Strictly Business - Damianya [Damian Desmond x Anya Forger]

vi - A Failure

Finally, the day of results came. Everyone at Eden was all over the place about the results of our midterms to see the impact on our report card shown to the boards.

I and Becky were calm though. Becky was calm since she had checked her marks beforehand and already taken the scolding of bad marks from her parents, and me for two reasons. 1. I was sure I was at least going to pass. 2. I had no one to be disappointed in me except probably myself.

The results were out on the boards and we had been requested to come to school about 15 minutes early so everyone could see their results.

We rushed out to the boards and shoved through the crowd to come to the front of the lines. Becky was just a little over average height for a girl but I was quite short so she helped me get to the front.

We started to scan for each for our positions and just a moment later I heard Sy-on boy, shouting. I quickly looked in his direction to see if he was in trouble but turns out he was screaming with happiness. He'd come first and second position in two exams and as predicted, had gotten full marks in the History exam. He'd officially become an Imperial Scholar. He'd even gotten 1st place on the leaderboard.

I was happy for him, but soon his annoying smugness took over and he started boasting and rubbing it in everyone's face.

I rolled my eyes in his direction and he childishly imitated me before going back to jumping around. Becky clearly shared my dislike of his behaviour and comically morphed her face to a look of disgust.

But a minute later she was in somewhat of the same state.

"I'm 9th place! I knew all that late night studying paid off! Whoo-hoo!" She said jumping around in the same manner as Damian.

I gave her a smile of congratulations and silently started shifting through each board. I wasn't in the top 100...

I scrolled further. Not in the top 200...

Further. Not in the top 300.

And finally I scrolled to the 300-400 board. I was at 304th place...

Becky finally stopped her mini-celebration and turned her attention to me.

"What did you get Anya?" she asked.

I gulped thickly before pointing to my position, unable to force the words out of my throat. She gasped. I'm not kidding. She gasped. She turned her head to me and gave me a look of pity and worry.

"Won't this affect your board results?" She asked, still shocked.

I nodded, holding my breath so I wouldn't quite literally have a panic attack. I exhaled and nodded. Becky realised what I was doing and gave me a big hug, knowing not to discuss the matter further.

I lightly pushed her off me, knowing if I hugged her back I would let myself go in front of everyone. Suddenly, Sy-on boy came over and looked brighter than ever.

"So what did you get shorty?" He asked never dropping his excited smile.

I tried to reply but as soon as I opened my mouth I closed it shut, knowing my emotions were about to flow out of my eyes any second. Luckily, Becky came to my rescue.

"She didn't score too bad." She replied on my behalf. Liar.

"Really? I don't see her in the top 200." He sneered.

"Desmond. Please. For once. Drop it." Becky pleaded. For a second I could swear he actually looked concerned. He maneuvered around Becky and looked down to meet my eyes.

"Are you okay?"

His words only made it harder to swallow my emotions. He was being genuinely sweet. What ghost possessed him to be nice to me?

Is she okay? Her parents can't say anything right? Is someone going to hurt her for her results?

He was worried about me...

"You know you can tell me right?" He said.

I let out a meek "I'm okay..." before shuffling to class.

These results are going to get me kicked out of WISE. I'll never land a job. I'll never be able to change my life like how I dreamed of it to be.

After attending 2 hours of classes, the break bell rang and I didn't have the energy to eat so I only took a small portion before nibbling away at it.

I finished my food 20 minutes before the break even ended and walked out to grounds to take some fresh air. I asked Becky not to come since I felt it would be even more embarrassing if she had to comfort me if I cried. Because the weight in my lungs and the lump in my throat were becoming too much to bare...

On a short bench near the soccer grounds I sat as I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. I hugged my knees and sat completely atop the bench, staring into the distance. I let out a shuddering breath as I tried to remain calm and collected.

How could I have done so bad on some of the most important tests of my life? How could I study so less? How could I have been on the verge of failing so many times? On the exams that could change everything...

My shitty little apartment. TV dinners every night. The most uncomfortable furniture you could think of and the fact that I can barely afford to stay at this school, all of that could have changed if I had just studied harder. And this was just one test section. Imagine what damage I could do when all of them have been given.

I felt the first tear slide down my cheek as I slowly started regretting all my decision. Honestly I never thought I'd cry again after I joined WISE. I'd already suffered more at 6 than most people did by the end of their life. And the fact that I had to start earning at 14 was the icing on the cake.

But I couldn't stop myself. A second tear fell. Then a third. Then a fourth...

"Eh? Anya?" I heard from beyond the bushes. It was Damian again.

"S-s-sy-on boy!" I stuttered quickly wiping away the tears that had slid down my cheeks.

He saw right through me. He knew exactly what was happening.

"I-I saw you run out here early after break..." he admitted lightly tinting.

"So you followed Anya?" I asked sitting back in the position I was in.

"I-it's not like that! I was just..." worried about you... "curious."

He's cares about me.

"I saw your results." I felt my eyes go wide. Surely he was going to tease me now. I thought he was being nice but he just came here to make fun of me.

"It's really not that bad. I-I bet if you get over 90 in all your test on preliminaries and finals, no one will even notice your midterms." He said sitting down next to me.

He was trying to comfort me?

"You really think someone like me could get over 90 in all of my tests?" I laughed without emotion, tears once more clouding my eyes.

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Of course you can Anya. You're smarter than you think. And I heard you got 62 in Maths, highest of all your tests and the only subject you studied with me. Y-you're always welcome to tutor with me more."

I felt another small droplet sliding from my eyes. "I'm too stupid. Even after you helped me so much I only got 62."

"Don't worry. We have 4 months until prelims and 6 months until boards. You'll score. I promise." He said smiling genuinely.

I let out a small sob before the urge to give him the biggest hug finally took over. I wrapped my arms around his neck, almost tight enough to choke and cried into his shoulder while repeatedly uttering the words "Thank you." next to his ear.

I felt him grow warm again before he hesitantly hugged back. When I let go and wiped my nose and eyes, I saw him with a bright shade of pink across his cheeks and nose.

"Are you sick?"

"No! Are you an idiot?!"

"..."

"Sorry..."