But It's Stupid – Thirteen – Freddie POV
The great thing about Cece being homeschooled was that we could monitor everything she did. That way, she could never doze off or be distracted by other students. However, somehow Cece always managed to forget that.
I walked into the living room, where she usually did her homework, at about noon. I found her laid out on the couch, her legs swung over the arm, watching Full House.
"Cece…" I started, confused.
"Uh-huh," she asked, nonchalantly.
"Where's your algebra schoolwork?"
She looked deep into thought for a minute and then remembered. "Oh! I didn't understand it, so I didn't do it."
"Cece!"
"What! The numbers jump around the page and confuse me!" she defended.
"Cece, you are so not blaming your dyslexia on this. Just admit you wanted to watch Full House and we can move on," I demanded.
"Fine, I just wanted to watch Full House."
"Okay, for starters, why? That show is from before I was born," I explained.
"Yeah, but all the TV shows today are about 'gettin wit da ladies'," she said in her gangster voice.
"Cece, TV off. Now," I commanded.
She groaned and clicked it off with the remote, sitting up on the couch.
"Do the algebra assignment."
"But it's stupid!" she complained.
"It is not stupid, Cece," I tried to reason with her.
"If it's not stupid, then how come I can't understand it?" she pointed out.
"Just do it," I begged.
"Dad, I seriously want to, but I seriously can't."
"Cece, don't make me bring in the enforcer," I said, referring to her mother.
"You wouldn't," she challenged.
"I won't, if you do your homework."
"I told you I can't!"
"Why not?"
"Because I don't know what X is!" she complained.
I clenched my hands together in impatience. "If I help you find X, will you do your homework?"
"YES!"
"Well, why didn't you start with that?"
"Because you never asked!" she smiled at how stupid this discussion was getting.
"What's all the yelling about?" Sam asked as she rounded the corner to the living room.
"Cece won't do her homework."
"I can't find X."
Sam turned to face me and gave me a bored look. "So help her find X!"
"See? Mom's on my side," Cece stated triumphantly.
"Mom is not on any sides," I clarified.
"Mom is standing right here and finds this conversation pointless," Sam said and grabbed the algebra book. She skimmed over the page. "X is 15, now do the homework," she said, putting the book back on the table.
"Thank you, mom," Cece said, turning her attention back to the book.
"Oh, don't put the emphasis on 'mom' like I didn't even try to help you," I smirked.
She looked up at me briefly. "Your words, not mine."
Sam giggled and disappeared back into the kitchen.
I took slow footsteps towards Cece. "Such a clever girl you are, Cece," I said slyly.
She put her pencil down and smiled at me. "Uh huh."
"Well, let's see you clever your way out of this one," I said.
"Clever my way out of what-" she started, but was cut off my fist giving her noogies all over her head.
She started laughing and giggling. "Stop it, stop it, stop it! Dad, stop it!" But her defenses only made her laugh harder.
"Say 'Uncle'."
"Uncle!"
"Say 'Uncle'!"
"Uncle!"
I let her go and she backed as far away from me as she could on the couch, trying to tame her hair back to the moderately messy way she had it. "So not cool," she stated.
I stood up and smiled. "Teach ya to be a smartass."
"Nyeh nuh nuh," she mimicked in her generic guy voice.
I smirked and walked back into the kitchen to help Sam with whatever project she was working on. But it wasn't long before the silence was broken.
"MOM? WHAT WAS X, AGAIN?"