Why? Well it was easy the moment I saw the pages writing. All this writing that was in his test paper. It started off neat, but down the pages began to slop to the side. Floating or falling off the lines. The signature circled for the dots of the letter i's. This was Mallory's hand writing... this was Mallory's test.

"Billie? You there?" Mallory spoke through the phone.

I felt frozen. There was anger, pity, guilt all bubbling through me. They mixed together all at once and turned into nervousness as I stuttered out a sentence back. "I- well- I'm here- still... But- well- I have the- the test and-"

"-Billie Joe are you feeling okay?"

I felt all this rage inside of me towards Tyler. The preparation this must've taken. The planning, timings, he must've had them all down. All for what, revenge? I couldn't split apart which part of me was mad and why. Was I so livid because those were important marks? That if we hadn't decided to do this her percentage would've stayed low? The teacher side of me? Or the fact that it was Mallory. And the pure fact that I cared for and about her, that side of me that was angry because out of everyone it was the person I cared for deeply.

"I'm fine- I'm fine, all good. Look- okay I have the test, I'm leaving now to pick you up,"

I felt pity towards her. I felt so bad. All the tutoring she did since, the work, the meeting where she was just spoke to disappointedly. She'd accepted her percentage fast. She thought she knew it was coming. It was only Tyler's score she questioned.

Mallory tried so hard to show everyone she could do work and do good. So when the thirty six came out, she was pretty disappointed in herself for what seemed like the first time in a while.

"Alight, text me when you're outside Armstrong,"

My voice croaked, kinda shaky. "Will do," Before I ended the call fast.

Then lastly. There was guilt. Disappointed guilt for all the things I said. The burning look of dissatisfaction I gave her when I looked at her test percentage and saw how low it was, Remembering the way she looked at the ground after that, like a guilty dog.

I should have known with how much work she put into studying she was better than scoring a thirty six.

She got a ninety two. Tyler- Tyler got the thirty six.

The scores had just been swapped. The roles were reversed, now I was the one disappointed in myself and I just knew Mallory would be angry.

An anger at people more than just Tyler.

~

Mallorys P.O.V

I stood waiting outside for Billies car to park up any second now, so we could go to his and run by this test to finally put my mind at ease, but he was taking a while.

He sounded sort of 'jivy like' on the phone. Which was odd for Billie to say the least, I've never heard him stutter that much.

I looked back down at my phone sending him another text.

Me: It's freezing outside, hurry up I might die out here

As the text did send, I heard a cars tires drag along the curb. I looked back up through his rolled down window to see Billie Joe looking down at something. He let out a laugh before looking at me with the phone held up.

"A little dramatic Mal,"

"Finally you're here!" I jogged over to his car walking around it on to the road. Climbing into the passengers seat beside him as the car door shut.

I looked at the dashboard, then near him. Checking the back seats after.

"Where is it?" I asked confused.

"You're not looking at that thing until we get to mine,"

"But-"

"-I'm gonna need you to run back into yours for something Mallory,"

I squinted my eyes staring at him confused, he sounded some what serious. He looked like it too. "What for?"

"Do you have your test?"

"No?"

"What?" He panicked for a moment, turning more to look at me. "Why?"

"Tyler convinced me I didn't need it, he said he knew everything anyway so when I asked if I could just throw it in the trash as a joke he said I should probably do that,"

"It's in the trash?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah?"

"Is it still there by any chance?"

I thought about how often I empty the trash can in my room, which was very very rare. I hardly even used the thing nevermind emptying it. "I might do?"

"Okay, will you go get it?"

"But-"

"-And the notes Tyler gave you, do you still have those? Y'know? The ones you told me about earlier,"

"Billie why do we need all of this stuff?"

"Mallory just trust me. Do you still have the notes?"

"They're probably in my bag still yeah- I never empty the thing,"

"Will you go get them for me?"

I let out a sigh, before opening the car door again and stepping foot back on the road. I shut the car door behind me walking around it and down my garden before Billie shouted one more thing.

"Oh and Mallory!"

I spun around, letting out a heavy breath. "Anything else?"

"Don't look at your test- please? It sounds weird but- just don't look at it yet. Okay?"

"Why?"

"Just," he breathed in. "Just promise me you won't?"

I took a long hard stare at him, I felt like this was all an unnecessary joke. But the expression on his face didn't crack or smile or even as so snigger. "Alright.... I promise,"

He just nodded, looking away from me again.

So I made my way back through the house and up to my room. Grabbing my backpack I left by the door as I unzipped it, spinning it upside down over my bed sheets as all the papers, rubbish, flash cards, undone or overdue homework's spilled out on to my bed. All just clutter.

I searched through pushing aside the things I didn't need. Trying to find the notes he wrote me.

They were written on white hand size pieces of card. Tied together with an elastic. I remembered thinking how awfully kind it was for him to go out of his way to write me then, and I guess it still was. But things went sour down the line, and I forgot I even had them. If I had of remembered they would've been ash by now.

I noticed them after rummaging through the pile, grabbing them leaving the mess on my bed as I grabbed the metal trash can.

The only thing in it was the test rolled up, which was opened back out but it was still slightly bent from having stayed in there curled up so long.

I wanted to just- just peak in it. He raised my suspicions about my own test now.

Thinking about it, I hadn't even looked through mine.

The moment I found out it wasn't the grade I wanted, I didn't care. So even when Tyler told me I didn't need it I didn't hesitate just to toss it into the trash.

I ran back downstairs trying not to trip, running back through the house making it out into the cold air.

Billie looked back up as I lifted up the two items and he smiled.

"You got them,"

After climbing beside him breath slightly heavy, I replied. "Like you asked,"

"I swear it'll make sense,"

I ignored him slouching into the car still catching my breath from having rushing through the house so he wasn't left waiting. I should have just left him waiting the extra bit longer, I'm exhausted.

He let out a chuckle before stretching his seat belt out.

He leaned over me, I sat up confused before realising he was only going for the seatbelt behind me. He pulled it over gently clicking it in, before kissing me on the cheek and turning pack to the steering wheel ready to start the car.

I stayed still for a few seconds, smiling stupidly before I managed to gather myself up and start a new conversation as we drove down my street.

"So you- you've got his test right?"

He nodded. "It was in his folder like you suggested, didn't I already tell you this?"

"Just checking-" I shrugged, looking back at the seats one more time. "-since I don't see it around,"

"Don't worry Mal, I got it," he laughed. "But one thing,"

"One thing?"

"One thing I didn't find was my actual planner. You said it was on the shelf-" he looked over for a split second. "-Right?"

"Oh yeah... remember how I said that I got kicked out of the classroom?"

"Mhm, I do recall,"

"I had to use your planner as an excuse- I kinda said it was mine,"

"So... you have it?"

"It's in my bag- probably on my bed now with everything else since I emptied it- but yes, I do have your planner,"

After making it to his, we walked through his house and down back to the basement as I carried my test and notes with me. Billie had hid Tyler's test all folded up in the glove compartment, as to why I couldn't spot it around anywhere.

I had this line of excitement running through me buzzing every few seconds. I was quite proud of myself for the whole plan nailing out and working smoothly.

"So when do we get to look through the test?" I looked over Billies shoulder as he sat down at a working desk which was facing the wall near a corner of the room.

He pulled out the seat besides him also behind the desk and patted on it meaning for me to sit down. I did placing my test on the surface of the desk still waiting for my answer.

"Why are you so hyper about this?"

"You're acting so shady about all this. 'Don't open the paper', 'I hid Tyler's test in the glove compartment', 'I need you to go get those notes and your test'," I mimicked in what was suppose to be his voice.

He snorted slightly with laughter. "I don't sound like that!"

"Shut up! You do!"

"No I-"

"-You do!"

"Well... I've not purposely been shady. But it'll all add up. I promise you,"

"Okay... so let's see it?"

"You gotta do one more thing for me first,"

I grunted slouching back down in the chair. "What now!?"

He got back up leaving me at the desk, dragging his chair with him. That's sorta how I knew he was going back to the vinyls to find one or a few out.

Which he did, stepping up on the chair he pulled the box of vinyls on the shelf closer to him. Pulling one out at random before he stepped back down, the chair squeezing terribly on the floor following behind him.

And smacking the vinyl down.

"Insomniac?"

"Good reading,"

"So why have I got this now? What an earth does this have to do with Tyler's test,"

He sat back down, taking my test I had placed and gathering it with Tyler's. And then notes. "You trust me don't you?"

"We have this conversation too often,"

"So that's a yes?"

I rolled my eyes becoming impatient. "Y'know I do Billie course I trust you, you idiot,"

"Then hear me out,"

I grunted again as he budged the chair back. Opening one of the desk draws, which seemed to be filled with pens and pencils, sharpeners, papers and other things. Pulling a pen and a plain piece of paper out as the desk draw shut and he dramatically placed them in front of me. "Pick a song from the album, any song there's no right or wrong answers,"

I slowly picked up the vinyl in its sleeve. "Okay?"

Turning it around, there was another collage of pictures on the back but my eyes went to the bottom. The lists of songs in different fonts.

My eyes skimmed over a few, picking one of the first ones I saw feeling impatient. "Alright... stuck with me,"

He took the vinyl out of my hand and opened it up. Pulling out something else before I realised it was the lyric sheet to the tracks on the album.

He found the song I chosen with in a matter of seconds before passing me the lyric sheet.

I took it looking at him. "What am I suppose to do with this?" I asked, as he stood up with the two test and notes.

"Write the song out,"

"What!? Okay now you're joking around. What does writing out one of your songs have to do with the tests!?"

"You can write out a dictionary if you want? I've got one somewhere,"

"Why do you have a dicti-"

"-Song writing. Would you like to write that out?"

"Y'know you're starting to feel like my teacher again,"

"Mallory,"

"Yes Mr Armstrong?"

He took a deep breathe. Before repeating the same phrase he had been doing. "Trust me,"

~

I smacked the pen back down on the piece of paper. Before I turned around in my chair looking at Billie who had just been sat on his phone on the sofa behind me. I coughed to grab his attention, but it went un noticed.

"Ehem!"

"Huh?" He looked up as he saw I was already looking at him. "You done?"

"Yes. I am done. Can we get on with looking at Tyler's test yet, I'm so sick of waiting,"

He turned off his phone tossing it on the couch beside him before he stood up. Grabbing the two tests and notes as he made his way back over to me and sat down again on the seat beside mine.

With his hand, he slid over the piece of paper with the lyrics to the song jotted down. Looking at it before he nodded. "Awesome,"

"Why did you even make me do that? I don't understand-"

"-Trust me," he cut off, taking out one of the notes from the pack and placing it on the desk.

"If you say trust me one more time I may just have to-"

"-Don't finish that,"

"Good save,"

"Anyway!" He breathed out. The sheet of my un neatly written hand writing in front of us and one card of Tyler's writing which spoke about rhythm was all that we was looking at. I felt like I was suppose to be studying them, but what for?

"So what's this for? Can we open the test yet?"

"So Mallory,"

I felt his hand placed on my shoulder, as I looked over at him confused. He was already looking at me with the serious look again. "What?"

"You have to promise me you won't get too angry-"

"-Have you already looked through it?"

He paused, before admitting with a nod.

"Billie, we was suppose to do that together-"

"-I know- I know, I'm sorry. But just- promise me you won't get angry,"

"I won't be angry at you...? If that's what your scared of?"

He just sort of nodded. Taking his hand from my shoulder and looking back at the test. I followed his actions confused staring at the papers on the desk.

He picked the test at the top up and opened it up to all of its writing. Sliding it over to me.

I realised it was my test before I began reading it. Not having read my own work since I wrote it and handed it in.

I skimmed over most of it. Not wanting to take heaps of time reading. But, I noticed a whole lot of ticks on my way to the end.

After finishing it, I closed the page to look at the back.

I felt my whole body go numb as reading the number ninety two.

"What?" I whispered. Staring down at the number.

I checked back, re opening the test from the back checking the hand writing. This was mine?

Billie passed over another test already opened. I didn't bother to read it, just skipping straight to the back page.

"Thirty six? But that's suppose to be-"

Then he flipped it over.

The front of the test staring at me. With my name on.

I grabbed the other test, the one that was mine. The ninety two percent one. Going back to the front. To see 'Tyler Lawson'.

"Billie... I don't understand?"

He re opened the test with my name on. Placing the note card over the writing. He did the same with the lyrics I re wrote and the test that was stated to be Tyler's.

The hand writing on the card. On the test too. It was so beautiful neat. All it's extra curves and unnecessary flicks and hoops. The jointed up levelled hand writing.

Then mine. Falling off the lines, the random A's that looked like E's. Some letters randomly bigger than others, circles instead of dots on the I's. None of my writing was joint up by the end. I lost the rhythm of trying to be neat when rushing. Exactly like how the writing was when I re wrote 'stuck with me'.

"That's my test," I stated, my finger landing over the my real test. "So why does it have Tyler's name on?"

"I do-"

"-And why does his have my fucking name on?"

"Mallory, I wa-"

"-I was suppose to of had that ninety two... I mean- I did! That's mine! But- but he got credit for it- so much credit. What did I get? I got lectured, I got disappointment from everyone- from you, from my mom and dad, from-" I cut myself off.

Billie gulped.

"Oh my god," I whispered. Realising. "You really did expect me to fail,"

"Mallory it wasn't like that, y'know I-"

"-No, no I remember seeing your face. You barley looked through it. Actually... you didn't look through it. You looked at my percentage, you shook your head and looked at me with this painfully disappointed look. And you- well you left after that,"

"Well... yes but-"

"-If you even looked through it you might've realised that wasn't my writing, it wasn't like you was surprised. It wasn't like you had to double check my marks. You just looked at it and you went 'would you look at that, just as I thought,' and left!"

"It wasn't that I was expected you to get bad marks Mallory listen to me!"

"Listen to you? I had been! For so long! And y'know what? What about that time in the parking lot where you told me that with the way my behaviour was going I wouldn't get that percentage,"

He looked at me squinting his eyes. "I didn't?"

I laughed sarcastically. "Bullshit. I caught you in the parking lot Billie. When I found out your job was only temporary. I went 'what about my test?' And you said 'Oh well with the way you're going you won't be even getting those marks,"

"You didn't think at any point!? What about the deal we made? With my test huh!?"

"Well with the way you're going I don't think you'll be getting the marks,"

"So now you've just lost all complete faith in me?" I asked feeling a little put down, as my hands fell to my sides.

"I told you afterwards Mallory I didn't mean that-"

"-So why didn't you seem surprised when everyone believed I did bad?"

It made him go silent. His eyes looked around the room searching for something that would spark up an answer. But nothing did. So nothing came out.

I shut both the tests with the card and the slip of paper in it. Picking them up as I stood up.

"What- where are you going?" He asked confused, standing up too.

"Home,"