BLAME IT ON THE SUNSHINE

CHAPTER 1 (ELIANA)

DECEMBER 16

"Time is up everyone. Please put your pencils down and stay seated as we come around and collect everyone's tests," the proctor announces.

I sigh and push my papers to the corner of my desk. Finally. I've always been slow at taking tests, writing stuff down until the last second or, in rare instances, not even finishing at all. Thankfully, I was able to finish today. I lean back in my seat and look around the massive gym. There's still a decent amount of people here, which is comforting. I guess in a class of 300 students, there's bound to be people in the same boat as me.

A TA quickly grabs the sheets off the corner of my desk and scurries away with a small smile. This was my last final exam before winter break. I've officially finished my first semester of university. I guess I should feel excited or relieved, but I don't really feel any different than I did two hours ago. I don't know.

I would never say it out loud, but maybe it's because I don't really know what I'm doing here. The thought has taken up a permanent residence in my mind ever since I started university. And was born long before my first day. I mean, sure, I can say I'm here because my grades were good enough and because I was motivated to pursue higher education, yada yada yada. But I don't really know what I'm doing. I chose business as my major because I wasn't sure what I wanted and because it seemed like a safe choice. I don't think it was the wrong choice, necessarily, but when I told my teachers what I was applying for, some of them seemed somehow disappointed. I'm sure they were expecting me to become a rocket scientist or something. With my hardcore academic and extra-curricular schedule in high school, I honestly don't blame them for expecting that. I was the girl who acted like I had it all figured out, even long after I stopped feeling like I did.

I put these familiar thoughts on the back burner as the exam proctor dismisses us. I monotonously gather my things, my footsteps joining the herd-of-elephant-like chorus of students eager to get out of here. Despite my weird feelings, I have to admit that it will be nice not to worry about lectures and assignments and exams for the next few weeks. Plus, the holiday season is probably my favourite time of the year. A few drops of excitement squeeze in as I exit the gymnasium with the crowd.

I power on my phone to see what— if anything— I've missed in the past two hours and almost immediately it starts buzzing with a call from "Lilia 😍❤️". To clarify: my best friend, not my lover (a common confusion among our high school classmates).

"Where are you?," she huffs into the phone. "It's like a zoo out here."

"Oh, yeah, I'm actually with the elephants," I smirk as I narrowly avoid a couple making out by the lockers. (So many things wrong with that. Are we still in high school??? What is so romantic about finishing an exam??? Anyways, I digress.)

"Ha ha," she deadpans. "Seriously though, I wanna get out of here. It's like a gym locker room, man. And is that— no way, don't tell me those people are making out?"

I laugh and scan the crowd for my best friend, finally spotting her power walking against the flow of traffic. Not uncharacteristically. Lilia is Always On A Mission.

"I'm right in front of you," I say, and hang up, stepping away from the crowd so I don't get trampled.

"Ugh," she sighs ever so dramatically when she reaches me. "I've been on winter break for one day and I'm already back at this place."

"You did say you'd do anything for me," I grin.

"Whatever," she rolls her eyes. Despite her exasperation, Lilia looks as put together as ever. Her long blonde hair is silky and perfectly straight, her sweatsuit comfortable yet still classy, and her dark eyebrows knitted in a show of concern that looks almost comical rather than a cause for wrinkles.