A Love Rekindled

Chapter 16

Final exams had arrived, and the usually energetic Enid was feeling the pressure. She fidgeted in her seat, her hands wringing nervously as she tried to calm her racing thoughts.

Yoko, sitting beside her, noticed immediately.

"Whoa, you're actually nervous?" Yoko said, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"I am," Enid admitted, her voice slightly shaky. She avoided looking up, focusing instead on the pencil she was twisting between her fingers.

Yoko leaned closer, a teasing grin on her face. "This is new. I've never seen you like this before. Usually, you’re just chill about this."

"Well, I’m not this time," Enid replied firmly, though the edge in her voice betrayed her nerves.

"Damn," Yoko said, chuckling. "So, since you’re all serious about it, can I copy your answers?"

Enid shot her a glare. "Absolutely not."

"Alright, chill," Yoko said, holding up her hands defensively. "Just joking."

Before Enid could retort, the door opened, and Ms. Thornhill entered, a stack of exam papers in her hands. She walked to the front of the room, her expression authoritative.

"Good morning, everyone," Ms. Thornhill began, setting the papers down. Her gaze swept across the room. "This is your final exam, and it will determine a significant portion of your grade. You have exactly 55 minutes to complete it. If you exceed that time, your test will not be accepted." Her tone left no room for argument.

The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling on the students. Enid took a deep breath, trying to suppress the nervousness beneath her.

"Are we clear?" Ms. Thornhill asked, her eyes scanning the room. A collective nod followed, and she began distributing the test papers.

Enid watched as the sheet landed on her desk. She picked up her pencil, glancing nervously at the questions.

"You may now begin," Ms. Thornhill announced, stepping back to watch over the class.

The sound of pencils scratching against paper filled the room as everyone dove into their tests.

Enid focused hard, her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to recall everything she and Wednesday had studied together. Occasionally, she glanced at the clock, silently willing herself to stay calm.

When the time was up, Ms. Thornhill called for the papers to be turned in. Enid let out a long breath, feeling a mix of relief and lingering worry. She stood, gathering her things.

"So? How’d it go?" Yoko asked.

"I don’t know," Enid said honestly. "I feel like I messed up a few answers."

"Eh, you’ll be fine," Yoko said with a shrug. "If I passed last time, you’ve definitely got this."

Enid offered a weak smile but didn’t feel reassured. She soon spotted Wednesday by the door. Enid broke away from the group to join her.

"I don’t think I did well," Enid confessed as they started walking together by the hallway.

"You studied, Enid," Wednesday said, her tone calm and deliberate. "There’s no reason to be nervous now. What’s done is done."

"But what if my answers weren’t right?" Enid pressed, her voice laced with frustration.

Wednesday stopped walking, turning to face her. "Listen ," she said, her dark eyes meeting Enid’s. "You did your best. Whatever the results may be, and that’s what matters."