Touchy

Chapter 22

Uni has officially started, but I'm hoping to have these all posted by the end of the week. Rate, omment, share and enjoy.

"Could you all now stop writing please, the exam is over? Pens down and remain in silence as we collect the exam papers in," Mrs Sheridan informs all the students, including me, in the hall as she and the present exam invigilators shuffle around the room. "Absolutely no talking until all of the papers have been collected in and you've left this room," she emphasises with a stern voice that could cut ice clean in two. It's different from her buttery tone in form, but when there are lazy, students who couldn't care less about this exam in here, I can see why. Authority only goes so far sometimes, having a voice adds so much more.

After my row is called to exit, I snatch up my pencil case and bolt for the heavenly double doors that have seemed fake for the past two hours I've been confined in this stuffy room. When I finally reach them, I'm bombarded with a chorus of voices. None of which I can actually hear – they all sound the same, blurring into one massive mush of mumbling, only making it all the more impossible to find the one person I actually want to talk to and hear. So I find the only way to do so is to stand on my tiptoes so I can scan everyone. However, I start to get shoved along the line as more people file out from the exam hall behind me. Consequently, I wind up outside in the girl's changing room. It's just as packed as the foyer corridor that splits the two changing rooms (boy's and girl's).

Finding a use for ending up here, I make my way over to where I dumped my rucksack. I have to shove my way through a few in deep conversation girls before I can even reach it, but I do in not too long a time. Carelessly, I throw my pencil case in as I feel a generous tap on my shoulder. Freezing, I see the shadow of a figure looming over me. Please, for the love of god don't be Joanne, or Lexi, or any of her group.

I let out a strained breathe when I turn round to find the one I was hoping for. Looking as immaculate as ever in her uniform, Phoebe stands at my back. On closer inspection, I find her features to be less spotless as I had first thought. Her forehead's creasing, a couple of wavy lines sitting guarded there. Her eyes are full of joy, but there's also worry followed by dread. Lastly, I see her lips are pressed too tightly together like she's holding back from biting them.

"Phoebs is everything okay?" I ask, placing a warm hand on her shoulder which is a bit more awkward for me to do with her being taller than me, but I manage as best I can.

Staring into my eyes with some clouds, she wraps her arms around me in a squeezing embrace. It knocks my balance for a second or two, but when I straighten up, I hug her strongly. Maybe even stronger than she is me I think. "That exam was horrific Celine. Two hours of not fully knowing what to write." She moves her head off my shoulder and wipes a hand under her nose. "I waffled so much on the essay questions and they're worth the most amount of marks."

"Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe," I say as I draw her to sit down on one of the benches with me. Shaking my head, I hold her hand as much as I can. Today I've had to cover some of my fingers up with tap as my eczema's gotten quite bad. I don't think it's infected, but it could reach that height soon if I don't take action. The cream I've been using is working, but it hasn't healed my hands. It never does. It feels like it never will either. "This was just the first exam of many and I'm sure you didn't do that terribly. For what it's worth, I waffled too and I think most people do. It's kind of what everyone does if I'm being honest. Anyway, you can easily pull it back in the next one if you truly believe you didn't do so well which I'm not buying for the record."