Don't Do It

T h i r t y

•Arianna's POV•

It's Thursday. The day of the maths test.

My stomach does a somersault as I walk to my classroom, my head beginning to ache. I really don't want to be here. I'm totally not prepared for this test since Jake and I never really got to studying, and then there's the unbearable fiasco between me and Dylan that got me crying all day, for two fucking days straight. There is no way I could've learnt these past few days.

I'm a mess.

"Ari, are you okay?" I look over my shoulder and see my best friends standing right behind me. When I arrived at school I didn't bother to search for them since I want to be alone. I need time to think and process everything that's occurring at a pace I can't control. I wish the ground would just swallow me up.

Exhaling profoundly but putting on a smile, which is fake of course, I greet Ashley and Melissa. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just nervous and what not." As we enter the classroom, we have to leave our phones inside a large plastic box so that we can't have a chance of cheating. The two things I don't tolerate are violence and cheating — I'm willing to go out on a limb for the last one.

That is when I realise I don't even know who I am anymore. I mean, I cheated on my boyfriend, and now I want to cheat on a test I know I'm capable of passing if only I had put in the effort. I'm a disgrace to my family, friends, Dylan and most importantly, myself.

Arianna Krystal Mitchell, what changed you?

"You have nothing to be nervous about," Melissa states, rather confidently. "You're basically Einstein's second in command." Her and Ashley laugh at the remark. I get that it's a joke and it's funny, but I'm in no mood for laughing. How can I laugh when my life is a joke itself?

I'm going to flunk this test, Jake is going to cheat anyway and I may as well start preparing for the single life.

How did I end up here again?

"Alright, students. You may take your seats and begin. You have an hour so good luck!" Mr Andrews informs us even though we already know the procedure. He makes his way to his wooden desk and sits on it, facing us. I hate when teachers do this: they stare at us like we're criminals plotting to kill them if they don't provide us with the answers.

The minute I see the first question, I instantly wish I had studied harder.

QUESTION 1

1.1) A cost of a cellphone is $179 per month. You have 24 months to pay. No deposit is required. The cost of the cellphone is subject to inflation and increases to a cash price of $4 100,00 after 2 years. Calculate the annual inflation rate.

Scrunching up my face in disappointment, I curse softly. "Shit."

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That was officially the worst paper I have written for financial maths in my entire life. I was so disorientated and praying throughout the paper to score at least a C+. Yep, it was that bad. I'm thankful that it's now recess and I can have half an hour to myself. To avoid any disturbances, namely Ashley and Melissa, I'm hiding out in the library.

What I desperately need right now is a long hug, comfort food, and a movie to watch. Preferably a comedy because I'm done crying. The sad part is all those things I mentioned are at one place I've become estranged from the most — Dylan's house. His hugs are the tightest and sweetest, his mother cooks food that goes straight to your soul, and he has thousands of movies in his laptop.

I miss him.

Suddenly feeling a great urge to call him, I stare at my phone that's in my hand. I'm thinking of the two situations that can come out of this. He's either going to answer the call and we'll argue or he'll hang up right away just so he can't talk to me. Frankly, I'd rather fight over the phone with him than not hear from him at all.

There's nothing more painful than silence. Just knowing you will never hear from someone, especially when you can still reach out to them, is heartbreaking. It's crazy how people can go months or years without talking to someone, but that person still crosses their mind each day. I don't want that to happen to me.

Eventually, I muster up the courage to dial his number. The monotonous ringtone gives my heart palpitations, a tiny part of me wishing the phone goes to voicemail. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The call is answered but the line is quiet, until I speak. "Hello?"

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"Dylan," I gasp, shocked. He has never spoken to me like that. Even when we fought in the past. This is certainly a first for me. "Don't talk to me like that. Please."

A dry laugh escapes from his lips. "Whatever." His voice is like acid, too harsh. I understand why he's giving me the cold shoulder. I hurt him. Everything he is saying is laid upon a foundation of frustration, perplexity and mistrust. I understand. However, that does not give him the right to talk to me like shit.

"I'm sorry, okay!" I whine like a baby, tears threatening to burst from my waterlines. "I didn't mean to hurt you or cheat. I was stupid. All of it meant nothing but with you I have something. I still love you."

After that heartfelt apology, the line goes quiet once more. I got it all off my chest, confessed, and feel even worse than before. I've made a fool out of myself. "Dylan?" I say, waiting anxiously for him to reply. "Are you still—?"

Before I can finish my sentence, he rudely hangs up on me, letting me actually feel like shit for believing he'd want to reconcile. I regret it all.

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