Coming back to his room after having his bath, Jake saw Cat still on his bed reading the novel. "I'm done." Jake said to her.
"Okay." Cat said dropping the book and getting off the bed. "Should we start studying now?"
"Yeah." Carrying the chair from the corner of the room towards the table, Jake sat down.
"What should we study first?" Cat asked already in the chair beside him.
"Let's read Study of Nuclear Particles first." Jake answered.
Bringing out the book for Study of Nuclear Particles, Cat placed it on the table and opened to where they had started learning from at the beginning of the term.
"So," Cat said to Jake, "we're both going to read it together. If we get to a part you don't understand, let me know and I'll explain it to you."
"Okay. How long are we going to study for?" Jake asked.
"We're going to be at this table for at least three hours." Cat answered Jake. "After that we take a break, then continue later on in the day."
Jake was looking at Cat with wide eyes. "We're going to be here for three hours?"
"Yeah. So? I chose three hours because I'm reading with you. Normally I read for at least four hours or more."
"That's crazy but it's no wonder you're the best student in class. Okay, let's do this." Jake said determinedly.
***
While reading, Jake had gotten some system messages but he had ignored them because he didn't want any distractions while he was reading. He pushed himself past his limit so that Cat wouldn't be disappointed and also to pass his examination in flying colours this time. They both studied for a long time and immediately it was one minute after three hours, Jake couldn't take it anymore.
"Okay." Jake said slumping back in his chair, "I give up. We've already been studying for three hours, that's enough for now isn't it?" Jake asked, tired from reading for so long.
"Yes it is. I'm actually impressed." Cat told Jake. "You stayed focused and read wholeheartedly for the full three hours. Most people can't do that."
"I guess I am one of a kind." Jake said smiling. "Well now that we have finished studying, what do you want to do?"
"I did say we were going to prepare lunch, so let's go?" Cat asked.
"Oh come on." Jake complained. "We just finished studying, now you want to work again. At least let's rest a little." Jake suggested.
"Okay. We'll rest for twenty minutes. After that we go prepare lunch. Deal?"
"You drive a hard bargain but alright. Deal." Jake said. "How do we seal the deal?"
"How about a handshake."
"I had something more fun in mind but, if it's a handshake you want." Standing up, Jake shook Cat's hand sealing the deal.
"What did you have in mind?" Cat asked him after they shook hands.
"That's in the past now. It's not like we can still do it to seal the already sealed deal." Jake said to her.
"I'm coming in." Sky said from outside the room. Opening the door, Sky went into the room and saw Jake and Cat sitting at the table with books open on it. "You guys were actually studying." Sky said feigning surprise.
"What did you think we were doing?" Jake asked lifting one eyebrow.
"Nothing. I just came to be sure you guys were studying. It was really quiet here, that's all."
"Yes Sky. It was quiet because we were studying. Did you expect to be hearing our voices everytime?" Cat asked.
"Na."
"What were you doing this whole time?" Jake asked.
"I was also studying. I have exams coming up too you know." he said after seeing the doubtful look on Jake's face.
"So now you remember you have exams coming up too?" Jake asked him.
"Whatever. I'll excuse myself now but I'll be watching you two." Sky said looking at them with a watchful gaze.
"He's never gonna change." Jake said as Sky shut the door.
"I heard that." came Sky's voice from behind the door.
Hearing footsteps walking down the passage, they were sure he had left. "Have you rested enough?" Cat asked Jake.
"Not as much as I would have liked but okay, let's go cook something to eat." Jake said wearily.
As they were both about to leave the room, Jake said to Cat, "You go on. I'll meet you in the kitchen."
"Something wrong?" she asked him.
"No I just want to check something out."
"Okay but don't take too long." Cat said as she left for the kitchen.
Sitting on the bed, Jake pulled up his system screen and checked out the messages he had gotten while he was studying with Cat.
[Quest Completed:Study for Study for 2 hours straight with no distractions]
[Mental Moxie +4, +10exp received]
[Mental Moxie:15]
[Exp:10/400]
'It's a far cry from 400 but 10exp is a start to help me reach level 4. And hopefully with my mental moxie stat this high, I should be able to read for a very long period of time before getting tired of reading. That leaves just one more quest to complete.'
[Run to and from the Superstar mall in 20 minutes=Speed +4, Endurance +3, +20exp]
'I'm gonna try to complete this one this coming week. Hopefully the next set of quests will give me more exp.'
Getting up and going to meet Cat in the kitchen, Jake was thinking of how he would be when he reached level 20. 'I might even be on par with a lower ranking soldier of Veda when I reach level 20.' Jake thought to himself stopping himself from smiling at how lucky he was to have found the crystal which gave him the system.
Seeing Cat in the kitchen, Jake saw her asking Sky for the things they will need when they start cooking. "Everything ready?" he asked as he got to the kitchen.
"Yeah, should we start now?" Cat asked eager to start cooking.
"Sure." Jake replied as they both got ready to prepare the lunch of the day.