When Noble Was Comforting
“Noble…”
“Yes, Felix? Is there something that I may help you with?”
“Listen, mate… What are we gonna do when school breaks?”
“I’m not sure as to what it is you’re referring, Felix. When school breaks, I’m going on holiday with my parents, and then you and I are going to the French coast for two weeks.”
“After that, though.”
“Are you really trying to have the ‘will we ever see each other again’ talk with me in the middle of our final History class, Sonderlei?”
“Don’t call me by my last name, mate. You make me feel inadequate.”
“You rather are. Inept, too.”
“What if we don’t get into the same university?”
“Why shouldn’t we? Our predicted grades are higher than our offers require of us.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Look, Felix… I know that you’re stressing about that B in Mathematics, but if you get an A in History – which you will, might I add – and only get a C in Mathematics, they’re bound to take you on regardless. Do you know how many people get an A in their History finals?”
“Uuh…”
“Last year, six-point-six-percent of blokes taking their History finals got an A, and approximately four-point-eight-percent of them did worse in the presentation than they did in their finals. You aced your presentation – you know you did. No one else in this school could possibly have recreated that pyramidal maze and all of the curses that went in with it like you did. The invigilator was blown away.”
“You weren’t even there.”
“No, I was not. I was there, however, for the dozens upon dozens of hours you spent researching, practicing and worrying. There’s no reason for you to worry about getting into university. Come September, we’re there together. Understood?”
“Yeah, Noble. Thanks, man.”
“You are such a girl at times, Felix. Of course we’re going to university together. Freshers’ Week wouldn’t be worth attending without you there.”
“We’re going to be living together.”
“Yes, well, there is always a fall after one reaches a high.”
“Hey!”
“Felix!”
“Mister Sonderlei! I will not hesitate to direct you to your very first detention if you do not cease setting Mister Dearing on fire!”
Pictured below: Margot Ann Chevalier (right) and Noble Dearing Junior
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