The Calm before a Storm

  As the sun set, the two teenagers finished their studies and prepared to leave the library. Trent made his way home, but when he arrived, he found the door locked and no one inside. He asked the neighbors, but no one knew where his mother had gone. With no other option, he went to Barbara's house and spent the night there once again. The next morning, he woke up determined to find his mother and figure out what had happened.

*Maverick Central High*

The intercom crackled to life and the voice of Mrs. Madris, the principal, filled the room. "Attention, students! We will be holding a special test today, unlike any other. There will be three stages to this test: knowledge, fitness, and brain exercise. The knowledge portion will be a traditional multiple-choice test. The fitness portion will consist of a series of competitive sports matches between the 4th grade classes. The brain exercise portion will include games such as chess, crossword puzzles, and other mentally stimulating activities.

The students in the hallway began to talk among themselves, some excited and others not so much. "A test involving sports? That sounds like fun!" one student said. "I'm not very athletic, though," another student responded with a frown. "I'm not a fan of crossword puzzles either," another student added. "But what about chess? I love chess!" someone else exclaimed. The chatter continued as everyone wondered what the test would be like.

Trent turned to Barbara and confided, "I'm not a fan of this new test format. I'm not very athletic, and the idea of competing in sports doesn't sound appealing to me." Barbara teased, "So you're saying sports is a waste of time?" Trent rolled his eyes and grumbled, "You know that's not what I meant!" Barbara laughed, enjoying the banter between them.

"I know, I know," Barbara said, still chuckling. "But you have to admit, it's a bit funny that you're not thrilled about the sports part of the test." Trent couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I guess it is a bit funny," he admitted. "But at least I'll have fun with the brain exercise part. It's not every day you get to play chess and solve crossword puzzles in school." Barbara nodded in agreement. "That's true.

"Hey, remember what I told you yesterday?" Barbara asked, her tone serious. Trent furrowed his brow, trying to recall the conversation. "You mean, about speaking with my mom and giving her a chance?" he asked. Barbara nodded, and Trent continued, "You know I don't know her well about but I'll go home today after school and see how it goes." Barbara smiled, appreciating that Trent was willing to give it a shot.

Barbara's smile faded as she asked, "So that means you won't be staying at my place tonight?" Trent shrugged. "I guess not," he replied. "Hooray!" Barbara exclaimed with mock enthusiasm, causing Trent to roll his eyes. "Hey, don't be like that," she said, elbowing him playfully. "I was just teasing you. You know you can always stay with me if you need to, but you snore loudly twigs." Trent gave her a look of mock annoyance, but he couldn't help but smile.

The sound of the school bell filled the air, signaling the start of the school day. Just as Trent and Barbara were about to part ways, they were approached by Mrs. Madris, the principal.

"Trent Galkin?" she said in a stern tone. "Y-yes, that's me," Trent stammered nervously. "I need to see you in my office," Mrs. Madris said, her expression growing more annoyed. Barbara whispered to Trent, "You're so dead." Trent gulped, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Trent took a deep breath and headed towards the principal's office, feeling like he was walking to his doom. Meanwhile, Barbara headed to class, a mix of worry and amusement on her face. She couldn't help but wonder what trouble Trent had gotten himself into this time.

The principal's office was located on the first floor of the school, in a block that was off-limits to students and most staff. Only a select few were allowed in that area, either for meetings with the principal or if they had official business to attend to. The first block was cordoned off from the rest of the school, so access was tightly regulated. You needed a specific badge to get in, and even then, you were only allowed to go to the principal's office or another approved area.

"Trent Galkin," the principal called out again, causing Trent's heart to skip a beat. He took a deep breath and responded, "Yes, ma'am?"

"You have a visitor," she said, her face breaking into a smile.

Trent let out a sigh of relief. "You had me worried for a second there, Mrs. Madris," he said, chuckling nervously. "I thought I was in trouble."

"Don't worry, I was just putting on a tough act," she said with a laugh. "Your visitor is in the next room.

As Trent entered the room, he saw a young woman standing there, her back facing him. As he drew closer, he could make out the silhouette of a familiar figure. His heart skipped a beat as he realized who it was. "Mom?" he called out, his voice shaking with emotion. The woman turned around, a smile lighting up her face. It was indeed his mother, Diane. She rushed over to him and gave him a big bear hug.

Diane released Trent from her embrace, but held his face in her hands. "I'm so sorry for everything that's happened," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "I know losing your father was hard, and I never meant to cause you any more pain. I know I haven't been the best mother, but I want to make it right." She pulled Trent in for another hug, holding him close. "I don't want to lose you too," she whispered, her voice quivering.

"I understand, mom," Trent said, his voice soft. "I'm sorry for running away. I know it must have been hard on you, and I didn't mean to add to your pain. I just needed some time to figure things out." Diane's face softened, and she gave him a tender smile. "I understand, sweetheart.

As they sat down and talked, Diane shared more details about her and Trent's father, Alexander Galkin. "Alexander was a soldier, and he died in the line of duty, protecting his country," she said, a sad smile on her face. "I know you never celebrated your birthday, because it was the same day he died. I'm sorry I never explained it to you before. I didn't want to cause you any more pain."

Trent listened intently, taking in all the information. He felt a mix of sadness and pride, knowing his father had given his life for something he believed in.

"Ugh... Mom, I came looking for you yesterday, but you weren't at home. Where were you?" Trent asked.

Diane remained silent and fearful. She was hesitant to reveal anything about her health issues, especially her heart condition.

"Mom?" Trent called, growing uneasy with her silence. In an attempt to reassure him, Diane finally responded, "I went to a friend's place. She just delivered a baby." She tried to force a smile, but Trent remained unconvinced, sensing that something was amiss.

Just then, the door opened and Mrs. Madris, the school principal, walked in. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but the test is about to start," she said to Trent. Trent nodded and waved goodbye to his mother. "I'll see you at home," he said with a smile. Diane returned the wave, feeling a sense of relief that he hadn't pushed her further about her health. She wished him luck and watched as he left the room.

Diane turned to Mrs. Madris, "Thank you so much for allowing me to talk to my son," she said gratefully. Mrs. Madris smiled back at her. "Of course, I'm happy to have been able to help." With that, they both left the room. Diane felt a sense of relief and gratitude as she headed home.