Chapter 23: Try Harder

Author Jeffrey is in a good mood, writing in the third person and failing at life with a smile on his face.

"So that's what collections are", Jeffrey thinks in his head as he's finally taking writing seriously.

"I'm surprised they're so many readers and I'm less of a failure than I thought", Jeffrey said to himself.

Jeffrey puts on another song and transports himself back to 2007.

_____

Returning to 2007

At this point Jeffrey opens his cash box to find $200 in cash, $80 of it is spent on a cell phone and the other $120 are just barely enough to cover supplies.

Reflecting on his gains, Jeffrey is slowly adapting to the experience of selling his science project to others. However, if he wants to make a business he's going to have to do a lot better than just sell his ideas, he also wants to make more friends and manage more work.

First goal of the day, talk to his friend Preston. Jeffrey in the past few days talked to Preston about life and played a few rounds of basketball, however he could tell Preston is having difficulties separating work from their personal relationship.

So Jeffrey went over to reassure him that whatever happens with this project of his, there are no hard feelings.

"Hey Preston", Jeffrey waves at Preston.

Preston fazes up a little, but due to their past friendship he still greets Jeffrey.

"Hi Jeffrey", Preston replies

"Are you still in on the science project?", Jeffrey asks.

"uh, yeah", Preston says a little hesitant.

"Look Preston, regardless of what happens, we're still friends. I'm not going to be upset or anything if you don't want to be involved. It'd save both of us a lot of time if you just told me about your concerns", Jeffrey tried to ease the atmosphere.

"No, everything's fine", Preston denys feeling uncomfortable.

"Hey Preston, I'm not your parents. We're friends, just talk to me here", Jeffrey offers a little aggressively.

Preston shakes his head again saying, "Everything's fine, nothing's wrong."

Jeffrey sighs, "Haah"

"I see how it is. I'll push you once more before we make this anymore difficult. Look me in the eye and tell me that you're ready for this", Jeffrey stared at his friend.

Jeffrey felt terrible doing this to a friend, however this was a serious business and the atmosphere between the two was a little tense.

Preston nods at Jeffrey.

"Ok, well I'll be a little rough with you", Jeffrey warns Preston.

Jeffrey although stern with his friend, he has the patience to work with him. Since even though Preston's clearly struggling, his idea of a friend is someone who backs them up even if it's hard.

"This type of friendship and loyalty is hard to find", Jeffrey thought and so he'd do his best to make sure to take good care of them and bring them success in life.

"I just want you to know, if you can't do it. Tell me.", Jeffrey said clearly

"It's hard to admit you can't do something but that's the only way you can let others know and get help. ", Jeffrey felt like his parents remembering all the times he hid his troubles from them.

"Ok, I will Jeffrey.", Preston nodded again reassuring him.

"Did you sell the Oobleck yet?", Jeffrey asked.

"uhh... no", Preston admitted honestly.

"Thanks for being honest with me Preston. Did you ask anyone?", Jeffrey inquired.

Preston looked as if he swallowed a bug and said, "Yeah"

"Let me guess you got rejected", Jeffrey tried to be as nice and as gentle as possible about it.

Preston looked embarrassed and a little ashamed.

Jeffrey went to find a way to comfort his friend without hurting his self-esteem. Although Preston was the taller of the two, Jeffrey felt like the older brother. They were equals like in Flowers for Algernon, or Freak the Mighty. Except in this case, Jeffrey was just short and weird, whereas Preston was the more normal of the two.

"Man, you did better than I thought", Jeffrey said.

Preston still looked a little down.

"I know it's a little hard, but let me tell you something", Jeffrey started giving a speech.

"Look around you, there's so many kids on the playground playing around, studying and talking with friends. It's so easy to be them, they don't have to be like us selling Oobleck and slime. They're having fun", Jeffrey paused for a moment.

"We're different than all of them. We're doing something no one else in the school is doing. How many middle schoolers do you think are doing the same exact thing we are? Preston, how many?"

Preston responded, "Probably none"

Jeffrey had the urge to say the truth, that there were a decent amount of kids that did the same. However no one knew about it, but the truth at this moment wasn't important. What was important was the kid in front of him, his friend Preston.

"Yeah, none at all", Jeffrey reaffirmed his answer.

"That means we're unique, that means we're special", Jeffrey was getting excited again.

"We're doing something no one else has done. We're changing the world!", Jeffrey yelled out loud.

The other kids that heard him were staring at Jeffrey. Although Jeffrey was a little embarrassed, he worked through it.

"Success is never found in doing something easy, Preston. If you're struggling that means you're learning. Don't be afraid of rejection, you know how many times I've been rejected Preston?"

Preston shook his head.

"I was rejected by my own little sister, man. That hurts"

Preston smiled a little feeling a little better. Seeing this Jeffrey continued.

"You know how many kids are jealous of me?", Jeffrey asked.

Preston shook his head again

"A lot more than ones that like me", Jeffrey joked.

"They don't like me, because they can't be me. They look down on me because they think what I do is easy. However, if any of them tried to do what I do they'd fail. They'd fall flat on their face and not try it again. They tell themselves it's easy to make themselves feel better", Jeffrey said venting out his frustrated. However he had a bright self assured smile on his face.

"Looking at my success, it looks like I don't try at all. However, how many of them has seen me fail. They don't know what it's like to be rejected or to be worried about what's going to happen", Jeffrey complained.

"I spent $200 on supplies and another $80 on this phone. I owe money Preston.", Jeffrey admitted frankly. (He lied because his parents paid for it, but that's not important)

"But I'm still doing this anyway because I think we can succeed. Even if we fail we can just ask our parents to help out. If something goes wrong, I'll still going to go and beg my parents to bail me out", Jeffrey continued.

"So you see, it's not that bad to fail. If you don't fail today how are you going to succeed tomorrow? Learn from why you got rejected and do better next time", Jeffrey started to do some ideological work and pour out the chicken soup.

"If you get a bad grade on a test, you go back and study your mistakes. You don't complain about it and get a bad grade next time, you do that and your parents are going to get made at you", Jeffrey remarked.

"Preston, look at me", Jeffrey said to his friend.

Preston looked up.

"I want you to repeat after me, ok?", Jeffrey asked.

"If I yell, you yell", Jeffrey said.

Preston looked at Jeffrey and Jeffrey looked back at him.

"If I yell, you yell", Preston repeated softly.

"I GOT REJECTED BY A GIRL", Jeffrey yelled out loud.

"I got rejected by a girl", Preston repeated.

"come on, man. if I yell you yell, you're going to make me look bad", Jeffrey chided

a few of the onlookers in the peanut gallery were pointing and chuckling.

"I GOT REJECTED BY A GIRL", Jeffrey yelled again.

"I'm not saying that", Preston said to his friend.

"I'm going to keep yelling until you do and I'm going to stand right next to you and hug you until you do", Jeffrey threatened him.

Preston started running with the smaller Jeffrey chasing after him.

"Get over here", Jeffrey losing the confident image he once had.

Preston started running down the stairs. They ran around the courtyard until they were both out of breath.

"We're doing this again next time", Jeffrey said.

"No we're not", Preston refused his offer.

"We'll see", Jeffrey said ominously.

They were both lying flat on their backs coughing and sputtering from the exercise.

"Truce", Jeffrey said.

"Truce", Preston agreed.

Just like that school started and Jeffrey and Preston got another nickname. The Crazies.