Chapter 6: The Test!
* Aria's POV*
I started my morning heading down to Riverdale High. I was skating down there with an egg sandwich in my mouth and headphones on blasting 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey at 7 AM. School was coming up in a week and I decided to have Dilton test me, and give it to Mr. Weatherbee, to see where I stand smart wise in this school. I always had a hard time in school because of the bullies and the fights and the teachers there call me 'Stupid' or 'An idiot' or something like that. I finished my food as I got up to the school. I didn't want Archie to wake up and bring me and I wanted to try to remember the fastest path here just in case. I stopped at the front steps, took of my skates and headphones, and started heading up to the science lab. * I hope Dilton doesn't mind this.* I thought as I continued through the halls until I arrived in the science area. When I walked in I noticed he was mixing a few components into a beaker. 'Knock Knock' I knocked gently as to not startle him like Archie did. "Huh?" He said as he looked up and saw me. "Hi." I spoke gently. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Oh Aria. Salutations. What brings you here?" I walked in and looked at him nervously. "Well….Um...C-can you...Test me? I mean not me me but my intelligence? I need to know my level to see if I am going to be put behind or stay in the grade I'm suppose to be in." I told him nervously. "Of course. I can help you out." He said with a smile and put down whatever he was doing and had me sit at a station. I smiled as he handed me a few papers on different subjects and told me I had a 'Generous' 2 hours to answer as much as I could. "Begin" He said starting a timer as I began.
* Dilton's POV*
I was in the school lab working on mixing different chemicals together. I wanted to see the reaction and side effects of a few things. * I probably could've waited but I'm a bit curious.* I thought when I suddenly heard two soft knocks from the door. "Huh?" I said as I looked up and saw Aria standing half way inside with shy eyes as she gently said "Hi." to me. * What's Aria doing here? Wow! She looks beautiful!* I thought as I looked at her. She was wearing long, fingerless, black gloves that stopped at her elbows, long black boots that went to her knees, light blue shorts with rips everywhere, the style I presumed, a white spaghetti strap tank top, that stops barely above the top of the shorts, with the words 'Dernière Danse' in black with purple and blue sparkles on it, silver hoop earrings to match. She had her hair put up in a ponytail and held there with a black ribbon and she wore eye liner. Angel wing or butterfly wing style I think the girls called it. All in all she looked stunning. * Quit staring and talk to her!* I mentally scolded myself as I started to speak. "Oh Aria. Salutations. What brings you here?" I asked her as she slowly walked in and looked at me nervously. * Why is she nervous? I'm the one that should be in front of a beautiful girl.* I thought. "Well….Um...C-can you...Test me? I mean not me me but my intelligence? I need to know my level to see if I am going to be put behind or stay in the grade I'm suppose to be in." She asked nervously. * Ah! Thats why.* I thought as I smiled at her. "Of course. I can help you out." I said and put down what I was doing and had her sit at a station. She smiled as I handed her a few papers on different subjects and told her she had 2 hours to answer as much as I could. It was a longer amount of time than needed but I wanted her to relax and not be as nervous as she was. "Begin" I said starting a timer as she began.
She was in deep concentration every time I would glance over at her from my experiment. * She's beautiful.* I thought with a smile before I shook my head. * What am I thinking? She's Archie's cousin. She might not even like me that much. And if she does? A friend most likely. She's probably into bad boys or jocks. They all are.* I thought as I looked at her again. * So beautiful though.* I thought as I got back to the beakers in front of me. It had been approximately 93 minutes before she tapped me on the shoulder. "Dilton?" I heard as I jumped a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you but I'm done." She told me as I smiled at her and stopped the timer. "Well then lets take a quick look ok?" I said in a question as she nodded nervously at me. I was looking at all the papers and was most amazed with the Math, Science, and History categories. Especially the science area. They were superb. * These scientific notes are just as amazing as mine. And the mathematics are PERFECT! Her history is almost as if she took it straight from the book.* I thought as I continued. Here English literary skills are nice. Her writing was smooth, perfect, flawless just like her skin. * Concentrate Dilton.* I mentally scolded as I continued. She seemed to not know much about Riverdale, which was no surprise, but the way she wrote things was almost poetically musical. Some vocabulary words were wrong here and there but other than that she was intelligent. She didn't know Spanish nor French well but that could improve easily and the physical area I cannot test on paper but all in all she was very smart.
"Well." I started as she looked at me nervously and hopeful. * Her eyes are so beautiful when they sparkle with hope. GAH! ENOUGH!* I thought as I continued. "Over all your very smart Aria. Intelligent in fact. I believe you will do just fine in your junior year. Actually I can talk to Mr. Weatherbee about putting you in an advanced math course we have here. In other words, Aria, You'll be just fine." I said with a smile as she suddenly sprung out of her chair and hugged me. "Wah!" I yelped as we almost fell. "Thank you SO MUCH! I owe you BIG TIME! You don't know how happy I am to know I'm not an idiot!" She said as I pulled her back and looked at her. "Now why on earth would you think your an idiot?" I asked her as she suddenly went wide eyed and looked away. "N-no reason." She said nervously again. I was about to question it when she looked at me and smiled. "Thanks Dilton. I Need to let my aunt and uncle know about this. Oh! And Archie too! Thanks again Dilton." She said as she gave me another quick hug and was out the door before I could even tell her 'your welcome'. * I wonder why she would think that?* I thought before shrugging it off and grabbing her test papers before bringing them to the principles office.
* Aria's POV*
Once I was outside the school I tossed the skates on and started to roller skate back home to tell everyone about me being smart. * They were wrong! Everyone at home was wrong! I AM SMART!* I thought as I rounded the corner. "OH CHEESE!" I screamed as I skidded to a stop I managed to stopped a foot in front of Veronica. "hey.~" she said. "Veronica! I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean to nearly ram into you." I told her. She just looked at me with a mean look before it went to a questioned one. "What's the hurry?" She asked as I told her that you would be in the same grade level as all of them and how you were happy about that. "Well, even though thats no excuse to nearly knock me over, lets go to the mall and celebrate." She said. You thought about it. * Well Uncle Fred DID start giving me an allowance and I DO need to get some decorations for my room.* I pondered but then agreed.
We got in her car and went to the mall. I was glad we got there in one piece. Veronica was a crazy driver. She wanted to buy clothes but I asked her if we could go in a store 1st so I could grab some new sheets, blanket set, and a few posters for my room and, lucky me, she agreed. When we got to the mall I got to pick up a BEAUTIFUL comforter set that was black and purple and the sheets I got were purple as well. We went into another shop that was a mix of clothes, jewelry, statues, and other stuff. Veronica was looking at the jewelry while I walked around. I stopped when I saw this throw blanket. It had a raven on it and a ribbon that said 'nevermore' wrapping slightly around the raven. I ended up buying it and using up a lot of my allowance already * But it's worth it!* I thought as I held the bag close. We went to a couple more stores and then stopped for a bit. We were ready to start when we suddenly heard a voice. "Hey girls." I rolled my eyes as we saw Reggie waving right at us.
He came straight up to me and wrapped his arm around both of our shoulders. "And what brings you lovely ladies here without a gentleman to escort you?" He asked as I rolled my eyes again. "If we wanted a gentleman I'd let Veronica borrow Archie and I surely wouldn't ask you." I told him as Veronica giggled. "Aw come on Doll Face. What do you have against me?" He asked as I replied with "Well your egotistical, possibly primeval, your Neanderthal-ish, prideful, and if I can think of anything else I'll let you know." as Veronica and I left. Unfortunately he didn't leave us alone. "Wow! Thats rude. You won't give me a chance. It's rather annoying really." He said. "And following us around and being, the mean and rude you, stating the obvious is not?" I asked. Man I was on a roll. "Well; Maybe a little. But still, you should give me a chance. You'd actually fall for me then." He said as I rolled my eyes. "Yeah Reggie. I'd fall for you. Fall into a coma over how rude and selfish you are." I told him in a harsh tone. I just wanted him to leave me alone already. "Honestly Reggie. Don't you understand to leave us alone?" Veronica asked. "Whatever! Your loss ladies." Reggie said as he went to bother some other girls. "Finally." I mumble as we continued on.
We came across a different clothing store and I saw a dress I liked but tried to ignore it. Veronica, on the other hand, noticed me staring at it. "Go ahead and try it on." She edged me but I told her that not only I didn't have the money but I wasn't going to wear it often. After a few minutes she dropped it and bought A LOT of clothes. When we were finished with the mall I asked her for a ride home and she gladly gave me one. By the time I got back home it was 4pm. "Thanks again Veronica." I told her as she said it was no problem. When she drove off I saw Archie at the front door looking at me. I smiled and went up to him and told him what Dilton had said. "Thats great! Glad to see you won't be held back!" He exclaimed happily. We went inside and I told my aunt and uncle about how I was smart and able to stay at my grade level. They told me they were proud of me. I went upstairs and set up my small amount of things and then went down stairs to watch some TV. Once it was 6 o'clock we had dinner. I then went upstairs and got ready for bed.