Touchy

Chapter 25

Enjoy as always and I hope you like it. Why not tell me what you think so far? Lol, this is just to myself. Why do I continue to this far in? :) 

Sadly, after the mesmerizing evening with Nate – our first official date – I've hardly seen him since. It's not down to anyone's fault, but it's been literally a month since I've seen him properly. It shouldn't seem like so long, but it does, yet doesn't at the same time. School has been a massive factor for me, college for him, plus work and whatever jobs I imagine him doing round the house for everyone, especially for his dad. Even though he tries to be independent, I know Nate still tries to intervene at times when he doesn't have to along with helping at times he actually needs to. I think it's really sweet that he takes time out of his own time to help, willingly. I just wish my schedule was freer. Hopefully, after today that wish will become reality.

Today is my last day of high school, ever. One final exam sits in the way of me leaving and starting my long, luxurious sounding summer holidays. Ten weeks of sun, relaxing, no work – pure paradise. And more time for me to finally spend with friends and family. That's what's exciting me more than anything. Of course no work is blissful, but actually being to chill out with people and not have anything nagging at the back of my head for me to stress about, is magical.

"Make sure you've got all your equipment, pencil cases, water bottles, phones to hand in and good luck everyone," Mr Harvard bellows to the waiting line of students, including me, ready to file into the exam hall.

My nerves are on point, my hands slippery with sweat, yet I'm also calm and collected. I've gotten this far, managed to write in every exam (some more than others notably) and tried my hardest. This last exam should be a piece of cake. Should be. Only time will tell.

"I make it nine on the dot," Mr Harvard announces to the full exam room full of students like me, and others unlike me. "Your two hours start now, good luck everyone." Thanks, though I'm hoping I won't need the luck, but I'll greatly take it too.

Two hours later, it's all over. I've now finished my last ever GCSE exam, with a few seconds to spare at the end. I've completed the course. Completed my whole high school career.

As I exit the changing room with my belongings, I feel empty. No one stops me on my way out of school for the last time. No one says anything. Some people go back to lessons as they're not finished yet, but for me, I leave through the main entrance, down the drive, out through the metal gates and head home in the middle of the day.

It's weird. All of it's weird. It feels like I've been somewhere for a day, yet nowhere at the same time. Not once in my school history have I been able to go home just after eleven am and I don't know how to feel, or what to think of it. I'm relieved my exams are all over. I'm happy and excited for my recovery summer. But, I'm also saddened to a degree. I'll never step over the premises again (well, regardless of exam results day, or prom) and no one will even care. To everyone else, it's just business. It's standard. It's how it is every year, it's always the same. It's so normalised to them that teachers probably don't even realise until they haven't got a class to teach anymore. But then do they really? It's just more free time to them.