June's apartment was the opposite of April's. The warm, peach-colored walls gave the place a soft vibe, making it feel homely, like a sanctuary from the outside world. A stand by the door held a neat stack of caps and scarves. By his bed, vinyl records were stacked haphazardly The walls weren't bare either; pictures of action figures and framed artwork lined them. The air smelled faintly of cedarwood, thanks to the candle he'd forgotten to blow out the night before.
But this morning, none of the aesthetic comforts of his apartment could calm his nerves. June had an exam in less than an hour and he hadn't read a single page for it. He moved around the room in a disoriented blur, trying to dress up while simultaneously scarfing down a bowl of cereal. His Doc Martens were in the corner, half-tied as he fumbled with his belt, balancing a spoon in his mouth. It was a mess of a morning and yet, in the midst of the havoc, his thoughts drifted somewhere else—April.
He sat down at the kitchen table for a second, staring blankly at the cereal box in front of him. It had been a week since they'd bumped into each other and she still hadn't called or texted. A knot tightened in his stomach as he thought of all the reasons why. Maybe she lost the number, he reasoned. Or maybe she just wasn't interested. His mind spiraled into sad scenarios; what if she thought he was awkward? Or maybe she was too busy with work to bother?
He sighed, pushing the cereal away, unable to focus. That's when his phone buzzed on the table, jolting him from his thoughts. His friend had texted: Bro, 30 minutes until the exam. Where you at?
June's eyes widened.
"Shit!" he muttered under his breath, scrambling to his feet. In an instant, he was slipping on his Doc Martens, quickly tying the laces with more force than necessary. He glanced at himself in the mirror, barely registering his red-and-blue striped sweatshirt layered over a white shirt, paired with dark blue jeans. He adjusted his belt out of habit, slung his bag over his shoulder and grabbed the key sitting on top of his fridge.
Locking the door behind him, June rushed down the stairs, his mind no longer on April or his unread textbooks. He slid into his car, the old Toyota Corolla and revved the engine. With one last glance in the rearview mirror, he took a deep breath and sped off toward the school, hoping that somehow, things would work out; both with the exam and with April.
June made it to campus with just minutes to spare. He pulled into the parking lot, cutting the engine and quickly scanning the area for his friend, Kai. Almost immediately, he spotted him waiting near the entrance, arms crossed and a look of mild annoyance on his face.
Kai was tall, light-skinned, his long copper-colored locs tied back today, though a few strands escaped to frame his face. He wore a tie-dye shirt that seemed to glow under the morning light, black trousers and a pair of brown Timberland boots that made his entire look feel effortless. As June approached, Kai greeted him with a firm handshake but the concern was written all over his face.
"Where you been, man?" Kai asked, his voice a mix of upset and worry.
"Woke up late." June replied, shrugging as if it were no big deal, though his pulse was still racing from the rush to get here.
Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly not amused but didn't press further. They both knew the stress of exam season and now wasn't the time for a lecture. With a quick nod, they headed toward the classroom, the sound of their shoes squeaking down the hallway.
As they reached the door, their professor was already there, standing with arms folded, peering over the rim of his glasses with a stern expression. He didn't say anything, but his pointed glance spoke volumes. With a slight nod, he allowed them to slip inside. June and Kai exchanged a silent look of relief as they quickly found their seats beside each other, both breathing a little easier now.
The professor looked at his watch before walking to the front of the room.
"You have one hour," he announced, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
Slowly, he began distributing the exam papers.
As soon as the paper hit their desks, June and Kai both gulped. They flipped the scripts over in unison, glancing at the questions with wide eyes. The tension in the air grew thicker. June gripped his pen tightly, his mind racing. This is gonna be rough, he thought.
