Southern Charm | wlw

16

Aspen woke up with a huff, a low simmer of frustration already hanging over her like a cloud. She'd barely opened her eyes, and thoughts of the night before—Rowyn's words, the confusion, her own damn vulnerability—still lingered. Rowyn read her message but never left a response. She tried to shake it off, pulling herself out of bed with a grumble and glancing over at her stack of notes and textbooks waiting for her on the desk. She had a test to study for, and she needed her mind sharp. Not tangled up in thoughts she couldn't change.

Maya noticed Aspen's mood immediately. She was perched on her own bed, glancing up over her book. "Hey, you okay?" she asked softly, a slight hesitation in her voice. "I made some coffee if you want."

Aspen waved her hand dismissively, already flipping through her notes with more force than necessary. "Thanks, but I don't need you babying me, Maya," she muttered, her southern drawl coming through sharper than usual.

Maya frowned but kept her voice gentle. "I know you've been stressed, and I just thought I could help. You know, if you wanted to talk."

Aspen's gaze softened a bit but quickly looked away, pretending to focus on her textbook. "It's just...dumb stuff, alright? I'm fine," she said, though her tone was less biting.

They sat in silence for a moment, Maya quietly watching her, waiting for any signal Aspen might give. But Aspen kept her face turned down, feeling an odd mix of anger and guilt twisting inside her. She knew Maya meant well, that she was just trying to help. But the last thing Aspen wanted was another reminder of feelings that didn't seem to go anywhere.

With a sigh, Aspen picked up her coffee and took a long sip, letting the caffeine jolt her awake. She glanced over at Maya and softened just a bit. "Sorry for being all... moody. Just got a lot in my head, you know?"

Maya nodded, giving a small, understanding smile. "I get it, Aspen. Just know I'm here if you need anything." She went back to her book, pretending not to watch as Aspen worked through her emotions, and for a moment, the room felt comfortable again—even if neither one dared to say exactly what they were feeling.

Aspen trudged through the campus on her way to her psychology exam, feeling the weight of the sleepless night and the emotional rollercoaster still dragging at her mood. Her boots scuffed against the pavement as she walked into the lecture hall, a heavy sigh slipping out as she took her seat. She pulled out her notes for one last look, but the words blurred together. Her head throbbed, and thoughts of Rowyn crept in at the edges, distracting her focus just when she needed it most.

"Alright, here goes," she muttered to herself, gripping her pen and diving into the exam.

As Aspen scanned the first question, her heart sank. "Discuss the neural mechanisms of memory consolidation..." Her mind was blank, the words on the page as foreign as they'd ever been.

"Alright, let's just skip that one for now," she thought, flipping to the next question.

"Explain the role of neurotransmitters in mood regulation," it read. But her focus drifted to Rowyn—her shy smile, the way her dark hair fell against her cheek as they drove. Aspen bit her lip, trying to pull herself back to the present.

"Come on, Aspen, focus. You know this stuff..."

The next question: "Describe the psychological impacts of prolonged stress." Well, she certainly felt like she could relate to that one, at least. She knew she needed to pull it together, but each question just made her feel more tangled, like she was struggling through a maze she couldn't find her way out of.

Aspen squinted at the words, feeling them blur as she tried to make sense of each question. The harder she focused, the more muddled her thoughts seemed to get. Her eyes fell on another question: "Outline the stages of cognitive development according to Piaget." She felt a wave of frustration wash over her. She'd read this chapter; she'd stayed up late, her notes scattered around her like she was mapping out her own mind, but now it was as if she'd never even cracked the book.