Kilenya Series Books 1, 2, and 3 by Andrea Pearson

  Chapter 8. Silver Trees

  The next day, Jacob wandered into class forty-five minutes early, still trying to keep his eyes open. Matt had decided to continue driving Jacob to school, wanting to be around in case something happened with the Makalos.

  Mr. Coolidge was sitting at the edge of a desk, shuffling through papers. He looked up. “Ah, Mr. Clark. Here—you may start with this.”

  Jacob took the piece of paper and looked at it incredulously. “A test? You want me to take a test?”

  “Why, yes, I do. We need to find out why you’re always so bored in my class.”

  Jacob rolled his eyes and sat at his desk, pulling a mechanical pencil from his bag. “Scatter Plots” was the title of the test. Fifteen minutes later, he handed it back to Mr. Coolidge, who graded it on the spot.

  “One hundred percent.” He handed Jacob another test. “You’re not behind, at least.”

  Jacob looked down. Permutations. He finished it two minutes before the bell rang, folded it into a paper airplane, and threw it at Mr. Coolidge’s desk.

  Coolidge graded it right away, then glanced at Jacob, one eyebrow raised, ignoring the students who filed into the classroom.

  “I might’ve hated Mrs. Peterson’s class, but I didn’t fail it.”

  Mr. Coolidge set the paper aside and started class. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, he informed Jacob they’d be trying more difficult material the next morning.