Falling Short

Isaac and Marco settle in at Marco’s house to do homework. Isaac notices how tidy Marco’s side of the table is and contrasts this with his side, littered with the snacks he uses to get himself through his homework. He offers Marco snacks and soda, but Marco keeps working. Isaac is jealous of his friend’s ability to concentrate. Marco finally takes a break to eat some pizza that Isaac’s father gave them, and afterward, the two use a chessboard to run basketball plays. When Isaac tells him that he would have been a really good player if he’d started when he was little, Marco jokes that he still is little. He tells Isaac that he wishes his father would be impressed with his academic accomplishments, and Isaac says he understands what Marco means: “Unfortunately for me, […] “basketball seems to be the only thing I do well” (230).

Marco offers his perspective on the study session: He cannot believe how much Isaac talks and how frequently he stops working to get up, eat snacks, or distract himself. He notices how much better Isaac can concentrate when the topic is