A week passed, and exam week arrived, bringing a wave of urgency to the campus. Some students were buried in textbooks and lecture notes, cramming late into the night, while others scrambled to meet project deadlines.
The library buzzed with quiet murmurs and the rustle of turning pages, every seat occupied by focused faces. Coffee cups and energy drinks littered tables, fueling long study sessions.
For Mikha and Aiah, the week brought its own set of challenges. Mikha, known for her carefree attitude, was surprisingly serious during exams, her notebooks covered in colorful annotations.
Aiah, on the other hand, was her usual meticulous self, her study schedule planned down to the minute.
Despite their individual workloads, Aiah and Mikha still found themselves interacting occasionally whenever they crossed paths. Whether it was a quick exchange of jokes in the hallway or a brief chat in the cafeteria, these moments became a small but comforting part of their routine.
They got closer, close enough to recognize the subtle nuances in each other’s moods. Mikha, usually vibrant and full of energy, started noticing when Aiah’s quiet demeanor hinted at stress or exhaustion.
Aiah, on the other hand, began to pick up on Mikha’s occasional pauses, the fleeting moments when her confidence seemed to falter.
"Hey," Mikha called out one afternoon when she spotted Aiah in the library, hunched over her notes. "You’ve been at it for hours. Take a break before your brain turns to mush."
Aiah looked up, a tired smile tugging at her lips. "And you? Shouldn’t you be studying?"
Mikha shrugged, plopping down beside her. "I’m multi-tasking. Offering moral support and avoiding my own work."
Aiah rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a laugh. "Typical."
Moments like these became increasingly common, building a connection that neither had entirely expected.
It was unspoken but clear: they were becoming a significant part of each other’s lives, whether they realized it or not.
---
The final exams were finally over, and the campus atmosphere shifted from tense silence to loud relief.
Laughter and chatter filled the hallways as students emerged from their last tests, some with triumphant smiles, others with tired but satisfied expressions.
Aiah stretched as she stepped out of the exam room, her shoulders aching from hours of writing. She let out a deep breath, feeling the weight of the semester finally lift.
"Freedom!" someone yelled nearby, it was Stacey. and Aiah couldn’t help but laugh at how accurately it captured the mood.
"We're going to karaoke!" Aiah turned to see Stacey bounding toward her with an infectious grin, arms raised triumphantly.
"Karaoke?" Aiah repeated, laughing.
"Absolutely," Stacey said, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "We deserve it after all that torture. C’mon!"
Aiah hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "Can Maloi tag along?"
Stacey’s grin widened. "Of course! The more, the merrier. Plus, Maloi is fun to be with."
Aiah smiled, pulling out her phone to text Maloi.
Hey, we’re hitting karaoke tonight. You in?
The response came almost instantly.
Do I get to sing or just laugh at your over-the-top performances?
