Time passed very quickly, he made a lot of progress in all his training.
In Parkour, Ben perfected most advanced moves, he didn't hesitate any more and had now almost the speed of the other tracer.
In Kyusho Jitsu, he learned the place and the function of the vital points. He also could do the basic moves and understood some dangerous techniques.
In Calisthenics, he could do advanced exercises like Single arm pull up, planche, and Handstand push-ups. He becomes more and more near to the peak. He wasn't sure how far he should go, but he wanted to go till his limits.
At the same time, the value of Gold fields stocks began to rise, the gold mine was found.
On 24th May, one week before the holidays, Ben was talking with his friends about their holidays.
Jonas: "I am going to Spain, we will visit my grandparents. Where are you going, Alex?"
Alex: "My parents don't plan to travel, so I will look for a holiday job"?
Amadeus: "I feel bad for you. I have family in Paris, so we will stay with them and visit Paris in the meantime. What do you plan to do, Ben?"
Ben: "My parents are visiting Greece for the whole holidays to celebrate their marriage day. I found myself a job, so I work in a bar as a waiter in the holidays."
Alex: "Wow, you already found a job. When did you send your candidature?"
Ben: "Thanks to Parkour, I know the owner of the bar, so I just asked him."
At that moment, their math teacher came in, holding their class school reports. Everyone became excited on the spot. The teacher then gave each of them their school report.
Some students began to cry, others just smiled and most of them compared their grades.
Finally, the math teacher gave Ben his school report. Before opening it, Ben took a bit distance to the others, he wanted to hide his grades.
Looking at his grades, Ben just smiled.
´Mmmm. Math 1-2; Physics -1; biology 1; chemistry -1; German 2-3; English 2; history 1-2; art 1; music -2; religious education 1-2; physical education 1; What a nice surprise! It could be better, but I am happy with these grades. Talking with almost each of the teachers did help to better my grades. I want to show my parents my grade, they shouldn't be aware of my big improvement. My grades are at an average of … 16,25 divided by 11 is …1,48. Great! Better then 1,5."
Ben went back to his friends.
Ben: "How are your school reports? Any surprises?"
Amadeus: "I am satisfied. I attained my goal of being in average better than 3."
Tobi: "Not bad. I am also happy with my average of 1,75. Can't wait to show it to my mother."
Alex: "I am so jealous of you. Why didn't God create every human with the same IQ?"
Amadeus: "Yeah, how can I feel proud about my grades, if you are always better than me?"
Tobi: "Why are you only jealous of me? I am pretty sure that Ben does also have a higher average score than even me!"
Alex pretended to hear a shocking revelation and looked at Ben with bitter eyes:
"Is that true, Ben? Did you change the side of the nerds? How could you leave your brother without a warning?"
Ben was amused by this badly played drama. He adjusted his voice to a higher more innocent voice and answered: "How could I abandon my maid just for the sake of my limitless future? Wait for a second, It is a good idea. Goodbye forever, loser!"
Amadeus was amused, but still wanted to know the grades of Ben:
"Man, seriously, what did you receive. I think everyone is curious about your improvement."
"Sorry, guys. I somehow don't want to tell you. But you are right, I did improve a lot."
Tobi became thrilled: "Don't keep us in suspense. We are your best friends, no reason to hide your average score."
Ben felt bad for them as he decided to not tell them:
"I really can't tell. It isn't such an amazing score, but I want to first surprise my parents with it. Hope you can understand it!"
His friends understood his request. Just then some other friends came by inviting the group:
"So how about having fun tonight? To celebrate this school year!"
Amadeus: "Good idea! Which bar should we go to?"
Ben: "Don't count me in, guys, I will stay with my family tonight."
Alex: "Are you nuts? If you don't want to go to a bar at least say what you want to do! The important thing about celebrating is not how, but with whom. Right, guys?!"
"Exactly, no excuses. You have to choose, Ben!"
"We already went to a bar this month, why not change the environment!"
"We wait for your answer Ben."
Ben was surprised by their request. It was true that he hated bars, but he was also reluctant to do other activities. His time is too precious, he wants to train and become stronger.
´What should I do? I can't decline. Karaoke? No thanks. Lasertag, why not, but still not helpful. Paintball, not bad, but I won't improve with fake guns.
Cinema…I would rather train then entertain myself like that. Amusement park, what a waste of money and time. I will never find a good activity. Maybe, a public swimming pool. Even though I won't have much time to increase my swimming techniques, It is the activity, which has at least a use. ´
"How about going to a big public swimming pool?"
"You can't be serious? We will go enough times there in the holidays. Why should we do that to celebrate."
"Yeah, just because you trained your body you directly want to go show it everywhere."
"How egoistic from you? Don't show off."
"Even I am against your idea, what an uncreative idea to think off!"
Ben never thought that his friends would show so much relistens.
´Just because you shame your bodies, don't say that I want to show my body. I just wanted to train a bit. What is wrong with my idea. Now, that I think about it. I could try to learn how to do flips at a trampoline hall. But my friends will be against it. No, I have to persuade them.'
"You are right. If I understand you well, you want to go somewhere to have fun and to meet slim and beautiful girls, right?"
Everyone responded loudly with a grin on their face.: "Yes!!!"
"Then I found the perfect place. We should all meet tonight at a trampoline hall. This will be so much fun!"
With this phrase, everyone looked at Ben like he wronged them.
"Why the trampoline hall? Do you want to jump all night long?"
"I hate to jump, where is the fun you promised us?"
Ben expected this reaction and looked at them like they asked stupid questions:
"It is exactly with this thinking that men rarely go there. It will be full of sporty girls, who want to have fun without alcohol. Do you only want to talk to drunken girls? Where is your dignity? Is this how you want to find your woman?"
"You are right! We have to aim higher. No more bars for me!"
"True. A trampoline hall seems like a perfect place."
Alex was speechless from Ben's speech and mumbled to himself:
"Is this the mental difference between Ben and me?"
Alex always seemed strong with his friends, but in truth, he felt extremely insecure. His grades were under average and he felt ashamed to be the fattest in his group of friends. He didn't show this side of him as he fought this would just create distance between them. Who wanted to have a depressed friend?
Now that Ben became better in school, he felt like he was even less worth.
The lesson ended shortly and everyone went home.
Arriving home, Ben realized that he was the only one at home. He cooked spaghetti with tomato sauce and other vegetables.
While eating, he watched the recorded news of noon.
„Here are our top news on tageschau. The Great Schroder hurricane is on the way to Missouri. Thompson Tiofoe made a highly effective improved HPV vaccine for cervical cancer. The UNO decided to increase the help-packet in Africa. Hubert Hurkacz has apologized for hitting the line judge and was disqualified from the French Open 2031. BKA warns about a new drug named Nuke. Rihanna teased her new album. "
„At a speed of up to 349 kilometers per hour, Hurricane „Great Schroder" swirled not only Cuba but also the US states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It is now on the way to Missouri, but fortunately, it's speed as greatly lessened and the experts say that the devastation will only reach the tip of Missouri. We all are praying..."
Nothing too shocking was shown.
´I completely forgot about most of these events. I mean every transmission has a catastrophe in it. The hurricane didn't affect my life so I easily forgot. But Nuke was another case, it was present in almost every country. Nuke was a highly-addictive and most pleasurable narcotic, which was strongly present from 2031 to 2033.
The big difference between Nuke and other drugs is that Nuke was a lot cheaper. It was a designer drug, thus manufacture could be accomplished in near any location using widely available chemicals so the police couldn't stop the production of it. The drug was already present in 2030, but it was only present in developing countries and was in short supply. It was only this year that the formula was published in the dark web and Nuke began to spread on the whole world. Many people feared the future and the interest in drugs became high, but the drug deals were strongly prosecuted by the government. So Nuke easily flood the market.
I never took Nuke so I don't know more than the news informed me. Sadly, my knowledge doesn't give me any advantages. I could try to produce Nuke, but I would have a high risk for low profit. Only poor people would think about winning money from Nuke.´
———
At 7 pm, Karo Lupus & Tilo Lupus arrived together at home as both worked for the same company. Emma Lupus was in her room, spending time on social networks.
Karo shouted loudly, while Tilo held two pizza boxes.
„Ben, Emma! Pizza is here."
Ben hearing her voice beamed from joy, took his school report, and descended the stairway.
After kissing each other on the cheek, everyone looked at Ben.
Karo: „Did you descend your school report? If you didn't, then show it to us after dinner!"
Ben gave his school report, which he hid behind his back, without any expression.
„Here, mom."
Ben suppressed his facial muscles as he wanted to not give any hint for his improvement. This naturally resulted in everyone thinking it wasn't better than in the last years.
Looking at the school report, Karo was dumbfounded. She expected to see an average of 2,5 or 3, but now she was dazzled to see 1 and 2.
´What is happening? Is it possible that this isn't Ben's report? No, he wouldn't do that? But? Math 1-2; Physics -1; biology -1; chemistry -1; German 2-3; English 2; history 1-2; art 1; music -2; religious education 1-2; physical education 1. How are his grades so good? Ben seemed to learn a lot, but this shouldn't result in these grades.´
Tilo was becoming nervous seeing that his wife didn't comment and he asked softly.
„So how is it?"
As Karo didn't respond, he said reassuringly: „Don't worry too much about his grades, he still has 2 years to improve his grades."
Emma was looking at Ben disappointed, she looked forward to the dinner, but now the mood of the dinner would be destroyed.
Karo hearing her husband's voice, looked at Ben and excitedly asked: ´Ben, there isn't any mistake, right?"
Ben stopped suppressing his broad grin and answered happily: „Yeah, it is. I wanted to surprise you with my school report."
With this answer, Karo hugged Ben and cried from happiness. Her biggest worry was always the future of her son so this surprise really made her happy.
Tilo became confused and took the school report. Emma looked with him, they both became shocked. The family made a family hug for the first in a long time.
A minute later, they all happily ate their pizza.
„How could you make such a great surprise, Ben? None of us had their birthday, couldn't you wait a bit longer?" Tilo joked around, after drinking his beer.
„Honey, I am already slightly angry that he hid it, don't joke about that!" Karo tried to sound angry, but her smile revealed her act.
„Why didn't you give your best in the last years? You could have eased up Mom and Dad's worry." Emma reproached her brother.
„Why should I? I still am not as intelligent as you! Not until the 10th class, as only then are the grades included in the Abitur, so I naturally just began to give my best in this year." Ben responded proudly.
„Did you hear about the new drug in the news?" Tilo asked with a solemn expression.
Karo and Emma denied it as they hadn't seen the news.
„Yes, I have. Nuke seems quite dangerous if the BKA warns about it. Dad, you don't have to worry about Emma and me taking drugs." Ben responded and easing lightly Tilo's mind.
„Fine, I believe you."
„Dad, I will meet up with my friends now and will only come back at 11 or midnight. Is it ok?" Ben looked at his father.
„Where are you going? With whom are you going? You know what I think about drinking at such a young age!" Tilo alarmed, asked with a slight rage and distrust.
„Dad, I am just going to a trampoline hall in Ostfildern. I meet up with my school friends and we won't drink any alcohol. Mom, please?"
„I think you should trust Ben more. Tomorrow, he hasn't school, so even if he came back later, It isn't a problem. Have fun, Ben!" Karo responded enthusiastically.
Karo was the actual decision-maker in the Lupus family. She was normally as strict as Tilo, but she was still over the moon due to Ben's surprise.
„Don't always run to your mother's laps, if you don't like my decision." Tilo sadly commented.