The Test

...Sera grumbles to herself as she walks home from her tutor. She just got off the phone with her father, who reminded her that she wouldn’t be able to see her friends on Saturday if she didn’t pass her English test. ...

...Angela and John Worther, her mother and father, are very strict about grades. Adam, her older brother, is perfect in everything. He is popular, good looking, athletic, and smart. Sera can swear on her life that her father says “be more like your brother” twice a day. Why should she be like him when all he does is ridicule and make fun of her?...

...Sera jumpes when she feels something cold on her arm. Great, she thought, it’s raining, and she doesn’t even have an umbrella. This weather fit her mood perfectly. All the anger she is feeling is slowly followed by dread. Even though she studies every day and goes to a tutor, she has little understanding of any of the material. In fact, she has trouble in almost all of her subjects except math....

...Sera sighs when she hears the deep rumble of her brother’s truck. She looks at him and instantly knows he is in a bad mood. ...

...“Get in!” he snarls. “I should let you rot in the rain, but mom forced me to come get you. ...

...Sera scowls while putting her things in the truck. She would much rather walk home in the rain than ride there with him. He thinks he’s so much much better than her! If only her parents knew that instead of going to the library every Friday night, he was partying with his friends. ...

...When Sera gets in the truck she sees a girl in the back. Oh great, another one of his fan girls....

...“Going to the ‘library’ again?” Sera asks sarcastically. “They are going to find out eventually.”...

...“If you tell them you’re dead,” he says....

...“Like the would believe me anyway,” She remarks as he pulls into the driveway. ...

...Sera gets out before he can say anything else and walks inside her house. Thanks to her dad, her family is pretty wealthy. They have a five bedroom house with three floors. Her dad is the CEO of a business that manages things like shopping centers and gallerias across their country Japan. ...

...“Sera!” her mother calls, “get in the kitchen and set the table for dinner.”...

...“Ok mom,” she answers back....

...When Sera enters the kitchen, there is a faint smell of soup permeating the air. She grabs the silverware and napkins and starts setting the table....

...“How was school?” her mother asks....

...“Good” she answers dully. “Where’s dad?”...

...“In his office, he should be down when dinner’s ready. Until then go get your English books and study for your test....

...“Yes ma’am.” Sera sighs as she heads to her room. Her mom never asks Adam to study 24/7. She gets about five minutes into studying before closing the book in fustration. She spent ten minutes laying on her bed, and thinking about the boring weekend she’ll have after she bombs her test. Sera hears her mother call her name and assumes that dinner is ready. Time for her lecture from dad, she grumbles. ...

...Sera sees her father already sitting at the table when she heads into the kitchen. Her mom had already filled her plate, so she sits down....

“Were you studying?” her father asks.

...“Yes sir,” she replies. It isn’t a complete lie, but she still has to refrain guilt from appearing on her face. ...

...“Good,” he says. “You’ll never compare to your brother if you don’t study enough....

...Sera feels a retort building up, but holds it back. Think of seeing your friends on Saturday, she commanded herself. It takes all her effort to hold her tongue for the rest of dinner. Just as she is about to excuse herself, her mom tells her to wash the dishes. She knows it is useless to make excuses, so she starts washing the dishes as fast as she can....

...“I suppose Adam is at the library tonight. He’s such a good example. You ought to start going every week like he does, Sera,” my father comments....

...“Yeah maybe I should like he ‘totally’ does!” she snaps....

...Oh no, now Sera has done it. She watches as her father’s face changes from stern to indignant. ...

...“You will not talk to me with that tone of voice young lady!” says her father angrily. ...

...“I’m sorry I-,” she stammers....

...“Sorry doesn’t cut it!” he shouts.“In fact, you’re not getting by unpunished! I was giving you some grace by letting you hang out with your friends if you make a B, but now if you make anything below an A, there will be no friends for a month.”...

...“But dad!” she says indignantly....

...“But nothing!” he says. “Now go to your room!”...

...Sera storms upstairs fuming about their argument. She already had doubts about making a B, but making an A is out of the question. She might as well kiss a month of seeing her friends goodbye. She looks over at her notes sadly. Well, she should at least try to live up to her father’s standards. ...

...Sera starts to look over her notes over and over again. Before she knows it, it is midnight. She feels her eyelids drooping, and her mind wandering. It’s hopeless, she’ll never make an A on that test....

...* * *...

...Why is her pillow so hard? Sera sits up to discover she is on her desk. She must have fallen asleep while she was studying. When she looks at her clock, she let out a shriek. It’s 7:30 a.m., ten minutes before the bus arrives. She scrambles downstairs brushing her teeth and her hair at the same time. In the kitchen there are fresh biscuits on the table. She grabs one and runs out the door. ...

...Sera sees the bus pulling out and runs after it. Unfortunately, she is too late, and the bus driver doesn’t notice her. What is she going to do now? She is definitely going to arrive at school late. She remembers that there is a bridge for a train that goes over the river. It is the quickest way to her school on foot....

...The bridge is a kilometer long, and it doesn’t look that safe. Ther is even a sign that says “danger, do not cross.” She goes over it anyway, while trying to not look down towards the water. Every creaking noise that the bridge makes caused her to gulp. You’re almost there, she told herself. When she is a couple of steps away from safety, she takes a step blindly out of relief. That is a big mistake. Her foot lands on a nail, and she slips. The falling towards the water is almost in slow motion, but it goes by so fast. She collides with the water and hears distant yelling before sinking into nothingness....

...Character Description...

...Sera- light brown hair, blue eyes, stubborn...

...Angela Wother(Sera’s mother)- light brown hair, brown eyes, stern but kind...

...John Worther(Sera’s father)- gray hair, blue eyes, demanding...

...Adam Worther(Sera’s brother)-light brown hair, brown eyes, arrogant...

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