Peter

"So, class." Mr Alan spoke up, pacing around our class. "There's a photography contest, and the winner will have their pictures shown at the national gallery 2020. I know that's still a couple months away, but I want you all to participate, and it will be half of your final grade. Two students from each school participating will be chosen."

"What's the theme this year?" A girl asked.

"The theme is 'Precious', and you each need 15 pictures, one of them being your main piece."

I zone out as the teacher continues to explain more about the contest thinking about what I could take pictures of.

What's precious to me?

My family, my friends...

Sky.

"Hey dude, class is over." Tim snapped me out of my thoughts, standing over me. "You okay bro?"

"Yeah." I nod. "just thinking about the contest."

"I already know what I'm going to take pictures of." He grinned as we walked out of the class together. "My sister is getting married soon and I'll be taking pictures of her special day."

"That's really nice." I smile. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks." He smiled. "So, what are you going to capture?"

"Probably some moments with my friends and family, they mean a lot to me."

"I bet they'll turn out amazing." He claps my back. "Hopefully we both win."

"Even if we don't, we'll still capture some pretty awesome memories." I shrugged.

"That's what photography is all about!" He chuckled. "We should hang out more, dude."

"Oh yeah totally!"

"Oh by the way," He smiled. "Congrats on you and Sky, you got yourself a keeper."

"You know Sky?"

"Everyone does, dude." He laughed. "But yeah she and I are pretty close. She's like a sister to me, so if you hurt her you better watch your back."

"I won't." I chuckle and say bye to Tim as he goes over to his own friends while I look for my own friends and supposed girlfriend.

I find the girls over by Nat's locker and walk over to them. Once I got closer, I hold Sky's hand and twirl her around, slightly scare her.

"Peter, don't ever do that again!" She said freaked out. "I was about to punch you!"

"You can't hurt me that bad." I chuckle and roll my eyes. "I work out a lot, you know?"

"Oh buddy you have never been so wrong in your life." Anna said laughing. "She doesn't work out much and she's strong as an Ox."

"Did you just call me an ox?" Sky faked offense, putting her hand on her heart and gasping dramatically, but then instantly dropped the act and shrugged with a goofy look on her face, laughing. "I really am though. I can beat you up easily."

"Challenge accepted." I smirk at her. "Anyways, I have a photography project and I need you guys to model for me."

"I always knew I was born to be a model." Laura grinned. "We're in!"

"Gee, thanks for asking us, Laura." Anna rolled her eyes and slapped her arm making Laura jump and pout.

"Whatchu gonna do whatchu gonna do." She said back mockingly, trying so hard to keep her laughter in as the other three girls burst out laughing.

"How much time do you have?" Sky asks me.

"I have to hand it in after two weeks." I tell her.

"Oh my god, I have so much to do these two weeks I'm so going to fail!" Sky groaned and banged her head on the locker but pulled away quickly. "Shit, I forgot I wear glasses." She took off her glasses to inspect them and let out a sigh of relief seeing it was okay.

"It's okay if you don't have time for the pictures, I under-"

"No no, I'll be there. I'll just have to study earlier than usual."

"So when should we do it?" I ask, looking at them. They all exchange looks as if talking mentally and mumbling days and plans they have before they all nod and Laura turns to me.

"Next Tuesday." I nod and smile.

Later that night

Sky

I rub my tired eyes as tears come out of them from exhaustion. It is currently 9:30 Pm and I'm still studying.

I study everything I take at school again at home, to make sure it stays in my mind, and with the huge amount of homework I also get, I can't seem to get a break.

I finally finished studying Biology, which is by far the hardest to memorize with all the weird and complicated names.

Who names these things? 

I throw my head back and rotate it, trying to ease the neck cramp I got from sitting here all day. My phone lights up with a new notification and I turn it on, seeing that Peter had just texted me.

'Window' It read.

I turned to look at my window, seeing Peter sitting by his own open window and looking at me with worried eyes.

"Hey." I smile at him when I opened my window. "What's up? Everything okay?"

"No, you look so tired!" He exclaimed and I just shrugged. "You've been at your desk studying for hours, Sky."

"Well, I have a lot to do!" I defended.

"You need breaks, Sky." He pleaded. "You don't need to throw away your day just studying."

"I do, Peter." I let out a yawn and tub my eyes under my glasses, smudging the lenses. "My grades have been dropping lately."

"You always get good grades at everything, what do you mean?"

"They're not great either." I sigh tiredly. "And we still haven't taken any exams, and they're coming up soon."

"What exams?" He asks curiously. 

"Like I said, our school is a bit different." I explain. "We have first month exams, second month exams, and third month is marked by participation, quizzes and projects. Then we have the finals. All subjects have these except some electives."

"Oh, I didn't know that." I smile weakly at him, my eyes on the brink of closing.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." I yawn again. "I'm gonna go sit with my family for a while, see you tomorrow, Peter. Goodnight." I smile and leave my room to walk down and sit with my family before I go to sleep.

"Hey, honey." My mom smiles at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just had a lot of schoolwork." I smiled back, sitting on the couch next to her. 

"You're studying too much." Luke shakes his head. "You're throwing your life away, Sky. I'm telling you, school doesn't matter, just the last year matters."

"Don't listen to him, Sky." My dad sighs. "School is important, but also take more breaks."

"I'll try." I purse my lips. "And Luke, I'm not like you! I have no idea how you went through school and college barely studying yet passing everything, but I can't do that. I'm barely passing some subjects and I study so hard."

"So what if you fail?" He shrugs. "Look, what's important is learning skills, not useless information from school. Except math and physics, those are important."

"Yeah, I know!" I snap. "It's just hard..."

"Don't stress yourself out, Sky." My mom stroked my hair. "Just do what you can, and that's enough."

I smile at her and lay my head on her shoulder, feeling really tired from all the studying. 

Man, I love my family.