Mike's eyes narrowed on Jeff, "This is the last I'll say anything about it, you need to pull your grades up. There will be consequences if you have less than a B average, a grade less than a C in any of your classes, or if you keep slacking off on your assignments and not turning them in. All those things are entirely unacceptable, you are smarter than that and I expect you to perform to your abilities."
"I know dad. I didn't mean to..."
"Don't tell me you understand, show me you understand by pulling your grades up."
"Alright."
Jeff took his word seriously, his dad was right and he could do better. With new invigoration he went to his classes and did his best to do well. Immediately after he renewed his commitment to school however, the paper he was assigned last week to write hadn't gotten completed (started). It had honestly slipped his mind, and there was a new assignment taking its place so trying to make it up while giving extra effort in all his other classes wasn't feasible in his opinion.
The next morning, whatever his dad did to him was still in effect, he woke at 5:15 on the dot and if he tried to go back to sleep his mind would instantly shift into high gear. Jeff tested this over the next few days pushing his bedtime back and forward, and it also seemed like no matter how much sleep he got, or didn't get, he could no longer take a nap after school.
By the next week Jeff confirmed his dad was right about several things, waking up earlier to give himself time to become alert and the coffee did seem to help, and nobody called out his change in behavior or his body, including friends, teachers, or even his mom. A few of his friends did express jealousy, but to them it was as though his facial hair started really coming in the end of freshmen year. Over the weekend however, Jeff learned that his new wake up routine persisted despite not having to go to school. Confronting his dad the response was, "Yeah, its common, 'less I'm sick, I can't sleep past six since I've been getting up 'round 5 fer the last decade... even then. You wanna feel like you got extra rest, go to bed sooner." Jeff balked but had no rebuttal.
The next month breached November, Jeff had done well in maintaining his grades, most of his returned scores hit the B- mark but a Chemistry lab worksheet had slipped by unnoticed until it was supposed to be handed in. It wasn't until a few days later that he noticed his voice had dropped, he could swear he was taller, and his body hair seemed more prevalent but again, nobody noticed anything as abnormal, his dad didn't say anything, and maybe it was just his time to develop that way?
Once mid-November rolled around Jeff had started to break the habit of shaving every morning, he was trying out a thin chinstrap beard with a goatee. He still had no choice but to wake at 5:15 and much to his disappointment, this left him with a 9:00-9:30 bedtime despite his peers talking about staying up till 11 or midnight. Thanksgiving holiday was awkward, all conversations diverted toward what he wants to be when he grows up and if he plans on going to college. Every fiber of his being wanted to scream "I just want to remain alive, can you back off!" and run back to his room but he politely dodged the questions honestly expressing that he's been very focused on his current studies.
December blew in like a storm and semester finals became a big focus for the first time in Jeff's life. As the end of the year drew closer, Jeff actually knew what his test schedule looked like and studied appropriately for the classes he was going to be graded in. Jeff's efforts came through in raising his final exam score, but in studying for the final exam that day he forgot to fill out a study guide worksheet for a different class whose final was end of week. It made for an awkward question or two when he was called on and had to guess but ultimately he was glad he studied for the History final for second period more.
By end of week Jeff was looking forward to winter break. He knew the grades he'd been getting back were better but as for his final grade and what is needed on specific exams was not in his wheel house to figure out. Regardless how his grades were, he was confident results wouldn't be known until January, and if they were bad, he'd simply point out his improvement and assure his parents that he will hit the goals by end of the school year instead of the calendar year.
Unbeknownst to Jeff, Mike had already set everything in motion. His initial warning all those months ago, was shortly after he had set Jeff to age a month a day for 6 days after with each missed assignment, and should he not attain a B GPA average for the semester, and get a C minimum in each of his classes, he would age 5 years and can begin working. As Mike saw it, there was no point in distracting Jeff with education if Jeff wasn't going to do anything with it.
When Mike gave Jeff the beard, and the waking and coffee habits, that was actually an afterthought to make sure the settings had taken effect. What he really did was give Jeff an aura that compelled his instructors to grade and file Jeff's grades first. Before Jeff stepped off the bus and into the house on that last day of school, the system had received Jeff's final score and the system automatically sent Mike Jeff's final grades via email, paper copy to come.
Mike called Jeff over after dinner and admitted that he knew Jeff's grades as well as the assignments that were missed, he pointed out the effect of each missed assignment and that in just a few days, the formerly 16.5 year old Jeff would actually be an 18 year old and is actually currently around 17 and 3/4ths.
Jeff was dumbstruck, he was right about his growth spurt but wrong about the cause. It would have been easier to notice the changes if he wasn't already growing a beard.
"That is however, only one part of the expectations," Mike said. "Your grades had to improve by a specific measure." Mike pulled up the email from the school. "Reading and Comprehension: C-... One requirement was nothing lower than a C, the other was your GPA average be brought up to a B average. It barely hit a B-..."
"I really tried dad! I worked..."
"As such, you have failed your Performance Improvement Plan and it is clear that its not in any of our best interests for you to continue focusing on school. After Christmas, find a job and see if you can take life more seriously than you took your education."
"You're pulling me out of school?"
"Of course not Jeff. You're going to age out of it... Failing this test would age you five years, but since you're already 18, you'll be old enough to drink with the adults by the time we drive down to your cousins. You will age a year a day for the next five days. January is a great time to find a job since all the kids are going back to school and college after winter break."