Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Finals Friday or Four Exams in One Day

December 22

I got to school early on Friday with the intent of studying. Yesterday, we had taken our final in ASL. It consisted of two parts. The first part was a group conversation: three to five of us signing. The topics had ranged from politics to how fish felt when fishermen posed with them for photos. The second part of the exam had been a one-on-one conversation with Vidar.

     Ceramics and PE both had final projects, so I didn't have to worry about them today. Still, I had four finals today and I was not looking forward to them. I found Hearthstone and Blitzen sitting down at a table and I joined them. "Odin's exams are the worst," Hearthstone signed.

     "How so?" I signed back.

      "His are mini essays," Hearthstone said. "Like the AP exams."

     "RIP my hands," I signed back.

      Blitzen snorted. Hearthstone made a sign for laughter. We decided to study for English first since we'd have free time in Ceramics to study for our other subjects. We went over our notes and asked each other questions like "Who does Mr. Bingley marry?" and "Why was Grettir banished?"

     Since it was jail day (sorry, Friday), we didn't get out until fifteen minutes before first block. We headed to English. Everyone was strangely quiet. Many people were sipping from water bottles that likely were filled with contraband coffee. Everyone wore the same mask of a senior during Finals Week: that mixture of stress and sleeplessness that was impossible to hide.

As soon as the bell rang, Odin stood up and retrieved a stack of papers from his desk. "You guys have until the end of class to complete your exams. Make sure you've put away your Chromebooks and notes. There will be three questions. You have to answer two of them. Try to use evidence from the texts read."

Sam raised her hand. "Do we need to quote parts of the text then?"

"No," Odin said and the entire class let out a collective sigh of relief. "I am not that unreasonable nor that evil."

I saw Magni and Mothi exchanging glances as if they disagreed. "No talking," Odin continued. "Write your answers in number 2 pencil on the blank lined sheets of papers I am passing out. If your pencil breaks or you need more paper, raise your hand. Same with questions."

He had been passing out the exams and notebook paper the entire time while he was talking. "Now, you may begin," he said.

I flipped over the exam and looked at the questions:

1) How would you characterize Grettir in Grettir's Saga?

2) What is the role of marriage in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice?

3) Discuss symbolism in Earnest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea.

I chose to answer the first two questions. I wrote that Grettir was a serial killer who the text romanticized and compared it to movies about Ted Bundy. Then, I talked about how Jane Austen subtly criticized the construction of marriage by pointing out how women can end up in straits without it or in a bad one. My left hand was cramped by the time I finished writing and I barely had time to scan it over for errors before Odin collected our exams.

In PE, Coach Thor was letting us have open gym. We didn't even have to change out today (probably because he knew most of us would just amble around and chat). We did exactly that, quizzing each other on things for our Biology exam. By the end of PE, I'd heard the words "mitosis" and "meiosis" so many times that I think I had them distinguished.

In Ceramics, Sif gave us back our fired pottery. She instructed us to wrap it, providing us with bubble wrap and wrapping paper. My friends and I quizzed each other on names and dates for AP History while doing so.

    Our AP History final consisted of three parts. The first part was multiple choice questions, the second part was short answer, and the third part was a mini essay. I did the essay first and then the short answer questions before going the multiple choice questions. I turned my exam in, feeling dizzy from the deluge of dates, names, and definitions.

      Lunch was next and during it, we (you guessed it) studied. I still had my AP Biology and AP Calculus exams and I was not looking forward to them. When lunch was finally over, we reluctantly made our way to Mimir's classroom. At least this exam was all multiple choice, true or false, and fill in the answer. There were 50 questions. I finished the first 49 and looked down at the last one:

50) Who is the best AP Biology teacher?
A) Mimir Well
B) Mr. Well
C) M. Well
4) Professor Well

I smiled and circled an answer. I had just enough time to review the questions I'd marked as hard before Mimir warned us we had five minutes left. I turned my exam in a minute early.

    My last class of the semester was AP Calculus. Saga handed us our exams and when the bell rang, we began. I tore through my exam and as I finished the last question, I felt my eyelids true heavy. I closed my eyes and before I knew it, I was asleep.

     "Mr. Chase!"

      I was awoken by someone shaking me. "Mr. Chase!" the stern voice repeated.

    I jumped up in fear and blinked open my eyes at the same time. My math teacher was standing directly over me. I gulped. "Umm, sorry?"

    To my surprise, she smiled. "It's been a long week, but do wake up and giving your exam. You have five minutes left."

     Five minutes! I hurried to finish my exam. I looked over the work I'd done as the time wore down. When Saga collected our exams, she took mine last and I smiled in gratitude. The bell rang. Alex jumped up and stood on her desk. "School's out!"

Saga cleared her throat. "May I remind you to not stand on desks?"

"Oops," Alex said before jumping off the desk.

I grabbed my backpack and walked to meet her and my friends. "The semester is finally over!" TJ said.

"We're free!" Mallory said.

I laughed. The announcements came on, reminding us to be safe and wishing us a good Winter Break. With my friends, I had no doubt how it would end up being.