Final Exam by Rob Astor (free novel 24 .TXT) 📕

He wore brand new red and black high top sneakers, like those given to him on his last birthday. Xack also wore white swim trunks, socks, and a white button down shirt. Around his neck was a gold chain with a ring.
A celebration was in progress on the beach. For him. A white banner with cheery blue letters read, “Welcome Home Xack”. Family and friends had gathered. There was food, drink, and a vanilla sheet cake waiting to be cut into neat little squares.
Many of the things Xack was slowly forgetting in the time since he’d left home were coming back. Watching everyone, details returned. At the end of the table was his dad, Andrew Kydd, although Xack never remembered anyone addressing him so formally, ever the consummate salesman. Andy had shaggy brown hair and thick glasses. His ever-present smile was capable of lightening every dull mood. Andy was dressed in khaki shorts, deck shoes and a white Polo shirt. Smiling, Xack thought he must have been trying to unload some sale priced jetskis, or possibly some four wheelers.
Moving with grace and elegance, Xack’s mom Caroline chatted with many of the women, as happy as if she was attending some grand ball. Carol wore a bright sundress. She made subtle gestures with her arms. Xack had forgotten how beautiful he always thought she was. Mom always was angelic.
Uncle Mike, with his wavy brown hair and handsomely sculpted face, sipped from a bottle of beer, turning ribs over on a grill. He wore a red baseball cap, denim pants and a t-shirt. Xack always liked how casual his uncle was, from dress to mannerisms. Uncle Mike was a brotherly contrast to Xack’s dad. Xack wished he’d come home on a hyperpulsion jetski. Uncle Mike would’ve had a blast.
A spirited game of volleyball took place on the sand. Still eating, Xack’s attention was drawn to his two brothers. Xack was the youngest of three. The middle brother, Tandem, pranced around in victory, his arms raised in the air. He was the family jock, the apple of his father’s eye. Xack remembered the number of trophies Tandem collected for football, baseball, and track. Mussed brown hair often hid brown eyes. Strong and lean, Tandem wore only a pair of red swim trunks.
On the opposing team, the eldest brother, Logan, clearly wasn’t impressed with being beaten by Tandem. Logan knew he was the best and often exerted a pack-like mentality towards his brothers. Of course, he himself was the alpha male. Logan took up the sports Tandem engaged in. He failed to bring home the same number of awards. Filled with angst, he readily looked forward to leaving for college later in the year.
Xack remembered happier times, in the distant past. He recognized and remembered Logan’s constant glowering. Logan’s angular face was framed with brown-rimmed glasses, his short blonde hair curling and spiking over a scowling expression. Logan wiped sand from his white t-shirt.
In spite of Logan’s attitude, Xack was home. He’d never felt so good. He might be at the bottom of the food chain in his family, but Xack was content.
Cautious footsteps sounded on the wooden dock. Xack turned, seeing a young woman approach. Self-consciously, he put the rib bone on his paper plate and wiped his hands with a picnic napkin.
Jessica was as pretty as he remembered. Almond hair flowed over her bare shoulders and back. Jessica’s ears jutted out slightly, accented with small dots of gold and diamonds. Large, languid brown eyes were capable of seeing directly into a person’s soul. Her soft, creamy face expressed happiness. Jessica’s chin formed a triangle under her rose petal lips. She held a small plastic box in her left hand.
“You’re so quiet.” Jessica’s voice sent shivers through him. Xack’s stomach started turning flip-flops. “Don’t you even want to be part of your own party? I have this whole camera full of pictures to use up.” She smiled, raising the hand holding the disposable camera.
Xack grinned, chuckling uneasily. “I wanted to stand back for a second. To take everything in.”
Jessica drew close, pinching Xack’s left cheek playfully. “Who knew you could be so deliciously cute and sentimental all at the same time?” She smiled, a dazzlingly brilliant white smile.
Giggling, Xack blushed. “It’s just that I haven’t seen everyone in so long. I kinda wanted to frame it in my mind or something. I really want to remember it.”
“You’ll get a set of pictures.” Noticing the necklace, Jessica reached forward, fingering Xack’s ring and the glittering blue tinted diamond. “Ooo, you have a girlfriend now?”
Giggling at the observation, Xack nearly blushed. “No. This was given to me as a gift. The diamond came from Neptune.” His crush on Jessica had never faded.
“Neptune? What kind of drugs are you doing?” She smiled.
Xack forced a chuckle. In this reality, there were no aliens to mine diamonds from the gas planets. He kept forgetting not to talk about that part of his life. Biting at her lower lip, Jessica’s eyes twinkled. “Do you still walk on your hands?”
Xack grinned. He bent over, placing his palms on the dock. Lifting himself up, Xack’s legs dangled over his head. Jessica laughed some as Xack walked around the dock upside down. He smiled at her, turning at the end to make his way back. “I can still juggle, too.”
“A regular court jester. I always wanted to do that kind of stuff,” she said.
Returning, Xack flipped over on his feet. “Now that I’m back, I can teach you.”
She smiled warmly. “I’d like that.” Jessica folded her arms around him. Her embrace was gentle. Warm. Xack hugged her, smelling her perfume, feeling her breasts pressed against him. “It’s good to have you back,” Jessica said. She pulled back with a smile, ruffling Xack’s ebony hair. “So, when did you start doing all these red highlights?” Nervous energy caused him to chuckle and his face to brighten. “It’s so cute how you get all embarrassed so easy,” she teased.
“You like it?”
Before Jessica could answer, heavy, thudding footfalls sounded on the dock. They turned to see who was coming.
Expression stern, Logan assessed the situation. Tandem was right behind him. “Getting reacquainted, I see.” Logan’s tone was sour.
“I had to come over and see your precious baby brother.” Jessica said it almost baby talk-like, pinching Xack’s cheek again. Xack’s eyes rolled as he chuckled nervously and blushed. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen him.”
“Looks like the same little runt to me.” Logan leaned his back on the rail across from the pair, Tandem quietly positioned to the side. Tandem was the tallest of the three at six feet four inches. Logan stood six feet tall. Xack always felt dwarfed by them at a mere five foot six.
Logan’s remark dampened Xack’s mood. “Lo, that’s not very nice.” Jessica tried to scold him. She smiled, eyes lowered from making direct contact to Logan’s
“Punish me later.” Logan smiled at her, clearly flirting. She returned the smile, eyes meeting his.
Quickly sliding between Jessica and Xack, Logan put his right arm around Xack’s shoulder. “He’s used to it, aren’t you, short stuff?” Logan poked a finger in Xack’s armpit, making Xack yelp and twist.
Tandem laughed, coming to Xack’s other side. His left arm came around Xack’s head, turning him into Tandem’s armpit. Xack coughed and gasped from the smell, Tandem giving him nuggies. Xack fought to pull away.
“Xack, you’ll have to explain the Neptune thing to me. You two. Don’t beat him all up in one day.” Jessica walked back toward the beach.
“Tandem....” Xack gasped. “Quit. You need a shower!”
Logan and Tandem laughed. “I think Xackster needs a cold bath,” Logan said. “What do you think?” He kept tickling Xack under the arms.
Tandem agreed with a big smile. “He was really turned on.”
“Stop it!” Xack was gasping, laughing and fighting for air. “Lemme go!”
Letting Xack’s head free, Tandem quickly hooked Xack’s legs as Logan caught him under the arms. The older pair carted Xack down the dock. “Hey, no! Don’t!”
Xack’s protests came on the heels of the memory of the last time this had happened. He was talking with Jessica at his birthday party, wearing his band new sneakers. Logan and Tandem dumped him into the pool. Xack was upset, thinking his shoes were ruined.
At the end of the dock, Tandem and Logan began swinging Xack toward the water. “C’mon, you guys!” He might as well have not said anything. It would have done as much good.
For a second, Xack was airborne and weightless. He landed with a splashing crash in the water, surrounded by a million little bubbles. Swimming with his big shoes on was difficult, but he managed to surface in short order. Xack looked up at Lo and Tandem, laughing at him and pointing, right before they pummeled him with cannonballs.
In spite of the bad memories the tormenting had marked on him, Xack laughed. Logan and Tandem would never change. Being in their company after so long made their behavior tolerable.
Pulling himself up to the dock, Xack stood in a puddle of water, dripping. Tandem followed, Logan taking up the rear. “Isn’t the little baby gonna cry that his shoes are all wet and ruined?” Tandem imitated Jessica’s baby-like voice. Clearly, Tandem remembered Xack’s last birthday. Logan doubled over in laughter. Xack’s face twisted, suggesting he was above such immaturity.
In an act of newfound kindness, Tandem put his arm around Xack. The wet trio walked back toward the beach. Xack’s shoes squished loudly, leaving wet footprints with every step.
* * *
Laptop opened between himself, Logan, and Tandem, Xack concentrated on the holographic Chess game hovering in the air between them. Several triangular shaped boards slowly rotated in the air, changing positions. Fully animated game pieces moved through input commands given by the players. One of Xack’s Knights galloped up to a Rook. It cleaved the castle-like structure with his flaming sword. “Got that Tower!”
Grunting, Logan countered by concentrating on working a Bishop into attack position. Xack laughed, tapping keys with alien symbols on the keyboard. With a calvary charge, all of Xack’s Pawn’s ran across the grid, leaping. The Bishop wore a shocked expression, as did Logan. “There goes your Pope!” Xack announced.
“You little cheater!” Logan picked up an empty pizza box and whacked Xack over the head. Xack simply continued laughing.
On another board, Tandem moved his King. From above that grid, Xack’s Pawns leaped over the side, deploying parachutes, easily overpowering Tandem. “Ha! One Emperor down!”
“Okay, I see how it is!” Tandem grinned, typing. In short order, a line of Tanks appeared. They fired, blowing holes through the grid and blasting various pieces into glittering fragments.
“You catch on quick!” Xack’s observation was a compliment.
Tandem’s Tanks managed to break through frontlines created by both Xack and Logan.