In Love: Against All Odds

The Final That Didn't Matter

The finals were coming up.

Adri popped into my room, holding her phone like it was a piece of bad news. Her usual cheer was missing.

"Kat," she said, her voice quiet. "The finals date got announced."

I didn't respond at first, my mind too tangled with the mess of everything that had happened. My eyes stared blankly at the screen of my phone.

"Kat," Adri repeated softly. "The exams are at the end of April."

I nodded, even though I could barely focus on anything. The thought of studying felt so far out of reach, like it belonged to someone else, someone who wasn't drowning in a pit of self-doubt and brokenness. 

The idea of finals? It felt like another burden stacked on top of the ones already weighing me down.

"I... I don't feel like studying," I said quietly, dropping my phone onto the bed. "I don't know if I can do this right now."

Adri sat down beside me, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "I get it. I do. But we can't let everything fall apart, Kat. You've worked so hard for this. We can push through it. You don't have to do it alone. I'm here."

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to feel even a fraction of the hope she was trying to give me, but right now, everything just felt so... pointless. Like I was trapped in a spiral I couldn't escape. I couldn't think of school or exams when my entire world felt like it was falling apart, piece by piece.

"Maybe... maybe later," I muttered, my voice hollow.

Adri didn't push. She just sat with me, letting the silence stretch between us. Eventually, she sighed, standing up. "I'll help you, okay? Whenever you're ready."

I barely nodded, but the truth was, I wasn't sure when or if I'd ever be ready.

---

One afternoon, she barged into my room with a thick stack of notes, dumping them on my desk. "Study," she ordered.

I barely glanced at her. "I don't care."

"Well, I do," she shot back.

Adri was in fashion design, while I was in fashion technology. Our courses rarely overlapped, but that didn't stop her from trying to help.

"Look at this!" she said, grinning. "I got you everything you'll need for the finals. All the important topics are highlighted, and there's even a summary."

I flipped through the pages, surprised by how thorough the notes were. "Where did you even get these?" I asked, my voice tinged with disbelief.

Adri hesitated for a moment, her grin faltering. "Justin gave them to me," she said, almost too casually.

My stomach dropped. "Justin? As in Justin, Brailey's boyfriend?"

Adri winced at my tone. "Well... ex-boyfriend. They broke up."

I shot her a sharp look. "When did that happen? Why didn't I know about this?"

She shifted uncomfortably, clearly regretting bringing it up. "After the concert," she admitted. "Brailey cheated on him, and Justin found out. He was furious, obviously. They ended things pretty badly."

I stared at her, my emotions a storm of confusion and frustration. "You know I'm not on good terms with Brailey. Why would you go to him for help?"

"Because you needed the notes, Kat," Adri said firmly, her voice soft but resolute. "And Justin was willing to help. Whatever happened between you and Brailey has nothing to do with him."