake you. I wanted to know what time you'll be coming to my house tomorrow." "That's the only reason you called me at this hour?" Cat asked smiling. "No. I also wanted to hear your voice, but I do want to know what time you'll be coming to my house." "I don't know. You'll know when you see me. Now go to bed, aren't you tired from all the moving around and shopping we did today?" "No, not really. It was fun." "Well I am. Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." "Okay. Good night Cat." Ending the call, Cat smiled and shook her head before dropping her phone and going back to sleep.

***

After the call ended Jake went downstairs because he heard the door open and his father was talking to Sky. "Hey dad. A lot of work to do?" Jake asked as he went down the stairs. "Yeah. Have you boys eaten?" "Yes." Sky answered. "I'm going to hit the sack after a quick shower. And Sky turn off that TV, it's late. Besides aren't you supposed to be reading for your examination?" Andrea asked. "Same thing I told him." "Why does everyone keep talking about that? I still have the whole of next week to study for it." "It doesn't mean you shouldn't start studying on time." Andrea said as he climbed the stairs. "Fine." Sky finally resigned, "I'll go study now."