Chapter 39— Finals Week Frenzy
Lyra's POV
The first morning of finals hits me like a wave. I wake to the alarm buzzing insistently beside my bed, my chest tight with a mix of nerves and caffeine-deprived panic. My room feels smaller somehow, crowded with textbooks, notes, and scattered flashcards — remnants of days spent trying to cram everything into my brain.
Mom knocks softly on my door. "Lyra, breakfast is ready. You need to eat something before the test."
I glance at her, forcing a small smile. "I'm fine," I murmur, though my hands shake slightly as I straighten my uniform. I don't want to worry her. I can't.
By the time I reach Saint Valley High, the campus is buzzing with the same frantic energy I feel. Students rush in every direction, clutching notes, reviewing last-minute formulas, and whispering reminders to each other. I find a quiet corner in the courtyard and try to review my notes, but my mind is a jumble of information. History dates blur with formulas, literature quotes mix with chemistry reactions.
"Lyra!" Evan's voice cuts through the haze. He jogs up, backpack slung casually over one shoulder. "Ready for the first round?"
I force a smile, brushing my hair back. "As ready as I'll ever be."
He falls into step beside me, calm and steady, like he always is. "We've got this, Sol," he says softly, his hand brushing mine for just a second. "Together."
I swallow, letting his words settle. Together. Somehow, just the word makes my chest feel a little lighter.
The exams themselves are a blur of concentration, scribbling, and biting the inside of my cheek whenever a tricky question appears. Every so often, I glance up to see Evan and the group scattered around — focused, quiet, determined. Soraya and Saphira whisper reminders to each other, Cassian mutters under his breath, and Aveline flips pages so fast it almost hurts to watch.
I glance at Evan again. He's serene, confident, flipping through answers like it's nothing, but when our eyes meet, he offers a tiny, reassuring smile. A simple squeeze of my hand in the hallway before the next exam reminds me that I'm not alone.
After the first day of exams, we retreat to the café for a brief study break. The smell of coffee, warm pastries, and the faint hum of chatter feels like a small oasis amid the chaos. I cradle a cup of hot chocolate, fingers brushing against the ceramic, trying to steady my nerves.
"You look exhausted," Evan observes, sliding into the booth across from me. He has that calm, comforting air again, his eyes gentle. "Take a deep breath. You're doing amazing."
I manage a small smile. "Thanks… I just… finals are a lot, you know?"
He leans forward, resting his chin on his hand, eyes never leaving mine. "I know, Sol. But we're almost there. And you're not doing it alone. We'll get through it together."
The words feel like a lifeline, and I lean back in the booth, letting myself breathe a little. For a moment, the pressure of exams, the weight of senior responsibilities, and even the looming cruise fade. There's just this calm, steady presence beside me, a reminder that I'm not facing the world by myself.
Over the next few days, finals become an endless cycle of classrooms, study sessions, and library marathons. I catch myself sometimes staring out the window, overwhelmed, thinking about all the things I still have to remember. Yet, every time I feel my resolve falter, a small touch, a whisper, or a glance from Evan grounds me.
One evening, as we gather at my house to review for one last exam, Soraya nudges me. "Don't forget, Sol, we still have that last physics concept to go over."
I groan, flipping my notebook open. "I know, I know. My brain is fried."
Evan slides a chair closer, leaning slightly over my shoulder. "Here, Sol. Let me show you a trick I used in practice tests. You'll remember it for sure."
His thumb brushes against my hand again as he points to a formula, and I feel a little spark — a quiet warmth in the middle of chaos. I glance up, and he catches my eyes with that small, confident smile. "You're going to do great," he says.
The final day of exams arrives, and it feels like the entire world is holding its breath. My pencil scratches across the pages, and I try to push aside everything else — stress, nerves, fatigue — and just focus. When the last paper is turned in, my shoulders slump in relief.
Outside, the group surrounds me, cheering softly but joyfully. Soraya and Saphira high-five me, Aveline hugs me tightly, Cassian smirks with exaggerated pride. And Evan? He pulls me into a small, careful hug, brushing a soft kiss to my temple.
"You did it," he murmurs, voice quiet but steady. "We did it."
I grin, heart fluttering, exhausted but elated. "We really did."
The weight of finals lifts, and even though senior year isn't over — prom, graduation, and the cruise still await — there's a lightness in my chest I haven't felt in months. I survived. We survived. Together.
And with Evan by my side, patient, loving, and quietly confident, I feel like maybe we can handle anything — even the chaos of adulthood waiting just around the corner.