I couldn’t think straight. Our exams are quickly approaching and none of these are deteriorating in my head. I’ve been reviewing for over two hours already yet still nothing.

My two hands are already in my head, pulling my hair and wailing in frustration. From here in my saddle, I heard my brother tsked.

“What are you doing? I thought you were reviewing?” He inquired, a little bit bewilder.

I understand where it is coming from. However, the level of my insanity is severe!

“Nothing is sinking in my head. I’ve been reviewing for two hours!” I grumbled as frustrations crept throughout my body.

A slight chuckle came out from my brother’s lips. “Concentrate, even more, sister.”

“That’s what I’m doing for almost hours already!” I grumbled amidst frustration.

Evan closed the book he was glancing at. Monday is tomorrow. A few days haven’t been ratified yet that’s why it feels like this. The man I had been with kept on tampering with my mind since then. I couldn’t stop reckoning about him and the thing we did.

I should stop myself from speculating about unforeseeable circumstances. Meeting him again after what happened between us? Gosh!

Focus on your goal, Emiliana. You shouldn’t let your absurdity win. Stop thinking foolish ideas and crazy schemes in your mind!

“I can go outside and play with my friends for a while if you’re not comfortable. Try to focus, my dear sister.”

I kneaded my temple using both hands. The glasses I’m wearing are already on my study table. The chirping birds outside are above the window in front of me. To my annoyance and frustration, I suddenly opened it causing the birds to fly away.

Evan laughed hard. He combed his curly long hair using his bare hands and seated beside me.

“God. You don’t need to do that,” he said before scoffing in disbelief.

I sough heavily. “C’mon! Just go outdoor and play. Stop irking me!”

“Why is your blood boiling early in the morning?” he teased once again.

Before Evan could propel my trigger button, I instantly pushed him hard out of our apartment. He’s not helping! For sure, he’ll just annoy me and keep on blabbering after this.

I stood up and went hastily to our kitchen. I decided to drink tea and recalibrate my mind. Nothing sinks and I hate it.

Today’s weather is good. After yesterday, I immediately went home that night here in our apartment. It’s a good thing that Evan is sleeping when I came back.

Our apartment is insignificant compared to others. Judging by its size, individuals like Lily couldn’t keep up longer here if it’s shabby and unpleasant to your eyes. I’m not saying we don’t clean or our apartment wasn’t sterile, it’s just that... I’ve been busy for days and forgot to tidy up.

Evan could have done it but I prefer to do this myself.

***

Nothing special happened that day, to be honest. Just like the usual, I eat, sleep, review, and commend something to refresh my mind and throw that certain memory at the back of my head.

A boisterous shrieking of the alarm clock woke me up. When Monday came, I don’t feel anything except for fear and discomfort. The feeling that could make your skin itch, paralyzing your body on spot. Knowing I was late, I still came to our classroom and greeted our professor who is already disseminating test papers without looking at her.

And oh take note. I’m not late always. It’s just that... I tried recalibrating my mind yesterday up until 3 in the morning so my scores wouldn’t turn an egg or zero.

“Good morning, Professor,” I politely asserted employing my softest tone.

Our professor halted in what she was doing, I saw it in my peripheral vision. “May I know your reason why are you late?”

Slowly, I bit my lower lip familiarizing her voice as my eyes meandered around trying to find an answer to her question. “Uh...”

Professor Indie isn’t someone you can mess with. Her pronoun is she and I swear, among all the professors here, you’d probably lay low and doesn’t want to come in her lectures late or else.

But it seems like luck wasn’t on my side. She crossed her arms while test papers are in her hand. Few students who are inside the classroom are also looking at me with pity and giving me a playful grimace.

“Do you have something to say or do you want me to kick you out of my class?” She announced coldly before crossing her hands in front of me.

I bit my lower lip. I gave Lily a glance who just winced.

I pulled myself together and stood up straight, “I’m sorry, Professor. Our house is a few minutes away from here and the bus had lots of people inside.” Of course, that’s a lie.

Our home is just ten minutes away from here if you walk. If you use a bus, you’ll arrive at school in approximately five minutes.

“Next time, I don’t wanna see you getting late again attending to my class.” She explained, “Not only her, everyone. I mean all of you.” She amplified.

I bit my lower lip and slowly nodded, “Yes, Prof. I’m sorry again...”

“Alright. Go back to your seat.”

The entire classroom was filled with a lull. No one coaxes us to inquire concerns to her even if she gave us a go signal to ask if we didn’t get her written instructions.

I sat down behind Lily, it was one seat apart and she was a few meters away from me. While Professor Indie began again distributing our answer sheets, Lily turn around and looked at me.

“Why are you late?” She murmured, adequate for me to hear.

I feigned to have dropped something and spoke, “I reviewed.” I hissed.

Lily’s eyebrows shut up. She gave me a mischievous look before looking again in front.

I became dizzy when the test papers were already in front of me. The numbers, letters, symbols, and blanks became muddled in my vision. This is the subject I’ve been reviewing for hours yesterday! Damn it.

“Gosh,” I muttered.

Over time, all I wanted is to finish this exam with or without having a passing grade. It seems like it’s then I’ll be more stressed if I remain to reckon I should pass this one. Well, another semester will open. I can just start a new one starting from the beginning.

Our professor would be Prof Indie until we finished all the exams today. I thought I’ll be having another triumph when I made it until the end when a group of students came inside our classroom.

“Excuse me, Professor Indie.” One student politely said.

Professor Indie instantly halted what she was doing before veering her cold gazes at the students. “Yes?” She retorted.

“The dean wanted to meet you in his office,” she said. “And oh, the janitor hasn’t come today. He asked me if you could bring someone and clean her office?” She added.

Suddenly, the old professor’s eyes went on mine while I’m rectifying my things.

“Sure, dear. I’ll just clean things up,”

Few students had already gone out while I was still here and Lily was inside with me, fixing our stuff. Well, I’ve suffered extreme toughness earlier. It’s just a test but it blew my mind away. Nevertheless, I still managed to survive.

A lot of papers are sighted below my desk. The one I used as my scratch paper, solving things I’m not familiar with.

Gosh. As far as I can remember, just a few of her discussions were on it and the rest are already founded somewhere which Professor Indie didn’t discuss!

“I thought my brain would explode anytime while thinking what’s the next answer!” Lily began haranguing again.

I just shrugged my shoulders, “I’ve been feeling the same. Geez,”

Her eyebrows shut up, “I don’t believe you.” She meticulously declared before crossing her arms while sitting on the table.

“Believe me, I’m telling you the truth.” I upheld myself.

Lily fixed her mini skirt as well as her knitted crop top. The way she dresses today seems like aesthetic girls I’ve seen on the internet. Well, I can’t blame her. She’s good and has good taste.

Whatever Lily wears still suits her. Men flock on her path.

“The great Emiliana Miller wouldn’t get an egg score,” she sarcastically asserted. “More like... an egg and five?”

“I don’t feel good in today’s exam.”

When I successfully fixed my table, both Lily and I fixed ourselves getting ready to come out when Professor Indie halted us.

Oh, she’s still here? Great! Just great.

“You’re Emiliana Miller, right?” I asked, there’s a hint of authority in her voice.

Slowly, I nodded. “Yes, Prof. How can I help you?”

I felt my knees start trembling. No students would allow themselves to talk with terror processors like Prof Indie. They’ll die early out of fear. Seeing Lily coming out of our classroom when Prof Indie converses with me, I had no choice but to answer all her concerns against me.

What a friend!

Professor Indie put her hands on the table, she tilted her head abruptly utter a few words in front of me.

“You’re late in my class earlier,”

I nodded silently while playing my fingers as well. “Y-Yes, u-uh...”

“Follow me in the Dean’s office,”