Unspoken

Notas y Corazones

As Friday morning settled over the classroom, Olivia slid into her seat beside Selena, her face a mix of nerves and excitement. She leaned close and whispered, "Selena, it's Friday... Are you ready for Mr. Carlos's test today? I'm so nervous! You've got to help me get through this."

Selena's eyes widened in shock. "The test—oh no, I totally forgot about that! What do we do now?"

Before Olivia could respond, Mr. Carlos entered the room, clipboard in hand. With his usual briskness, he greeted the class, took attendance, and announced, "Alright, everyone, as you know, we have a test today. I hope you're prepared. You'll each receive a question sheet with multiple-choice options. I'll give you the time you need to complete it, but please work carefully."

He began handing out the sheets one by one. Olivia glanced over at Selena and mouthed, "We got this!" though the worry was still in her eyes.

As Selena stared down at the paper, she took a deep breath and focused, determined to tackle each question one at a time.

The classroom was steeped in silence as Selena and her classmates concentrated on their tests, pencils moving steadily across the sheets.

Everyone seemed intent, the only sound the soft scratching of pencils on paper. Selena could feel her heart racing with every question, hoping she could recall what she'd studied.

When the time ended, Mr. Carlos stood at the front, signaling them to put their pencils down. 

"Alright, time's up," he said as he walked between the desks, collecting each test sheet with a serious expression. "I'll grade these and announce your results after lunch, during the fifth period."

A wave of tension rippled through the room as students muttered quietly to each other, anxious about the outcome. Selena could hear Olivia mumbling nervously under her breath, and a few other students exchanged worried glances.

Meanwhile, Daniel, seated in the back, looked perfectly at ease. He leaned over to his friends, grinning, and whispered, "That was a breeze! I don't know why everyone's freaking out."

His friends laughed, and he continued cracking jokes, clearly confident he'd done well. Selena couldn't help but feel a mixture of envy and disbelief at his carefree attitude, while her own nerves continued to build for the big reveal later in the day.

It was lunch break, and the cafeteria buzzed with the chatter of students, plates clinking, and laughter echoing through the room. Selena and Olivia wove their way through the crowd, carrying their trays and discussing the test.

"Oh, forget the test," Olivia laughed. "Tell me about last night! How was your big family dinner?"

Selena's face softened as she remembered. "It was... amazing. I don't know, just the whole family together. I think it was the best night I've had all year."

Olivia grinned, nudging her gently. "That sounds perfect. You're lucky to have a night like that."

As they reached the trash cans to throw away their leftovers, Selena was mid-laugh when she felt a sudden, solid bump from behind, jolting her forward slightly.

She turned, surprised, to see Daniel standing there, just inches from her, with Juan and Marco at his side.

His usual playful confidence seemed to have completely evaporated. He looked down, his face flushed as if caught off guard.

Daniel opened his mouth as if to say something, but then hesitated, his eyes flickering nervously toward Selena and then away. "Uh... sorry," he mumbled, almost inaudibly, and quickly took a step back.