Three months ago
"Phil! Hey, Phil! Wait up!"
Phil paused in the hallway on his way to his next class and turned to find Joe running towards him.
"Yeah, Joe?" Phil asked.
"I need a big favor," Joe said breathlessly; he had run from the other end of the school to find Phil. "See, there's this big test this Friday in my chem class. I'm okay on facts and terminology, but the equations are throwing me for a loop. Can you help me?"
"I don't know," Phil replied. "I've got a killer essay due in English, and I need all the time I can get on it. How come you didn't ask Frank? He's pretty good with chemistry, too."
"He's been studying every waking hour for his history exam," Joe told him. "Please? It'll only be for an hour or so, till I get this stuff down. What do you say?"
"All right," Phil relented. "My house, seven o'clock. Don't forget your book."
"Yes! Thank you, Phil! I owe you one!" Grinning broadly, Joe turned and began to run for his next class.
" . . . governing the rights of the nationals, yet the symbolic representation-." Phil stopped and scowled, rereading the words on his laptop. "That sounds awful. God, at this rate I'll never get this done."
A soft knock on his bedroom door caused him to turn around. Joe was standing in the doorway, watching him.
"Your mom let me in," he said. "Am I disturbing you?"
"Nah," Phil assured him, gesturing for Joe to sit. "Just that stupid essay I told you about. Now, show me what you don't understand, and we'll go from there."
The two boys went over one equation after another, along with several constants. The hour passed quickly, but to Phil it seemed only like minutes.
"I think we should go over this a little more," Phil stated as Joe was packing up to leave. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Sure, but what about your essay?" Joe asked.
Phil shrugged. "I could use the break. See you in school tomorrow."
The study sessions continued for two more nights after that. It was apparent to Phil that Joe was making progress, but still needed more work, so the sessions grew to two hours. The two could also be seen at lunchtime going over practice problems that Phil thought up.
Finally, on Thursday night, they hit success. "Joe, I really think you've got it now!" Phil exclaimed as Joe finished a complicated problem. "You'll knock 'em dead on that test tomorrow."
Joe grinned. "I hope so, Phil. I really appreciate everything you did this week for me. I know you had other stuff to do. If you ever need anything, just name it."
"Forget it," Phil said as they stood. "What are friends for?"
"Phil?"
Phil's mother's voice called out again from downstairs. Phil went to his door. "Yeah?"
"Phone call!"
"Be there in a second!" Phil turned back to Joe. "Hey, good luck. See you tomorrow, all right?"
After Joe had gone, Phil went to his desk and picked up his phone. He began to speak when his eyes fell on something sitting on his laptop.
Questions from the tinny voice on the other end of the line fell on deaf ears. It was his essay, printed out and covered in red marks and suggestions. All in Joe's handwriting.
Mondays were always dreaded by the student population, especially by those expecting a major test or assignment to be returned. Phil, on the other hand, was anxiously awaiting his essay's grade.
Ms. Davis, his English teacher, passed back their papers just as the bell rang. Phil collected his books and went to get his essay. One look at the red letter at the top, and he was speechless. Tucking the essay into his backpack, he left the classroom.
"Phil!"
Joe ran up to him, waving a paper in the air. "I got an A!"
Phil smiled. "Congratulations, Joe! Er . . . so did I."
Joe's grin, if possible, grew even wider. "That's great! Way to go! Let's go celebrate after school, okay?"
With that, he turned and hurried off before Phil could question him about the essay.
