Tested

By Brad Davidson

“You have five minutes left.”

He didn’t care, and I knew it. With my life falling apart, my family on the brink, my future in doubt, all he cared about was that I finished the test. It didn’t even matter if the answers were right. In fact, he probably preferred if they were wrong, confirmation of what he already believed.

I exhaled and lowered my head.

I had tried this time. That’s what he didn’t understand. I had. But it’s hard to focus on quadratic formulas with parents shouting and dishes breaking. Hearts breaking. Me breaking.

“Time’s up, Chris. You’re done.”