28 DAYS [MakoHaru]

twenty two → 12/20

Chapter Twenty-Two: December 20th

The words and numbers are spilling off the pages of Makoto's calculus midterm as he struggles to finish the questions under the time constraint. With an apprehensive look at the clock hanging on the wall, he sees he has only six minutes to finish another four questions.

Damn it, damn it, damn it! He mentally curses, feeling his body threaten to go into a violent panic. Oh, not now!

His vision going blurry, Makoto feels his breath hitch in his throat and he suddenly finds it very difficult to breathe. He desperately wishes for a glass of water but the more sensible side of him reminds him he doesn't have time for a break.

You can last another six minutes, he tells himself, forcing himself to breathe steadily. Just... Stay calm.

Funnily enough, Makoto's entire experience the past forty-eight hours has been trying to stay calm. With winter break being just a few days away, Makoto just has to get through his personal hell, also commonly known as midterm week, before he's free. Each day is spent taking two exams, with one on Thursday, where they are released early from school for the two-week break.

Because he's been so hell-bent on focusing about Haruka and his own problems the past few weeks, he hasn't had the time to consider his studies. In fact, his grades have proved this; he's dropped a letter grade in three of his classes and needless to say, his father is not pleased. (Makoto supposes at least his father was actually paying attention to him when he yelled at him about not focusing on his studies instead of holing away in his office of all hours of the day.)

Today's exam is calculus, by far the hardest class Makoto is taking this year. It is a two hour exam with sixty questions. Makoto's mind has been so focused on partial derivatives and indefinite integrals for the little time he had to study, he hasn't been able to think of Haruka or what happened that Saturday night.

Okay, so maybe that's a lie, considering throughout the test his mind kept blanking out and wandering to the way Haruka looked when he was sitting in his bed, or his messy bedhead, or the way it felt like he was melting when Haruka kissed him.

"Two minutes left!"

Fuck. It happened again.

Makoto feels himself blush in anger - and maybe a hint of embarrassment - as he decides he should finish this last problem and then blindly guess on the last ones. Any attempt at keeping his handwriting decent is out the window as he derives the equation and plugs in coordinates, praying he gets the right answer. His eyes light up when he finds a matching one, hopes for the best, and hastily circles it, followed by random circling of the last three. He spends the remaining time checking his bubbling and erasing any stray marks. When time is called, a breath he doesn't realize he is holding exhales out of his body.

After the testing materials are collected by their test proctor, he announces there is a thirty minute lunch break before the next exam begins. Makoto is the first one out of the class, clutching onto his number two pencils and calculator like they are his lifelines.

When he enters the cafeteria, he is glad he doesn't spot Haruka in his usual spot for once. It puts him at ease - even though his anxious side subconsciously worries about his whereabouts. Probably finishing testing, he thinks.

Rei and Nagisa are already at their table, childishly bantering as per usual. Makoto didn't see them yesterday; he was too busy preparing for his literature exam. When Nagisa spots him, he rises to his feet and rushes towards the brunette, eyes lit up excitedly.

"Nice job!" He proudly slaps Makoto on the back in greeting.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asks in confusion, rubbing the tender spot where Nagisa whacked him.