The word spread like wildfire.
Everyone was talking about it.
This was one of the very few instances where every student was talking about one thing and not divided by multiple gossips.
The results were out.
This school did not have the usual list on the bulletin board for everyone to see.
They will email you your detailed report card to your registered student email ID. Later you can go ahead and collect the physical copy from the librarian for your parents to sign as an acknowledgement.
It was a lot of hassle but I didn't have the energy to ponder on that as my entire body's energy was being utilized by my mind to be hyper anxious about my results.
The midterm was over.
Finally.
The whole month was a lengthy, overstimulated, and sleep deprived month.
I overate and spent countless nights staying awake, hours and hours of revision and solving mock question papers.
All for this day. This was my first result in Royals High.
This result would determine whether they will continue to fund my tuition here or if I will be going back to my old school.
So yeah, definitely not stressing over it.
I know in my gut that I aced all my papers. There was not a single paper where I felt like I could have done better but you never know.
What if I pissed off a teacher unknowingly and now they were taking revenge and failing me on a subject?
I don't want to jinx my chances.
But all my hard work and studying was done. The papers are completed.
Exams over.
"Hey, did you receive your email?" Saehi asked as she took a seat next to me in the cafeteria.
"Not yet. What about you?" I ask.
"Same. No word"
Saehi drummed her fingers on the table, her impatience evident. "I swear, they're probably doing this on purpose just to torture us."
I chuckled nervously, fiddling with the straw in my drink. "Wouldn't put it past them."
The cafeteria buzzed with the usual noise of students chatting, trays clattering, and the distant sound of laughter. But beneath it all, there was an undercurrent of tension, of anticipation mingled with anxiety as everyone awaited their results.
"I just want to know already," Saehi muttered, her brows furrowed.
"I can't take this waiting anymore." she groaned.
"I know, right?" I agreed, feeling the same jittery energy coursing through me.
"But hey, at least we're in this together." I shrugged and she nodded her head.
Saehi managed a small smile, her eyes still betraying her nerves. "Yeah, that's true."
Before we could continue our conversation, a notification pinged on my phone, causing both of us to jump.
I quickly unlocked it, my heart racing as I navigated to my email.
"There it is!" Saehi exclaimed eagerly, leaning over to peer at the screen.
I took a deep breath, my finger hovering over the email.
"Okay, here goes nothing."
With a shaky exhale, I tapped on the message, feeling a rush of adrenaline as the contents loaded on the screen. Saehi leaned in closer, her breath held in anticipation.
And then, there it was.
My results.
I scanned through the email, my eyes widening in disbelief as I processed the grades before me. Saehi gasped beside me, her hand flying to her mouth.
"Oh my god," she breathed.
"You... you did it!"
A surge of joy and relief flooded through me, washing away all the tension and anxiety of the past month. I couldn't help but grin, my heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.
"I did it," I whispered, barely able to believe it myself.
My scholarship would continue. I would continue in Royals High.
Saehi pulled me into a tight hug, her excitement contagious. "I'm so happy for you!"
We sat there for a moment, basking in the glow of my success, before reality came crashing back in.
"Wait," I said, pulling away slightly. "What about you? Did you check yours?"
Saehi's smile faltered slightly, her expression turning uncertain. "Not yet. I... I'm kind of scared to."
I reached out, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Hey, whatever happens, we'll face it together, okay?"
She nodded, a small smile returning to her lips.
"Okay. Let's do this."
With a deep breath, Saehi opened her email, her eyes scanning the screen intently. And then, her face lit up with pure joy, her laughter ringing out in the bustling cafeteria.
"I passed!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.
I couldn't help but laugh along with her, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride for my friend.
We may have faced our fair share of challenges at Royals High, but in that moment, we knew that together, we could overcome anything.
As Saehi and I celebrated our success in the cafeteria, a familiar voice interrupted our moment of triumph.
"Well, well, well, look who's all smiles today," Beomgyu chimed in, sliding into the seat across from us with a mischievous grin.
I rolled my eyes playfully.
"What do you want, Beomgyu? Can't you see we're in the middle of something here?" Saehi commented.
Beomgyu pretended to look offended.
"Hey, I just wanted to congratulate you on surviving midterms. And to remind you that my treat is still pending for that bet we made."
I raised an eyebrow to a smirk playing on Beomgyuâs lips.
"Oh, that's right. Looks like someone's going to be treating us to a feast." I say.
Saehi and Beomgyu made a bet during karaoke that if he passed all his subjects then he would treat us.
" I passed so my treat is on. But don't expect me to go bankrupt over this."
âAs ifâ Saehi snorts and Beomgyu flips her off.
We shared a laugh, the tension of waiting for our results momentarily forgotten.
It felt good to relax and enjoy each other's company, especially after the stress of exams.
Just then, another figure approached our table, his expression unreadable.
Yeonjun.
His presence sent a ripple of uncertainty through the air, his usual stoic demeanor adding to the intrigue.
"Mind if I join you guys?" Yeonjun asked, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of curiosity.
I exchanged a glance with Saehi and Beomgyu, silently communicating our mutual surprise.
Yeonjun wasn't exactly known for seeking out our company, especially in such a casual setting.
"Sure, take a seat," Beomgyu replied, gesturing to the empty chair beside him.
Yeonjun nodded, settling into the seat with a casual grace that belied his imposing presence.
For a moment, the four of us sat in silence, the air thick with unspoken questions.
I did not dare meet his eyes or even just look in his direction in general.
I successfully avoided him throughout my exams and it was easy to do because I was nose deep in my notes and books.
But now that the exams were over, I did not have an excuse to store that God forsaken embarrassing moment in my never open pile in my head.
And him sitting right opposite to me wasn't helping as my mind highlighted that memory in neon lights, asking me to relive that moment.
"So, what brings you here, Yeonjun?" Saehi finally asked, breaking the tension with a hesitant smile.
Yeonjun shrugged nonchalantly. "Just felt like hanging out. Is that such a crime?"
Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.
"Well, color me surprised. I didn't know you were capable of socializing voluntarily."
Yeonjun shot him a dry look. "Ha ha, very funny. I do have a life, you know. I just choose not to hang out with you most of the time"
Saehi chuckled, nudging me with her elbow. "Looks like we've got ourselves a rare sighting of Yeonjun in the wild. Better cherish this moment while it lasts."
We shared a laugh, the tension easing as we settled into a more relaxed conversation.
At least the rest were relaxed. I was not.
Yeonjun did not try to contact me all this time. Although for him, it might not have been anything memorable but it was a lot for me.
I still can't believe what happened that night.
âHey, are you okay? You seem a little redâ Saehi asked, concerned for me.
I wanted her to be anything but concerned. I put my head down but not before peeking at a quick glance at Yeonjun.
He is staring at me with a smirk on his face. It is as if he knows what is going on in my mind.
Smug shit head.
I diverted the topic quickly and it was easy with Saehi and Beomgyu bickering.
They did not pay much attention that neither Yeonjun nor I was participating in the conversation unless directly asked a question.
The hour passed in a blur of laughter and conversation, the cafeteria gradually emptying out as students made their way to their next classes.
As the afternoon sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the empty tables, Yeonjun finally broke the comfortable silence that had settled over us.
"You know," he began, his voice uncharacteristically soft, "I'm glad we had this chance to hang out."
I blinked in surprise, caught off guard by his unexpected sincerity.
"Yeah, me too. It's been... nice.â Saehi said and Beomgyuâs expression changed to something warm.
Saehi and Beomgyu exchanged a knowing glance, their expressions reflecting the unspoken bond that had formed between Yeonjun and the rest.
As we prepared to part ways and head to our respective classes I passed a final wave and promised to meet again soon.
âI need to talk to youâ I heard a familiar voice as soon as I left the cafeteria and cursed for not sprinting away.
A/N: hello lovely people. Long time no see. Bet you thought I am abandoning this story but no I am not. Adulting is hard. Especially when you have to travel every week for work. My vacation was lovely but then because of the long leave I took from work, I had to do ablot to catch up. Hence the delay.
This chapter does not have a lot going on but I just wanted to added some school scenes because it kinda felt like our main girl is doing everything but study ð ð
The next chapters are going to be dramatic, I promise.
How have you guys been? I would love to know. And to all the new people joining our family of Royals, welcome â¤ï¸â¤ï¸