𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟒

AVERY
RAVEN

I nibbled on my bottom lip, my mind racing. Why did the Physics exam have to be on Monday? The first day of finals week, first period. It should've been easier, especially since Grayson had helped me study. But now, with the clock ticking down, all the stress was starting to suffocate me.

"Miss, I'm done," Marci called out, raising her hand. I blinked, trying to process. She finished in less than an hour?! Damn, I was proud of her. Stella and Lily were done too. The classroom atmosphere shifted as more students wrapped up their exams. Some, like Alessio, Grayson, and Damon, always handed their papers last, not out of stress, but because they liked to take their time.

I glanced around, trying to refocus. My mind kept spiraling, and I could feel the weight of time pressing on me. "How many minutes left?" a student asked.

"About half an hour, plus an extra five minutes for those who didn't finish," the teacher replied, her voice cool.

I gasped, completely caught off guard. "What?! Already?" I blurted out.

"Well, Miss Raven, if you weren't so busy zoning out, you'd have plenty of time," the teacher shot back, leaning against her desk, her voice sharp.

I bit my lip, trying not to roll my eyes. She was being kind of mean, but I didn't have time to dwell on it. My eyes caught Grayson's, and he gave me a thumbs up, mouthing, 'I'm proud of you, move on.' His encouragement hit me like a wave, and suddenly, the formula I had been struggling with clicked in my head.

I quickly scribbled it down, then raised my hand. "I'm done! Wait, can I revise?"

The excitement surged through me as I sat back down and quickly double-checked everything. My hands were shaking, but I felt a rush of confidence. When I was sure, I made my way up to the teacher's desk, standing quietly as she skimmed over my paper.

"I'm estimating your grade," she said after a moment, her gaze softening. "You'll probably get an A."

"Really? Thanks!" I grinned, practically bouncing on my toes. I couldn't believe it. I had actually done it.

Leaving the classroom, I raced down the hallway, my heart pounding with excitement. I threw my arms around Stella, Lily, and Marci in a group hug, feeling all the stress of the last few weeks evaporate for just a moment.

"I'm proud of myself and you guys!" I giggled, pulling away to catch my breath.

"Finally, physics is done!" Marci sighed with relief. "Now we only have...maths, English, two essays, history, ICT, Chemistry, Biology, Business..." she trailed off, her voice heavy with the weight of our still-packed exam schedules.

All of us had taken extra classes, thinking it would be fun or interesting. And now, we were drowning in the consequences. Why the hell did we think we needed History, anyway?

I let out a tired chuckle and leaned back against the locker. "I don't even know how we're still standing," I murmured, looking at my friends.

Stella, her usual smile softer today, glanced over at me. "Guys, Grayson invited me over for dinner. I don't know if it's a date," she said, her voice a little unsure but excited.

"What?!" Lily almost shrieked, her face lighting up. "I'm so happy for you!" She grabbed a book from her locker, clearly distracted by the news.

Marcella, ever the supportive friend, nodded, her eyes gleaming. "I already knew. Grayson told me while we FaceTimed." She gave me a knowing smile, and I couldn't help but return it, my heart swelling just a little.

They all stopped, looking at me with wide eyes, as if they were waiting for some sort of confession. My stomach flipped. "You FaceTimed Grayson?" they chorused.