Wednesday – Final Day of Exams
7:39 AM – Class 1-A
There was no laughter.
No last-minute chaos.
No Noah antics.
No Sofia flirting.
No Mr. Brooks death-stares. (Yet.)
Just quiet.
Pens tapped. Pages rustled.
Breathing felt louder than usual.
I sat near the window.
The morning light barely touched the floor.
Even the sun felt distant today.
Arrival – Still Waters
Tyler slumped into his seat with a muffled, "kill me."
Emma walked in carrying two folders and no patience.
Amaya had her lucky pencil again.
She chewed on her lip, eyes flicking toward me more often than usual.
I caught her once.
She smiled.
I smiled back.
But I think mine didn't quite reach.
Homeroom – Brooks' Last Stand
Mr. Brooks walked in late. Again.
Still sipping coffee. Still looking like, he regretted ever becoming a teacher.
"Alright, darlings. It's the final gauntlet. Finish strong, or finish dramatically—I'm not picky."
Sofia: "What if I answer in interpretive dance?"
"I'll give you an F and a rose."
Noah groaned from the back.
"I had a dream I turned into a pencil and snapped in half."
"That's called foreshadowing."
Emma stood and handed out paper like she was distributing justice.
Tyler whispered, "I'm not ready."
I whispered back, "You've never been ready."
Exam 1 – History
The essay question wasn't hard.
But I stared at the page longer than I needed.
Wrote slower than usual.
My brain worked fine.
But my heart was… somewhere else.
I could feel it.
Drifting.
Mid-Break – Silent Signals
The hallway buzzed in muted tones.
Emma caught up with me near the vending machine.
She didn't speak at first.
Just stood beside me, watching the orange soda spiral out of the machine like it mattered.
Then, softly:
"You're scaring me, you know."
I looked over.
"What?"
She didn't smile. Didn't look dramatic.
Just tired.
"You've been… off. You smile, but it's too soft. You laugh, but it doesn't stick. I know I overthink—but Jay… something's wrong, isn't it?"
I opened my mouth.
Paused.
Then—
"I'm just tired. Really."
Emma studied me.
"If that's true… you're not allowed to disappear after this, okay?"
I wanted to promise her.
But I just nodded.
Exam 2 – English (with Brooks)
Mr. Brooks walked the aisles like a crow waiting for something to die.
Every now and then he paused behind a student, sipped loudly, and whispered:
"Rewrite that or perish."
I smiled.
That was his way of showing love.
When he passed my desk, he lingered a second.
Didn't say anything.
But I swear he glanced at me a second longer than he should've.
Then moved on.
Rooftop Moment – With Luna
After the exam, I went up alone.
Or thought I did.
Luna was already sitting there, hugging her sketchpad.
I didn't say anything.
Just sat beside her.
She passed me a page.
Another drawing of the class.
But this time…
I was walking away.
Everyone else was reaching out—hands mid-motion, expressions blurred.
Me?
I looked peaceful.
But distant.
Luna didn't look at me.
Just said,
"They'll feel it too. Eventually."
Final Exam – Science
The questions blurred.
I still finished.
Fast.
Too fast.
I watched the clock tick instead of reviewing.
My pencil spun between fingers like a timer.
Amaya looked over once.
Her pencil was frozen mid-note.
She mouthed, "You, okay?"
I nodded.
She didn't look convinced.
Final Bell – Freedom
Mr. Brooks leaned against the whiteboard.
"Congratulations. You've survived the week. I now release you into the wild. Go. Be free. Sleep for fourteen hours. Or party. I don't care. Just don't email me."
Noah: "You'll miss us."
"I'll miss my peace."
Luna smiled faintly.
Emma packed her bag slowly.
Sofia didn't say a word as she walked by me—but she brushed her hand against mine.
Amaya waited at the door, backpack on one shoulder.
Tyler slung his arm around me.
"Let's get food later, yeah?"
I nodded. "Definitely."
But my chest ached.
Because I didn't know if "later" was guaranteed.
Yuki's Final Glance
As I stepped into the hallway, I saw her.
Yuki.
Standing near the window. Half in shadow. Not saying anything.
Just watching.
Her gaze met mine.
For once, she didn't look cold.
Just… knowing.
She tilted her head slightly.
Like she understood something the others didn't.
And in that moment—
I knew she did.
Rooftop Encounter
The hallways slowly emptied behind me, classmates peeling off into laughter and weekend plans.
But I wasn't ready to leave yet.
My feet carried me up—past the third floor, past the locked sign on the stairwell.
I knew it would be open.
It always was.
The rooftop greeted me with late-afternoon wind and the quiet hum of the city stretching below.
And there she was.
Sitting near the railing, legs folded, school jacket draped across her lap.
Yuki Dawson.
The Ice Queen.
Of course she was here.
She didn't look surprised to see me.
Didn't even turn her head.
Just said—
"You're later than I expected."
I walked over slowly and leaned beside the railing near her.
"Didn't think I'd find anyone up here."
She smirked faintly.
"That's the point."
I looked out over the city. The buildings. The school below us.
The place I'd come to love.
Even though I was never meant to stay.
she pauses.
Then—
"When will you be back?"
I blinked.
"…You knew?"
She turned her head slightly, eyes half-lidded behind that curtain of windblown hair.
"Jay, even Sofia can read you. You've been glowing 'bittersweet farewell' since Tuesday."
That actually made me laugh.
Then fall silent.
She tapped her notebook against her knee once.
Then added, quietly—
"I don't know what's waiting for you wherever you're going… but I hope you'll be happy."
I looked at her.
She still wasn't smiling.
But the way she said it?
It felt real.
Like the first honest wish anyone had made for me in a long time.
"I'll try," I said.
She nodded.
"Good."