At first, Paul got no answer. He heard some funny gasping, choking noises coming from inside Hank's bedroom. "Hank? It's me, Paul. I know you're in there."
更多 gulps for air, and then, "Okay. Come in."
Paul opened the door and stepped into his brother's room, which was full of model cars, posters of athletes and action movies, and lots of football gear. Hank sat on his bed, head downcast, looking 更多 forlorn than Paul had seen him in a long time. He was gasping for breath and blinking hard, and Paul realized his brother was trying very hard not to cry.
"You know, if 你 need to let it out," Paul shut the door and came over to sit 由 Hank, "no one's going to see 你 but me."
Hank shook his head, wavy blond hair falling 前锋, 期待 to hide his face. "Real men don't cry."
"Is that what your 老友记 tell you?" Hank looked up as Paul's tone came out unusually firm. "I cry when I'm this upset, Hank. What does that say about me?"
Hank managed a small, watery smile at these words.
"It'll be hard enough telling my 老友记 I didn't pass my driver's test without also letting them know I cried about it." Hank's head dropped into his hands with a huge sigh. "Do 你 know how long we've all been talking about what kind of cars we're going to drive? I kept telling them I'd be getting a cool sports car 或者 muscle car and everyone's looking 前锋, 期待 to taking rides in mine 更多 than anyone's. And if I don't have one I'll have to rely on 你 或者 our parents 或者 them for rides everywhere while all my 老友记 are going wherever they want whenever they feel like it, and I'll be such a loser!" 由 the time he was done, there was no holding back. The tears were flowing in earnest.
"No one calls my brother a loser." Paul waited, and once 更多 Hank managed a smile. "Who cares if 你 can drive 或者 not?"
Hank swallowed and dried his eyes. "Okay, I'm not a loser. I still really want to be able to drive. Just for me."
Paul decided it was a good time now to tell him. "You know, Hank, you're not a bad driver. The only problem was 你 were thinking too much."
Hank sighed, flopping down onto his bedcovers (dark blue patterned with little footballs). "Well, there's so much to remember. I wanted to make sure I got everything right!"
"I think that was your problem." Paul remembered how it felt when he was taking the test. "When 你 don't think too hard, after a while, it's like there's nothing except 你 and the car. 你 just have to get a feel for it."
Hank shook his head. "You're just a better driver than me."
"No. I'm not." Paul stood up firmly. "Look, Hank, if 你 want to retake your driver's test and pass this time, 你 will. I'll help 你 stop overthinking. And trust me, that's all 你 have to do."
He turned and headed for the door. "I'll be waiting tomorrow after school, Hank. We'll practise together. And I'm not taking no for an answer!"
由 the time Paul left, Hank really was smiling.
更多 gulps for air, and then, "Okay. Come in."
Paul opened the door and stepped into his brother's room, which was full of model cars, posters of athletes and action movies, and lots of football gear. Hank sat on his bed, head downcast, looking 更多 forlorn than Paul had seen him in a long time. He was gasping for breath and blinking hard, and Paul realized his brother was trying very hard not to cry.
"You know, if 你 need to let it out," Paul shut the door and came over to sit 由 Hank, "no one's going to see 你 but me."
Hank shook his head, wavy blond hair falling 前锋, 期待 to hide his face. "Real men don't cry."
"Is that what your 老友记 tell you?" Hank looked up as Paul's tone came out unusually firm. "I cry when I'm this upset, Hank. What does that say about me?"
Hank managed a small, watery smile at these words.
"It'll be hard enough telling my 老友记 I didn't pass my driver's test without also letting them know I cried about it." Hank's head dropped into his hands with a huge sigh. "Do 你 know how long we've all been talking about what kind of cars we're going to drive? I kept telling them I'd be getting a cool sports car 或者 muscle car and everyone's looking 前锋, 期待 to taking rides in mine 更多 than anyone's. And if I don't have one I'll have to rely on 你 或者 our parents 或者 them for rides everywhere while all my 老友记 are going wherever they want whenever they feel like it, and I'll be such a loser!" 由 the time he was done, there was no holding back. The tears were flowing in earnest.
"No one calls my brother a loser." Paul waited, and once 更多 Hank managed a smile. "Who cares if 你 can drive 或者 not?"
Hank swallowed and dried his eyes. "Okay, I'm not a loser. I still really want to be able to drive. Just for me."
Paul decided it was a good time now to tell him. "You know, Hank, you're not a bad driver. The only problem was 你 were thinking too much."
Hank sighed, flopping down onto his bedcovers (dark blue patterned with little footballs). "Well, there's so much to remember. I wanted to make sure I got everything right!"
"I think that was your problem." Paul remembered how it felt when he was taking the test. "When 你 don't think too hard, after a while, it's like there's nothing except 你 and the car. 你 just have to get a feel for it."
Hank shook his head. "You're just a better driver than me."
"No. I'm not." Paul stood up firmly. "Look, Hank, if 你 want to retake your driver's test and pass this time, 你 will. I'll help 你 stop overthinking. And trust me, that's all 你 have to do."
He turned and headed for the door. "I'll be waiting tomorrow after school, Hank. We'll practise together. And I'm not taking no for an answer!"
由 the time Paul left, Hank really was smiling.