For the next few months, after his 6th grade started, his performance did not wane at all but instead, they got better. All subjects, projects and written papers, assignments were all perfectly scored. Though James was still having his musical tutorial from his music teacher for every 2 days, he kept his academics way over above the 6th grade. Basically, one month before finishing 6th grade, he asked his parents to have him apply for an acceleration program test where he would be tested to pass all subjects related to each grade and years.
His parents were gobsmacked by his request, and they quickly asked what happened at his school or what made him ask this request to them. Normally, a kid would not request these things unless they are either a genius or being bullied.
'Well, I don't know why I am smart but I guess I got smart after my rebirth in this timeline. But whatever? I may not have superpowers but I have brain power! So why not use it to skip classes? I rather focus on my goals and musical career early than deal with childish behaviors of many kids.'
"Dad, Mom, it is not that there are problems at school, I just want to graduate highschool early so I could focus on my musical dream, do not worry, Dad, Mom, I will attend college once I reach the age of 18 years old, would that be a good deal for you? Besides, if you want to, you can hire a tutor who will keep me sharp on subjects once a week. Though you will be paying more, once I earn my keep through my musical career, I will pay you guys, more than what you will be investing to me now. What do you think?" He inhaled a large amount of air for his exhausted lungs after saying all of these in one go.
He looked at his parents' facial expression and all he saw was a flabbergasted expression, shock even. Even he could tell what was in their minds. 'Is this our son!?'
'Yeah, both of your faces say "that" exactly.'
Still speechless, he walked towards the sofa and sat and told his "still" shocked parents to sit as well. "Well… if you two just stand there and have that face, you better sit here and tell me your thoughts? Dad? Mom?"
As if there was magic in his words, the two slowly walked to the opposite sofa seat and sat.
He looked again into their eyes and asked again, "Well? Dad? Mom?" His facial expression betrayed the youthful face he had.
His parents looked at him as if he was either a genius kid or just plain alien.
"Who are you!?" His mother said.
He heard the words and surprised himself, he was like, 'what?'
He answered, "Your son?"
His father asked too, "How did you come up with such detailed plans?"
He answered, "Uh Dad? I am studying music, I am skilled in playing music, I have even written songs already, though you both and my teacher do not know about it. Want to hear one of my songs?"
His father relaxed and held his mother's hand and said, "Well? If you're planning to skip school, at least let us know if you are skilled enough." His hands gestured towards my room.
"Technically, I am not skipping school, Dad." He joked and stood up to get his guitar in his room.
"Well, Darling? Is this really okay? I am worried about our baby…" His mother talked to his father with worry on her face.
"We will see soon about this, we know James is not the usual kid who does kid things, you know that right? He is different, he might be a genius, but I am also worried about this musical aspiration, I just hope he changes his mind soon after he fails." His father replied and looked at his mother's eyes then turned toward his room.
—--------------------------------------NEXT SCENE--------------------------------------------------------
James got the guitar and went back to the living room.
"Well, here it goes…" He positioned his guitar and started playing the chords.
"I don't…."
"Know when…"
"This tornado hit…"
"You're from…"
"The east coast…"
"So let's both call it…"
"A hericane…"
"A hericane…"
The chords started picking up, with his soft voice, though it's nature was kinda higher than Paul Klein's voice, the dramatic airy nature was there.
"Pacin' through the…"
"The back of my mind…"
"Maybe…"
"You've been…"
"A storm all this time…"
"A hericane…"
"A hericane…"
Then he changed the flow a bit and started the bridge.
"Stop all this sin…"
"Be born again…"
"If you want to, if you want to…"
He paused his guitar playing and it felt something brewing, his parents felt it and then he dropped the chorus along with a strum from his guitar.
"'Cause our home's a wreck….!"
"Look at this mess…!"
"You blame it on… disobedience!"
"But I think it's time… time you realized…!"
"You're the one in the wrong…!"
His voice was a bit higher, more dramatic, more sadness in tow. After he finished the last line of the chorus, he slowed down the tempo and started the second verse.
"Okla… homa… this time of year…"
"Cali… fornia… it's different out here…"
"No hericane…"
"No hericane…"
"I'm not… runnin'... from all my pain"
"But it… can't go… go without sayin'"
"No hericane…"
"No hericane…"
After that, he repeated the bridge and chorus, a little more dramatic with louder tone than the first one, and then he transitioned to the second chorus and the hook.
"Caught in the midst…! Of your insecure winds…!"
"Breakin' us down…! And wearin' us thin…!"
"But I love you still… I always will…!"
"But you're the one in the wrong…!"
"I know your he…art… hurts… the most at 3 a.m…!"
"I know he le…ft… be…fore… you could even know him…!"
"I've done my be…st… to carry all this weight…!"
"I love you still…! I always will…! But this needs to change…"
Then a single chord line dropped. After that, the final two chorus lines came next.
He stopped for a second and started a slowed down, chopped up strumming to his guitar and did the last lines of the song.
"I love you still… I always will…"
"You're the one in the wrong…"
"I love you still… I always will…"
"Even though you are wrong…"
He stopped playing the guitar completely and looked at the two's unexplainable faces, he smiled and said, "What do you think? Dad? Mom?"