TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Chapter 5

Carmen was busy in her room, organizing, moving furniture, unpacking boxes, dusting shelves. Once she finished, she went into the bathroom and made sure to lock the door tightly to avoid any unpleasant surprises. The bathtub gradually filled with water. When it was sufficiently full, Carmen slipped inside; the warm water was soothing to her sore body. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. It was hard to believe she had traded her caravan for a villa in the most prestigious neighborhood in town. Her life had completely changed over the course of a summer. The sword of Damocles that had hung over her seemed to have disappeared, and her worries were dispelled. Unfortunately, she knew that if she wanted to pursue her dream and be accepted into Joan's school, she had to pass the entrance exam. The idea sent shivers down her spine and didn't excite her much. After several months without classes, she wasn't sure how she would achieve it.

After getting out of the bath, she put on her pajamas and tied her hair up. A few minutes later, Joan joined her. Joan grabbed her toothbrush and casually said, "I'm so glad you're here."

She spat, then continued, "Everything is still the same here... I feel like your presence is going to change everything," she exclaimed, hugging her.

"You know, I'm incredibly grateful to you. I don't know how to thank you."

"You deserve it. Please, from now on, don't thank me anymore," Joan insisted.

Carmen nodded and hugged Joan tighter. Releasing her, Joan asked, "Do you feel ready for tomorrow?"

"Not really."

"Everything will be fine, I'm sure. Believe in yourself."

Carmen doubted herself, and Joan could sense it. They parted ways in the hallway to return to their respective rooms.

*

The next day, Carmen had an appointment at 8 o'clock at Joan's school to take her entrance test. She entered one of the campus annexes, walked down a long corridor that led to the exam room. A woman in her forties, tall and well-dressed, stood in front of the chalkboard. Her fiery hair shimmered under the rays of light streaming through the blinds. She invited Carmen to sit down. Carmen settled in at the back of the room, heard the door close behind her, and the heels of the headmistress echoed in the empty room. Mrs. Johnson turned to face the board and addressed Carmen:

"The exam is about to begin. You have three hours. If you have any questions, don't hesitate."

Carmen picked up the sheet that was placed on her desk and skimmed through the questions. She put her head in her hands, disoriented. During the three torturous hours that followed, she tried to recall her knowledge of math, literature, and history. She had gaps, and it felt like this test was beyond her level. At the end of the allotted time, she stood up, handed in her paper, and headed for the exit, feeling disheartened. She took a few steps and bumped into Joan, who was waiting for her in the corridor, her arms laden with shopping bags.

"What are you doing here?" Carmen asked, surprised.

"I came to pick you up."

"And all these bags, what are they?"

"I went shopping. I needed to relax. I was too stressed."

"Why?"

"For your exam, of course! How did it go?"

"I'm torn. Math is really not my strong suit," she said, nervously rubbing her hands. "I've forgotten everything..."

"I'm sure it's not that bad."

Joan stood beside Carmen, took her arm, and started pulling her towards the exit just as Eve appeared in the hallway. She was wearing denim shorts, a black holey sweater, and had her hair held back by large sunglasses.