Tinkering Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Five

Zaelia

My head's swarming with all the possible answers this question can have. My breath is uneven and, I think, I'm very close to having a migraine. I flew through all the questions at the beginning of this question paper. Now...

I'm stuck.

Tears threaten to flow out of my eyes. I try to think hard. How does this derivation go further? I shut my eyes tight, trying to search my brain for the part of my notes where this derivation is at. Was it raised to power three or one by three? 

I let out a shaky breath and from my peripheral view, see other students, still going. No question seems to bother them. I scream internally, tears stinging my eyes. I take two or three deep breaths. Alright, it's better not to waste time and move on to the next one.

Only that I didn't know this one at all. I wipe my eyes, glancing at the next question. And then the next. And then the next. And the next... I BARELY KNOW HOW TO SOLVE ANY OF THESE FROM THIS SECTION! 

A small hitch of a cry falls out of me. I know how to start all these questions, but I don't know how the fuck to get a final result. I look at the time displayed in front of the exam hall. Fifty-five more minutes to go. I can do this. It's OK. Just some mere piece of a shitty physics paper. 

I turn the page around and see a few graph-related questions. Taking a deep breath, I let my head go loose. I empty my brain and recall all the things I remember. And with newfound determination, I zoom through the next section. 

Half an hour later, I finish the paper. But there are still twenty more minutes. I check my answer booklet from the beginning and read the few small notes and passages in the question paper. Out of nowhere, it clicks. I KNOW! It's raised to the power one by three and then I can cube-root it and get the final formula. 

I quickly do the math and finish the derivation of the question from earlier. Flipping to page one of my answer sheet, I match the final formula to the one I had noted down earlier while I remembered. 

A huge wave of relief floods through me. I got this. And emptying my brain again and searching for the pictures of my notes and formula that are supposedly etched in my mind, I somehow survive my last and final exam of junior high.

. * ● ¸ .

"SLEEPING BEAUTY!" Sicre waves his hand from across the hallway. I shift my bag on my shoulders, heading to where everyone is. There's a lump in my throat. I'm feeling dreadful. Filled to the brim with regret.

"Uh-oh, guys. Something's wrong," Naureen says, seeing me approach and all of them look at me.

That was my cue. I break down in tears and cover my face, my shoulders heaving.

"Aww no, baby...come here..." Naureen pulls me into an embrace and I just fall into her hug. 

"I messed it up. I left out half of Section B and probably, definitely, marked wrong most of the multiple choices in Section A—" my voice breaks off. 

Naureen gently caresses my head. "It's alright. It's OK. It's not the end of the world, Zee. C'mon, it was just an exam. Plus this is just our junior year and not even our SATs!"

I pull away from her and wipe my eyes. "You're right," I force out a smile. "Not a great way to end your last exam, but— yeah, it's fine." I wipe my nose with my cardigan sleeves. "Sorry—uhm, just being a nuisance. How did y'all's go?"

"Good," Reece says. "Geography."

"Same. I had Engineering," Zeke smiles smugly. I smile at him knowingly, doing a cheery dance inside for my brother who was changing certainly for good.