CRUEL SUMMER, heartstopper!

12

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The next few days blurred into mere minutes and before Kira knew it, there were five days left until her first GCSE. Maths.

A sense of urgency began to settle in. Kira knew she had to shift her focus, buckle down, and give her studies the attention they deserved. Her determination kicked into high gear as she poured over her notes, textbooks, and practice problems.

Each day became a blur of equations, formulas, and problem-solving. Kira spent long hours in the library, her brow furrowed in concentration, as she worked through complex mathematical concepts. Her family and friends noticed her intense dedication, and while they were proud of her, they also reminded her to take breaks and not burn herself out.

Tao kept a schedule on his phone, to remind him to barge into her room with a plate of snacks and sit down and chat with her for fifteen minutes so his older sister could have some form of a break.

An unhealthy habit of Kira's was that she shut everything and anything out with her headphones in times such as these. Her house could've been on fire or under siege and she would have absolutely no idea it was happening. Just her and silence, she kept her phone on silence and across the room.

Yeah, she probably had a condition or three.

As the days turned into hours before the exam, Kira found herself in a strange mix of nervousness and determination. She knew she had prepared to the best of her ability, but the pressure of the upcoming test weighed heavily on her mind.

Finally, the day of the exam arrived and she decided on taking the shuttle despite her mother's offer of dropping her off at school. "I'm okay, Ma. Honest."

Tao grimaced from his cup of coffee, "She's on Phase Five, Mum. Under ten syllables."

"It's going to be okay, Kira, my angel," Yan fixed her daughter's hair and adjusted her glasses. "I believe in you."

Kira smiled up at her mom before pouring her coffee into a paper mug so she could take it with her. When she got to school, she reviewed her notes one last time, took a deep breath, and headed to the exam hall a few minutes early to chill. She was trying not to think of Imogen as she focused on mentally preparing herself for the exam. Kira found a quiet corner outside the exam hall, away from the bustling crowds of students and the nervous energy that seemed to permeate the air. She took a seat, leaning against the wall, and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths.

In those moments of solitude, Kira allowed herself to let go of her worries and doubts. She recalled all the hours of hard work she had put into studying, the late nights spent solving problems, and the countless practice papers she had completed. She reminded herself that she was well-prepared, that she had the knowledge and skills to tackle whatever challenges the exam presented.

As the minutes ticked away, Kira felt a sense of calm wash over her. She visualized herself confidently answering each question, her mind sharp and focused. She imagined the feeling of satisfaction that would come with completing the exam to the best of her ability.

When the exam hall doors opened, Kira was one of the first to enter. She found her assigned seat, her heart beating steadily as she arranged her pens, pencils, and other supplies. As the papers were distributed and the exam began, Kira's mind snapped into action.

Question after question, she tackled the problems methodically, drawing on her knowledge and carefully working through the calculations. The hours seemed to fly by as she immersed herself in the task at hand, her focus unwavering.