“WHAT ARE WE going to do about practice exams?” Kevin asked.
Exams. The word made the study group look up from their notes. Except Hart. He was gazing out the window, in better shape now because he was getting some sleep, but thinking about other things.
“Nothing,” Ford said. “Practice exams don’t count. We aren’t going to do a thing. Just keep pointing toward the end of the year, Kevin. You’d just have to relearn it all then anyway. ”
“But we can find out how we stand. You know, whether one of us needs special help,” Kevin said.
“You need special help,” Bell said. “And you too, O’Connor. You both need shrinks.” Bell chuckled to himself.
The beginnings of Bell’s property outline were nestled strategically between his arms. Two hundred tattered yellow sheets, wrapped in clear plastic. His eyes kept moving from side to side, and when Hart, sitting next to him, looked over, Bell shielded the papers with a palm as if Hart were cheating.
“I agree with Ford,” Anderson said. “I’ve given the problem considerable thought and in terms of maximum grade point, the most sensible thing is not to study. Use the exam as a check on your studying habits. See how much you retain as a result of normal studying procedure. Then you will be able to measure accurately how much extra studying you will need for the real test at the end of the year.”
Hart saw a sparrow fly down and land on the grassy yard between the dorms. He watched it pecking among some leaves.
“I thought we might all study together for practice exams,” Kevin said, looking down at the table. “It would give us a chance to see how we’ll work together at the end of the year.”
“Listen, Kevin,” Ford said, “we don’t have time to get up for this exam. It doesn’t count.”
“What I’d really like to do is talk about the way to take the exam,” Kevin said.
“It’s not so bad an idea,” O’Connor said, pulling himself up so he seemed taller and glaring at Bell. “I’d like a session on examsmanship.”
“You need someone to hold your hand?” Bell muttered. The words grated on Hart’s ears. His eyes lost their focus on the sparrow.
“Kevin, there isn’t enough time,” Ford said. “Listen, they don’t count. Listen to Anderson, he knows what he’s talking about.”
Ford shuffled his notes together and looked away from Kevin. “All right,” Ford said, clearing his throat, “I want to get into the statute of frauds today.”
Kevin cut him off. “I’m not ready yet.” He spat out the words and then was surprised and unsure.
Ford swung his head over to Kevin slowly, looked him up and down. He tapped his pencil down on the table.
“The whole statute is given on page fifteen hundred,” Ford said. “We’d better go over it together, before we review what was said in class.”
Kevin’s face went red and then drained of color. He half rose from the table.
“Who do you think you are? King shit? You don’t run things. You don’t run me,” Kevin yelled.
Hart put his hands up to his head, covering his ears with his fingers and his eyes with his palms. But he could still hear Ford’s answer, coming in a quiet monotone.
“You talk too much, Kevin, and you give everyone around here a pain in the ass. If you don’t like things, leave. But figure on this. We can get along without your outline. Can you get along without ours?”
Hart stood up. He felt sick. He put his hands down on the table and bent over so his head was only a foot from Ford’s.
“Shut up, will you,” Hart hissed. “Just shut up.”