Rose Red || Seo Changbin

01 • Results Day

I stared at the white ceiling and noticed that it was no longer complete darkness, that a little bit of light was managing to leak in through the curtains signalling that it was probably morning already.

I had went to bed early, just past half nine at night and now, according to my alarm clock, it was already five in the morning and I hadn't had a wink of sleep. I spent most my night listening to music, trying to take my mind off my exams and the fact I had most definitely failed them all.

To be honest, the only one that I truly wanted to pass was music. It was a passion that I had, that I always had since I could remember, and every other subject I had was chosen by my parents.

But I knew they were right when they said music wouldn't work out and I'd be safer going into a more realistic field. I studied as hard as I could, giving up any social activities like going out with friends, but I knew deep down that my lack of passion for the subjects had made it harder to do well.

I got up, double checking my alarm clock and seeing it was hardly ten past even though it felt like it had been hours since I last checked. I knew I wouldn't be able to get to sleep now and there wasn't even a point trying anymore, so I got out of bed and decided to go for a shower.

I picked trough the clothes on my floor, finding a baggy tee and shorts, heading towards the bathroom. I sneaked quietly, hoping not to wake up my parents. I knew how disappointed they would be in me, I didn't even want to face them.

Usually in the shower, I'd listen to music but again I had to be quiet. I turned on the shower, stepping under the water and trying to relax myself. That's how it always went, that the lovely warm water would calm you down but it didn't this time.

The water felt too warm, then too cold when I tried to turn it down. My whole body felt so tense and sore, my stomach aching from all the anxiety I was feeling. I lifted my hand up, seeing it visibly shaking.

I washed my hair quickly, trying to get out of this shower as fast as I possibly could. The silence of the shower was killing me, causing me to think even more than I had been doing in bed. When I was done, I stepped into my clothes and tied my hair back. I knew I'd look a mess, I just didn't care. I looked over to my phone, seeing it buzz and light up.

Koala:
{I think I'm about
to pass out!!}

I laughed at that, quickly heading down stairs so I could phone her. I sat down in the living room, finding that I had another text from her already.

Koala:
{ROSE!?!? Don't leave
me to suffer alone!!!}

I rolled my eyes at her and clicked dial, not even waiting for five seconds before she answered in a panicked, shouting voice.

"Thank God! Hello? Rose, I can't cope with this, like I know I've failed everything. My parents are going to disown me-"

"Hannah!" I hushed, feeling her make my nerves a million times worse. "Slow down, I can't even understand what you're saying." There was pause, which I broke by saying "I mean, maybe it's because of that atrocious accent-"

"Hey!" she exclaimed, with a small laugh at the end. I felt myself relax a little bit, hoping that she would as well. "I'll have you know that the Australian accent is a beautiful one."

"Uh-huh, whatever you need to tell yourself."

There was a pause again where I could hear Hannah laughing slightly. I then heard her take a couple deep breaths, until finally she spoke again. "I'm shitting myself, Rose."