𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 ✔️

Chapter Forty-One

The next day, I let Alessia take control to sit her Biology exam. Yesterday evening was a dream from a sleep I've been drowning in for a long time.

Dylan had chosen that film he had wanted to see. He bought the tickets, the drinks and the popcorn, and waited for me outside of the screen door. As ever, he was impossibly kind and caring, asking how I was before talking to me about the revision he's done for Biology. At my uncertainty, he went over a few things to fill in the gaps in my memory and then promised that we would meet up before the exam this morning.

Alessia walked in now, seeing him just a few metres in front of her. When he sat down, he searched the incoming pupils for someone. His eyes landed on Alessia and he smiled. Alessia took her seat, though Dylan's eyes were still scouring the crowd. Alessia's eyes watched stonily as Olivia started for the aisle, seeing Dylan's face brighten.

Olivia shot him an uncertain look, and I could suddenly remember feeling all kinds of nervous for this exam back when I had her life. Olivia wasn't particularly good at Biology or maths, but she could sail comfortably through pretty much anything else. This was one of those subjects that she just didn't excel in, and both she and Dylan knew that. Dylan flashed her a reassuring smile, eyes gleaming with full and total confidence in her.

When Olivia was my life, I had never noticed that gleam before, but I think Alessia usually recognised it in Dylan's eyes when Olivia was around. That, and also a dazed and dreamy look that normally crossed his face. I was slowly realising that Dylan probably had liked me—likes Olivia, just like everyone keeps saying.

When the exam began, Alessia tried to rid her mind of thoughts about Olivia and Dylan and got straight to work. She sailed through the questions, which I was stunned at. She lost concentration midway through the paper, though, glancing up to see Dylan working in a similar way to how she had just been. She admired him for a few seconds, before smiling, and then glancing away. Her eyes landed on Olivia, who was stationary, save from the pen she was tapping against her chin.

It was a habit of mine—of Olivia's—to tap my pen against my chin when I was particularly stuck. It got so bad during the exam period, that I actually came out of the exam hall with red marks along my chin.

I let Alessia work as I thought back to that time. I remember coming out of the second Biology exam, which had been my hardest paper to date. Stressed, I had tapped viciously at my chin, leaving red marks on my skin, which Dylan had spotted when he found me outside. I remember the feeling of his thumb against my chin as he brushed over them gently, telling me that I had to stop with the pen tapping.

I lost myself in Alessia quickly, wanting to avoid the peril that was suffocating memories that didn't even seem like mine anymore. But when I looked up at the real Olivia Clark, I could practically envision myself in her body once more. It was weird and very, very confusing.

Soon enough, the exam ended, and Alessia finished the paper with a flourish. Looking down at her work with the perspective of Olivia Clark, I could be pretty sure that Alessia would achieve an A, or maybe A* grade on this paper. It would be impossible for her not to—her answers were almost impeccable.

We were dismissed row by row, and Alessia watched as Olivia and Dylan shared a quick look when she rose. Next, it was my row, and I took back control, pushing back out of my chair and following the stream of people out of the door.

Someone tapped my shoulder when we reached the corridor. "How was it?" They asked. I turned to see Dylan smiling at me.

I laughed. "Good for you, I see." He looked down modestly, though too shared a laugh.