Chapter 12 - NOAH GETS HIS FIRST NORMAL CONSEQUENCE
Rachel gave Noah a math test.
He had extra time.
Quiet seat.
Clear directions.
He left four problems blank.
Score:
74.
He frowned.
“My mom’s gonna say I was stressed.”
Rachel asked:
“Were you?”
“A little.”
“Did you need a break?”
“No.”
“Did you know the answers?”
“Not really.”
“Then we found what to study.”
Noah stared.
No drama.
No courtroom language.
Just math.
Then he said:
“Can I redo it?”
Rachel answered:
“Corrections for half credit.”
He groaned.
“That’s worse.”
“Probably.”
He smiled despite himself.
At home, Vanessa saw the grade.
She started an email.
Then stopped.
Why?
Because her attorney had warned that every new school complaint was now being scrutinized for source accuracy.
Fear of legal consequence?
Partly.
Then Noah said:
“I just need help with fractions.”
Vanessa looked at him.
Not traumatized.
Not collapsing.
Annoyed.
Normal.
May you like
She closed the laptop.
For the first time, she let a bad grade remain a bad grade.
