𝙾𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

The water from the tap splatters over my hands. I press my thumb into the bristles of the paint brush and watch the water run charcoal. Not a colour I would ordinarily choose but Year 12 has me moody.

Billie turns on the tap next to mine. She whispers, "We have Biology next."

I reply, "Thanks for checking – I'm forgetting my own timetable under the stress." I think of ending my sentence with a chuckle, but decide I'm not joking.

Continuing to whisper, Billie adds, "And when I checked my planner, I saw that we have a Biology test today. It totally must have slipped —"

"A Biology test?" I say, trying not to panic.

"Yeah," Billies replies before mirroring what I expect is my own expression. Eyebrows pushed together, teeth clenching. No, correction. My eyes are forming tears.

"I didn't think we had that test for another week."

"What test?" Seraphina asks, her used paint brushes in hand.

"Our Biology test is today," I say to her.

"Are you serious?" Seraphina responds, "Shit." Seraphina drops her paint brushes on the bench by the sink.

Billie turns to me, "I need to get to class to cram in some study."

"No worries," I say, "I need to go to the toilet anyway."

I reach the restroom and I want to curl up in a toilet bowl and flush myself down. In the tube to the sewerage, I would reunite with my grades then apologise that this next test won't help them. I take a look in one of the restroom's mirrors to witness the numerous and various sized volcanoes arising on my chin. My lips look immensely insignificant compared to my round eyes of which I wipe tears from. I turn my head to the side to once again see the extent of my nose, sticking out like a sore thumb. I take a few steps away from the mirror to walk back towards it, this time taking note of my thighs. They still brush past one another. I need to eat less.

I emerge from the restroom, having unsuccessfully flushed myself down the toilet. I see Seraphina walking a few paces in front, her head down in a biology book. Seraphina's legs are long and tan, a single circumference from upper thigh to calf. Her hair flows down from her crown, finishing halfway upon her aqua backpack. I follow Seraphina round the corner then see Billie walk first into the classroom. The rest of the class stroll in after her.

"Does anyone have a draft notes I can use?" Seraphina asks before everyone in the classroom.

"How come?" Benji asks.

"I don't have a notes sheet," Seraphina says, her voice higher than normal.

"We don't need a notes sheet today..." Benji says, then adds, "Our test isn't until next week."

"Eden told me it's this week," Seraphina says with clipped words.

Benji, having seen me behind Seraphina, looks over her shoulder to me, "Eden, the test's definitely next week," Benji smiles, "I checked the subject outline just a couple of days ago."

A tsunami of relief floods me. Thank goodness.

Billie stops flicking through her planner. She begins, "I'm sorry, Eden. I got the —"

"What the hell, Eden?!" Seraphina exclaims, having spun around, "Next time, before you scare the shit out of me, get your facts straight!"