Chapter 35: Settling into the Routine

Chapter 30: Settling into the Routine

The next morning, Mrs. Faulkner woke the boys up at 7 AM sharp, just as she had the day before. "Alright, boys, up and at it! Time for another day of homeschool," she called from the doorway.

Jake groaned, pulling his blanket over his head. "Five more minutes…"

"Nope," she said firmly. "You've got a schedule to stick to."

Alex yawned, rubbing his eyes. "We're up. We're up…"

As usual, both boys felt the familiar dampness and sighed. Without a word, they got out of bed and made their way to get changed before breakfast.

Downstairs, Mrs. Faulkner was already sipping her coffee, scrolling through emails. "Eat up, boys," she said, nodding toward the table, where bowls of cereal and fruit were waiting for them.

As they ate, Mrs. Caldwell arrived, her usual professional yet friendly demeanor in place. "Good morning, boys," she greeted.

"Morning," they mumbled through bites of cereal.

Mrs. Caldwell clapped her hands together. "Alright, today we're diving into a full lesson schedule. Math, reading, and a science project after lunch. Sound good?"

The boys exchanged a look but knew there was no point in complaining. Homeschool was officially in full swing.

Their mom smiled. "You two behave. I’ve got work to do, but I’ll check in later."

With that, the boys got ready to tackle another day, knowing that their new routine was just beginning.

After finishing their breakfast, Jake and Alex followed Mrs. Caldwell went to the dining room, which had now become their homeschool classroom. The table was covered in neatly stacked books, notebooks, and a whiteboard propped against the wall.

"Alright, boys," Mrs. Caldwell said, adjusting her glasses. "We'll start with math. Open your workbooks to page thirty."

Jake sighed, flipping open the book. "Do we really have to do math first thing?"

Mrs. Caldwell gave him a pointed look. "Yes, because it’s important to keep your mind fresh in the morning. Plus, once it's done, you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day."

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, Jake, just get it over with."

The morning passed in a blur of math problems, vocabulary exercises, and history discussions. Despite their initial resistance, both boys found themselves getting used to the structure. Mrs. Caldwell was strict but fair, answering their questions and making sure they stayed on track.

By the time lunch rolled around, they were ready for a break. Their mom had left sandwiches and fruit in the fridge, and as they sat down to eat, they couldn’t help but talk about how different homeschool is going to be compared to regular school.

"It’s kinda weird being home all day," Alex admitted.

Jake shrugged. "Yeah, but at least we don’t have to deal with a bunch of other kids being annoying."

Mrs. Caldwell chuckled as she sat with her own lunch. "You’ll get used to it. And remember, homeschool isn’t just about sitting in front of books. We have a science project this afternoon, and I think you’ll like it."

Alex perked up. "What kind of project?"

"You'll see," she said with a smile.

Mrs. Caldwell led the boys outside to the backyard, where a table was set up with various supplies—baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and a few other materials.

“Alright, boys,” she said, adjusting her denim vest. “Today’s science project is all about chemical reactions. We’re going to make a small volcano eruption.”

Alex’s eyes lit up. “That’s awesome!”

Jake smirked. “This is way better than regular school.”

Mrs. Caldwell handed them each a plastic bottle. “First, we’re going to build the volcano shape around this using clay. Then, we’ll add the ingredients and watch it explode.”

The boys worked on molding the clay around their bottles, creating their own versions of a volcano. Alex made his tall and jagged, while Jake shaped his to look smoother, like a dome. Once they were satisfied, Mrs. Caldwell had them carefully pour in baking soda, followed by a few drops of red food coloring.

“Now, when we add the vinegar…” she started before letting Jake and Alex do the honors.

They poured the vinegar in and watched as the mixture fizzed and bubbled before foaming out of the top like lava. The boys grinned as the red foam spilled over the sides of their volcanoes, hissing and bubbling as it spread across the table.

"That was awesome!" Alex cheered.

Mrs. Caldwell clapped her hands together with a satisfied nod. “Great job, boys! Now, before I go, I have your homework assignments for today.”

The boys groaned, but she ignored them and continued handing them each sheet of paper.

“First, you have a multiplication worksheet. Nothing too difficult, but I expect it done correctly by tomorrow.”

Jake sighed. “Math already? Ugh.”

Mrs. Caldwell smirked. “It’s part of the deal, Jake.” She then handed them another sheet. “Second, you need to write a one-page paper on what you want to learn this year. This will help me tailor lessons to things you’re actually interested in.”

Alex perked up. “So, we can pick anything?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “As long as it’s educational.”

Finally, she pulled out a set of instructions and placed them on the table. “And last, a fun project. You’ll each be making your own paper-mâché volcano. You can take your time on this one—it’s due next week. You’ll present them, and we’ll make them erupt just like today.”

Jake and Alex exchanged a look. “Okay, that’s kinda cool,” Jake admitted.

Mrs. Caldwell chuckled. “Glad you think so. Now, I expect the math and writing assignments to be done by tomorrow. I’ll be back in the morning, so be ready.”

With that, she packed up her materials and gathered her things. “Alright, boys, that’s it for today. I’ll see you bright and early!”

As she left, the boys flopped onto the couch. “Well,” Alex said, “there goes the fun part of homeschool.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “At least we got a volcano project.”

“Yeah, but we also got math,” Alex groaned.

Their mom walked in, overhearing their complaints. “Less complaining, more working, boys. The sooner you finish, the sooner you’re free for the evening.”

With a heavy sigh, the boys grabbed their worksheets and got to work.

Jake grabbed the remote and was about to turn on the TV when his mom's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Jake, you know the rule—no TV until your homework is done."

He let out a groan and dropped the remote onto the couch. "But, Mom—"

"No buts," she said firmly. "The sooner you finish, the sooner you can relax."

Alex sighed, grabbing a pencil. "Guess we better just get it over with."

Jake dragged his feet to the table and sat down. "Fine, but I’m doing the volcano last."

Their mom smirked. "As long as it gets done, I don’t care what order you do it in."

The boys settled in, tackling their multiplication worksheets first. It wasn’t long before the room was filled with the sound of pencils scratching against paper, the occasional sigh of frustration, and muttered math equations.

2 hours later, both boys had their math and their paper done.... they asked their mom if they could start the volcano tomorrow as it's not due for a week she says yes, that fine but im checking your work before your free

Their mom took their worksheets and papers, scanning over them with a keen eye. She nodded as she flipped through their math problems, occasionally pointing out a small mistake for them to correct.

"Your math looks good," she said, handing back Jake’s paper. "Just fix that one problem, and you’re set."

She then read through their one-page essays. "These are well thought out. I like what you boys want to learn. As long as you actually put in the effort, I think homeschool will be great for you."

Jake stretched his arms. "So, does that mean we’re free?"

Mrs. Faulkner smiled. "Yes, you can relax. But remember, no procrastinating on that volcano. You don’t want to rush it at the last minute."

"We won’t," Alex promised as he and Jake quickly bolted toward the living room, eager to finally enjoy their evening.

The boys put on supernatural ... alex says alright episode 15... jake says, "Hell yeah... their mom says, "Watch your language, jake

Jake smirked sheepishly. "Sorry, Mom."

Mrs. Faulkner shook her head with an amused sigh before heading into the kitchen to start on dinner.

As the boys settled in, Alex grabbed the remote and queued up Supernatural Season 1, Episode 15. The familiar intro played, and both boys leaned back, fully engrossed in the monster-hunting adventures of Sam and Dean Winchester.

"This show just keeps getting better," Alex said, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

Jake nodded. "Yeah, and we still have so many seasons to go. We’ll be watching this forever."

Their mom called from the kitchen, "Just don’t stay up too late. You still have school in the morning!"

The boys exchanged a glance and grinned. "One more episode won’t hurt," Alex whispered, and Jake nodded in agreement.

Their evening continued, lost in the world of Supernatural, making the most of their free time before another school day began.

The clock struck 10pm, and their mom said ok boys, you know the rules off to bed for school tomorrow

The boys groaned but knew better than to argue. Jake grabbed the remote and paused the episode. "Alright, alright, we’re going," he said, stretching as he got up.

Alex yawned. "Man, just when it was getting good," he mumbled, turning off the TV.

Mrs. Faulkner stood with her arms crossed. "You'll have plenty of time to watch tomorrow—after school and homework."

The boys headed upstairs, going through their usual nighttime routine—showering, brushing their teeth, and getting into their pajamas. Their mom came in to tuck them in, giving each a goodnight hug.

"Sleep well, boys. Tomorrow's another school day," she said softly.

"Night, Mom," Jake mumbled, already half-asleep.

"Goodnight," Alex added with a yawn.

Mrs. Faulkner smiled, turned off the light, and quietly closed the door. The boys drifted off, ready for another day ahead.