A few days later, the final Olympics exam day arrived.
"What happened, Amara? You look quite dull. Did something happen?" I asked, though I already guessed she'd had a fight with her boyfriend.
"Hey, tell me, nah," I urged.
Amara slumped. "Last night… he asked for photos of mine. I said no… we need more time."
"And he said what?"
"He said, 'So you don't trust me? Are you just wasting my time, Amara? Are you one of those girls who play with hearts just for something physical?'" Amara recounted, tears welling up.
"Next," I said, dismissively.
"No, I am not," she insisted. "And then we had a long fight."
"Hey, it's not your fault at all," I assured her.
Amara shouted: "NO IT IS! HOW FOOL I WAS… I should JUST SIMPLY SHARED MY PHOTO!"
"Ugh, are you out of your mind?" I yelled back, frustrated. "A perfect relationship needs self-respect, trust, and time. Both must contribute. One-sided love can't work. Your self-respect shouldn't be under his feet."
I leaned in, my voice low and fierce. "IT DOESN'T MATTER, LISTEN! WITHOUT SELF-RESPECT ON BOTH SIDES, IT'S NOT LOVE! IT IS A DOG-OWNER RELATIONSHIP! EVEN DOGS HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS THAN TOXIC HUMANS! In the name of love, they forget it's not love anymore; it's just pain and suffering!"
Lyric entered the classroom, looking confused. "What happened, girls?"
"Ugh, nothing," Amara muttered, wiping her eyes. "Well, prepared for the exam?"
"Well, by this, I can bunk chemistry class," I said cheerfully.
Lyric laughed. "Hey, you're a topper. Bunking doesn't suit you."
"I'm not that topper. I always get second in competitions and everything else in class," I corrected him.
"Whatever," Lyric shrugged. "I'm also giving the exam, so I can skip boring chemistry class."
Half the class had also applied for the exam just to miss class. No wonder we were the "Misty Backbenchers."
Hours passed. The last two periods were left, and those who participated left for the exam hall.
Draven sat behind me. As the invigilator stepped out, everyone started cheating—even Topper Lucas.
I turned back, tapping my paper. "Ahem… do you know the answer to the third question?"
Draven smiled. Why would a topper ask an average student?
"And why is my majesty so close to me?" I countered. Is he falling for me... or my answer sheet?
He chuckled, then distracted me by leaning over to answer, but filled the answers wrong.
I frowned, watching his pen. "Why are you filling the wrong answer when you know the right one?"
Draven smirked. "My paper, my rule, Elina."
I glanced at him. "I can see Anny's side effects properly."
Draven looked annoyed, his smirk faltering. "What!?"
"Nothing, my majesty," I muttered, turning back to my paper, satisfied.
Later that evening, I was doing my homework when Amara's words came back to me. "Self-respect doesn't matter… so in love, it really doesn't matter at all, really?"
I groaned. "Ugh, whatever. I will never fall for a toxic, roxic, moxic guy, hehe. Better stay single than suffer."
My sister leaned on the doorframe, smirking. "Has our adoptive little sister finally gone mental, talking to herself again and smiling on her own?"
"Mumma!! See!! Sister started again!!" I yelled.
Just as Mom shouted from downstairs, "You two better stop fighting before I come upstairs!"
I tossed my pen down dramatically. "Life, love, and homework… all in one ridiculous package."