Raising Grades and Throwing Shade

It wasn't very often that Zack felt actually excited about something that was school related. Taking Woodshop and even Advanced Woodshop felt something different. But the subject was something to be shocking, even for him.

His history class would usually put him to sleep, just like it had the day Cody had reminded Mr. Dwosh about homework. Only his twin brother would remind a teacher of giving homework and not be thankful to not have it.

Ever since Rose Moseby had decided to visit her grandson, she had actually got him interested in a part of history. He remembered the hurt when he had seen the D on his paper. He had even tried, and it was the first time he didn't shorten a paper and was on paper for once. Usually, it was on a napkin covered in food.

He was so glad he had asked for Moseby's grandmother to attend detention with him. For one, Mr. Dwosh would regrade his paper. And another, he no longer had to do his week of detention, just for voicing his opinion. This was why he hated his teachers, but they never listened. And the moment that you proved them wrong, you were always the one punished. And yet they all adored his younger twin...

"Zack, I would like to apologize for not giving you a chance," Mr. Dwosh gave Zack back his paper. The D- that had been originally marked had been crossed out with a red pen and replaced with an A+. "A job well done, and I hope to see this kind of work in the future."

Zack made a low groan in his throat; this was why he hated when he did well on an assignment. Because then the teachers would expect that in the future and then be all disappointed when he would fail. It wouldn't be so bad if the classes were actually interesting, and he understood what they were saying half the time.

But he had been excited to show mom that day when he got home from his detention, which technically was cancelled earlier since Mr. Dwosh revoked it.

"Honey! That's great!" Carey said as she kissed her eldest son on the head. "How about we go to Cluck Bucket to celebrate?"

"Celebrate what?" Cody asked as he came out of his room to find Zack home early from his detention.

"Oh, hey, Zack. Thought you had detention."

Carey looked back at him, "did you skip detention?"

"No, I did not. Mr. Dwosh admitted that he was wrong and regraded my paper which includes revoking my detention," Zack cut in.

"That doesn't explain why we're celebrating..." Cody commented.

Zack took that as his cue and pulled out his remarked essay.

"Ta da!"

Zack already had the paper in a frame, showcasing his accomplishment.

"Wait you did better than me!?" Cody exclaimed when he saw the grade. "How is that possible? I did mine on Daylight Savings Time in 1942."

"Just admit it, little bro, I did better than you for once," Zack replied with a grin. He was actually prideful about it. He didn't really get prideful about how he did at school besides in Woodshop.

"All because the teacher thought you lied and made the entire thing up. And who's the nerd now? You even had it framed," Cody shot back.

Zack lost his grin at that. Sure, he had been teasing Cody before, but his brother's tone had been cruel and hateful. Was his younger brother really jealous all because he got a better grade than him? And it wasn't by much.

Cody always got A's on his papers and it was the first he time he got something a little higher than an A. It was an A+. And this was by no exception, Cody had gotten an A on his history paper.

"Cody, don't you think you can be happy for your brother?" Carey sounded exasperated.

"Sure…" he muttered sarcastically.

Zack let the frame drop onto the floor as he stomped off. Letting the glass shatter before the door slammed.

Carey gave a sigh before turning her attention to her youngest, "Cody, can you clean that up while I go find your brother."

Cody nodded, a wave of guilt hitting him because he knew he was to blame for that. He watched as his mom grabbed her purse and chased after Zack. All he could think was, what had he done?

Zack hadn't gotten too far by the time his mom had caught up to him. He didn't even really look at her.

"Sorry, mom…" he muttered.

"Come on, Zack. I promised you something from Cluck Bucket," she whispered in his hair.

"Without Cody?" Zack questioned as they left the doors of the hotel.

"I'm sure that your brother won't mind. This was for you, after all. And that will give him some time to think," Carey said, though the last part was more to herself.

Cody had brought Zack's mood down greatly, but it did cheer him up as his mom ordered what he wanted and her food as well. Though he didn't hear where it had been on the house, since London apparently now owned Cluck Bucket. He had been too distracted to hear about it.

Though he was still upset even after he ate his food and finished off the soda.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Carey asked as they left.

Zack stayed silent; a frown stuck in place of his usual carefree grin.

"I think I know… don't take your brother's words to heart. You did your best and I am so proud of you. I know that school doesn't come the easiest, but if you ever need help. Don't forget that I'm here to help you," Carey wrapped an arm around Zack in a tight hug.

"And you won't be disappointed if the next grade is a F?" Zack's voice was small, it was obvious something that had been bothering him. Not just because of brother.

"Zack, as much as I love seeing you do so well. I will be proud as long as you try your best. But I also want you to be proud of what you've done. So, how about we see what condition that frame is in and hang it up?" Carey comforted him.

"Sure, mom," Zack agreed.

Though when they got back to the Tipton and back to their suite, Zack went immediately to the room he shared with his twin. Missing the conversation between his brother and mom.

"I messed up, mom…" Cody admitted.

"Honey, you know how hard school is for Zack. I would think you would be more excited that he got a good great. And instead, you start a fight with him..."

"I know, mum." Cody frowned. "So how do I make it up to him?"

"Might help that you make something for him. Like his favorite food or actually spend time with him when he goes to the skatepark. Or something even better, how about you apologize to him. Just because you're younger doesn't mean he don't have feelings either."

"I fixed the frame," Cody muttered.

Carey nodded in approval, "it's a start but you need to remember that while you may be the more sensitive between you and Zack, his feelings aren't as concrete as you think. So, it would be nice to see that you give him support like you should have done today."

Cody nodded.

"And after you apologized, there is some food from Cluck Bucket on the table," she pointed to the nearby table.

"I missed it?!"

Carey nodded, "This was for Zack, remember."

Cody nodded before he darted to his room.

Zack had been digging through his stuff when Cody had come into their room, which made Zack look up.

"Hey, Zack… I fixed it for you…" Cody said, holding up the fixed frame.

"It's where it belonged… in the trash…" Zack muttered. Their mom's words had helped but he couldn't forget the venom in Cody's words when he realized he had done better on assignment than him. It hurt.

"I didn't mean any of it…" Cody apologized, begging for his brother to see reason.

"Course you did. Because it couldn't be possible that your dumb twin would have gotten a better grade than you. That I had to have cheated. I deserved that D and a week of detention," Zack muttered in bitterness.

"Zack! You're not dumb!" Cody denied.

Zack snorted, "you really expect me to believe that, or do you just call me dumb out of affection?"

Cody winced, "I never really meant that. I know that you get things differently than me. Woodshop and this proves it."

"If you didn't mean it. Then, why couldn't you actually be supportive for me for once? You already proved that I'm not as smart as you. Today just shows that you want to rub it in my face because I get a good grade for once. What makes this different the next time I do better on a paper than you?" Zack demanded.

"Because I will remember not to let my ego get in front of me again. It's always been hard to be compared to you. Everyone thinks of me as your nerdy brother but at least I had something I could do well in. You always been good at any sport that you did and even Woodshop. But you should be proud of what you have done. I may not have shown it before, but I am proud of you. Especially where you proved that you deserved that grade from Mr. Dwosh. But I was wrong to say that to you and let my jealousy get in the way. I know I don't do the best of showing it, but I do look up to you," Cody fiddling with his thumbs as he let go of all his insecurities

"I didn't— know—"

Zack brought Cody into a close but tight hug. When he let go, he gently took the framed paper in his hands.

"Maybe should ask mom to hang this up," Zack grinned at his brother.

"So, we're… okay?" Cody asked

"Yeah, nerd," Zack replied out of affection.

It made Cody grin as both of them walked out of their shared room.