𝐅𝐀𝐖𝐍 • ᵉ ʲᵃᵉᵍᵉʳ

lick away the stress

𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝟷𝚜𝚝⁽ˢᵐᵘᵗ⁾

𝐌𝐑. 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐄,
his eyes narrowing as I hand in my final exam. It's over. Finally. No more exams until next year. Thank God. I feel like I've been running on fumes for the past week, but now it's over. The weight is lifting off my chest, and I can almost breathe for the first time in forever.

It's about 4 p.m., the sun just starting to dip low in the sky, casting a soft glow through the windows of the classroom. My first exam was at 9 a.m., and I've barely had time to catch my breath between then and now. But at least it's done. At least I don't have to keep worrying about it anymore.

I hand him my paper, my fingers still shaking slightly from the nerves of the past few days. Mr. Ackerman takes it without a word, his brow furrowed as he glances over the page. He looks up at me then, his sharp eyes assessing, before giving a small, curt nod. I nod back, thankful that the worst of it is over.

I don't wait for any more words. I let out a long, exhausted sigh and drop my head onto my desk. The cool surface of the desk feels good against my forehead, my eyelids fluttering as I try to will myself to relax.

The room is eerily quiet, save for the sound of rustling papers and the occasional sigh from someone else finishing up their exam. It feels like the finality of it all is sinking in slowly, like the end of something big. I can't help but think of everything that's happened in the last few months—how much I've gone through, how much I've learned about myself, and how much I still don't know. It's all a whirlwind.

I reach for my energy drink, my second of the day, popping the lid and taking a long gulp of the sugary liquid. It's too sweet, but it's the only thing keeping me awake at this point. My stomach churns a little, but I ignore it. The caffeine is doing its job, at least for now.

The world outside the classroom is muted, the air heavy with the lingering heat of the late spring day. The clock on the wall ticks on, each second dragging out as I wait for the last few people to finish.

I glance over at the window, seeing the faint shadows of trees swaying in the wind outside. The sun is almost gone now, slipping behind the buildings as the sky begins to shift to a soft pink and orange. It's the kind of peaceful evening that makes you forget how chaotic the day has been.

A deep breath.

"Done," I whisper to myself. "It's done."

I roll my head slightly, my eyes meeting Mr. Ackerman's again. He's still standing by the desk, shuffling papers and giving off that intense vibe he always has. But today? I don't care. Today I feel like I'm floating on a cloud of relief. I'm done. No more exams. No more stressing about grades or classes. It's over.

For now, at least.

Mr. Ackerman clears his throat, his voice cutting through the low hum of the classroom. "Alright, that's it for today, everyone. You've finished your final exam." His eyes sweep over the class, narrowing slightly. "Congratulations. You all made it through. No more exams until next year. Just remember, you only have 18 days left of your freshman year." He pauses, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Finish strong. The semester is almost over. Results will be posted on May 15th, 7:00pm."

His words hang in the air as everyone slowly gathers their things. Some students pack up in silence, others whisper quietly about how they think they did, their voices a low murmur. The atmosphere in the room is relaxed now, the tension from earlier replaced with a sense of release. No more stressing over assignments, no more late-night study sessions—just the finish line ahead, and everyone feels it.