James: I don't regret anything.
He looked up with a smile. In front of him, all his classmates were exhausted, holding notebooks. Incredibly, even Jack's hair was slightly messy.
Jack: "I don't understand," he said in a whisper.
Luke, for his part, gave him a murderous look, while Ian managed to smile nervously at everyone's gaze.
Ian: "Oh, we're famous singers! Studying for a...!"
Hans: "In the end, even this doesn't matter. We can fail and people will still love us."
Luke and Jack glared at him.
Hans: "Okay, okay, apparently both twins really want that damn approval."
James: "Come on, if we can prove we're more than just songs and albums everywhere, we'll be more recognized than we think."
Luke: "You've got to be kidding."
James: "Get educated, idiot!" - threw a notebook at his head, which sparked a notebook battle between all the members, except for Jack and Rowen.
Jack: I'd better...
Rowen: Are you done? - although he'd said it very quietly, everyone suddenly fell silent, frozen in their positions.
Ian: Anyway - he sat down on the couch, still holding the half-crumpled book.
Half an hour later.
Ian: Did anyone get a grade 6 in geometry?
Jack: 7
Ian: I guess thanks.
The doors swung open, revealing the last person everyone wanted to see.
Richard: Young people, more books.
Everyone stared at him until he finally left, only Hans, exhausted, leaning back with his book open to his face.
The next morning, entering the school.
Hans was handing out signatures, photos, and autographs.
James: You completely forgot what we studied yesterday, right?
Hans: We studied yesterday?
Hans just slapped his forehead and left the room. He approached the only other person in the room; Luke and the others were signing autographs.
James: So... you pass?
Rowen: No.
James. Hahaha," he laughed, but the next second he fell silent. "So did I."
...
Rowen: What do you want to do?!
James: Come on, it's a reward for our efforts.
Luke: We deserve it.
They both looked at him tenderly, to which Rowen just walked away, confused.
Rowen: No way.
Jack: Neither of them approved, I support it.
James put his arm around the leader's neck, who of course was holding back the urge to hit him.
James: Don't listen to him, you disapproved too. - He said the last part in a whisper just for Rowen, and Jack walked away, already knowing what was coming.
...
King: 16, I'm not that bad, how about you, Nolan?
Nolan: Same.
He spotted the six boys talking, the one who was feeling the worst was James.
King: "Hey! Jack! How much?!" he shouted, referring to the exam.
Jack turned his gaze toward the two talking to him. What almost no one noticed was that Luke looked directly at King, who returned a seductive look; only James saw it.
Jack: 18.
King and Nolan approached, but King couldn't take his eyes off Luke.
- "So...what did you fail the class with?" He referred directly to Luke, who was just holding back the urge to hit him.
- "Oh, you want to fight?"
- "I think...last time we made it clear who was in charge."
Rowen: "Are you here just to bother me, or do you have something else to say?"
King turned to Rowen, who continued to look at him seriously.
King: Just...saying hello to old friends, but hey, it was a pleasure. It's a shame you have such a talented band and don't realize it.
Ian: If you're referring to Jack...
Jack: I'd be eternally grateful if you didn't mention me.
King: Okay," he turned around. "Jack, if you change your mind, my offer still stands."
After they left, the six of them fell silent.
James: And this silence? Who died?
TO BE CONTINUED