The six-month housemate

Twenty-eight

Previously, in The six-month housemate: On the Friday before finals, Emma, Alex, Johannah, Henry, Jane and Peter go to a party. After Emma and Alex have a "moment", Alex ends up kissing Johannah, to everyone's surprise (let's remember they're supposed to be best friends and nothing else). After a week-end in Cambridge, Alex reveals to Emma that he and Jo are meeting up after Monday's finals to talk about their situation. (Little summary requested by some readers :p )

TWENTY-EIGHT

The first exam I had to take was maths, a.k.a. my worst enemy. As for all exams, I didn't dare look at anybody I knew in the room, even before we got the papers, fearing it could be taken as cheating. So I just stared at my pencil case, waiting, while I repeated soothing words to myself.

Surprisingly, though, it wasn't that bad. I even caught myself thinking "man, this is easy" while reading the wording, which is totally unlike me as I never use the word "man" in that context, and also, I never think a maths test is easy. NEVER (lots of nevers, but my point exactly). I actually finished the test without skipping a single question (I mean, I did do a rush job for some, but every exercise had an actual answer).

"How did it go?" I asked Jane as we got out of the building. It was snowing, and everything was covered in a light white duvet.

"Good, I think. You?" She said, standing on her tip-toes to find someone in the crowd of students.

"Not too bad either, I guess. Didn't you think it was easy, though? Do you think it could've been trick questions?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Anyway, what's done is done! We'll have to see when we get back if it was." She waved at somebody. "I'm sorry if I sound rude, it's just that I have my first 'official' date with Peter today... I'm kind of nervous."

"It's fine, don't worry." I smiled. "Good luck!"

"Thanks!" She crossed her fingers and hugged me. "See you tomorrow."

She left, and I immediately started to look for Jo. She'd asked me in the morning if I could go with her to the coffee shop she and Alex had agreed to meet up at. She was a little nervous about her "date", and she could do with a friend's support. On our way to the Tube, we chatted about our exams, but once we were in the actual train, it seemed like we'd ran out of topics.

"So... I talked with Alex, last night." I was trying to be subtle, but I guessed there wouldn't be any subtle ways to approach the subject.

"What did he say?" She asked, playing nonchalantly with a strand of her hair.

"He told me he discovered his feelings for you were more than friendship because he was a little drunk..."

"That must be the understatement of the year." She snorted, interrupting me.

"...so he was kind of torn between staying friends with you and giving Joex a try." I finished

"Wait, he actually has a ship-name for us?"

"No, I have. We found it with Jane."

"Oh, okay. So you're like the major shipper! And match-maker. You shipped Jane and Peter and they're together, you ship Alex and I and... " She laughed

"You're getting together?" I continued.

"Don't get your hopes up. We might, we might not... I really thought it over, and we need to talk about the impacts of being a couple on our friendship. I mean, if the transition is weird, we won't try further, I think."

"Yeah."

"I also thought about what would happen in case we broke up, but I don't think it's healthy: you can't attempt to build a relationship while looking at the aftermaths of it crumbling down before it even starts." She shrugged.