Finals
963 Words
The faint melody in my earphones floated along with me as I walked through the school gates.
“If I ever, ever fall in love so truly, I’ll be sure that the lady is a—”
I mouthed the lyrics, not because I loved the song, but because the rhythm gave me something to hold on to. Preparation for finals had drained the life out of the school. Everyone was walking around with dark circles under their eyes, slouched backpacks, and nerves stretched thin. For me, the music was just a shield, a way to block out the heavy silence of tired students and the constant reminders that everything depended on these last exams.
“Anne!”
The voice cut through the music, faint at first, then sharp and insistent.
I pulled out one earbud and turned. Jane.
Her ponytail bounced as she jogged up behind me, her expression a mix of irritation and affection. Even half annoyed, she managed to look effortlessly adorable—round cheeks, neat brows, and that dramatic frown that never quite reached her eyes.
“Were you ignoring me?” she demanded, swatting my arm.
I laughed and shook my head, tapping my earbud between two fingers. “I had music on. Didn’t hear you, sweetheart.”
“Sweetheart?” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t try to smooth-talk me.”
I grinned, looping my arm through hers. “Forgive me, baby?”
“Eww, gross! I told you, I’m not gay!” she squealed, wriggling free and darting ahead.
“Babyyyyy!” I called after her, laughing as I chased her into the courtyard. Students glanced our way, but no one cared—we were known for being ridiculous.
When we finally slid into our classroom, breathless and still laughing, she dropped into her chair beside mine with exaggerated drama. Our desks had been pushed together since preparation for finals began, a silent pact to survive the torture as a team.
“Guess what?” she blurted the moment she sat down.
“What?” I asked, already unpacking my books.
“Nope. Guess!”
I sighed, leaning my cheek into my palm. “You know I’m terrible at this. Just spill.”
She leaned in close, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal the country’s biggest scandal. Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“There’s this guy in the next class—Aiden. You know him, right?”
My stomach tightened instantly. Of course I knew him. Everyone did.
Aiden was the boy of our school—the type you only read about in cliché romance novels but never expect to exist in real life. Perfectly styled dark hair, the kind of jawline that made girls sigh, and an easy smile that looked like it belonged in a commercial. He came from money, too, which only added to the myth. Girls whispered about his designer sneakers as if they carried magical powers.
He wasn’t just popular—he was untouchable. The kind of boy who dated casually, dumped quickly, and still had a line of admirers waiting their turn. Every girl knew his reputation, but none could resist him. Including me. Especially me.
“Yeah, I know him,” I said, trying—and failing—to sound casual.
Jane grinned knowingly. “Well, his birthday’s the day after finals. And he’s throwing a pool party.”
My head shot up. “What?”
“Shh!” She glanced around, then leaned closer. “Here’s the best part: the invitation isn’t a card. It’s a bikini. Only the girls who get one are invited.”
My jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
She shook her head, her grin widening. “Nope. And guess who just scored one?”
I gasped so loudly a few heads turned. A bubbling mix of excitement and disbelief filled my chest. I’d heard of Aiden’s legendary parties—wild, glamorous, the kind that turned into whispered stories for weeks afterward. But I never thought we’d be close enough to even glimpse one.
“You’re going, right?” she asked, still giddy.
“What? Of course!” I whispered back. Then reality smacked me in the face. “But… Aunt Mira. She’s never going to let me go. Especially not to something like that.”
Jane’s grin faltered slightly. “Yeah… and the bikini part doesn’t exactly help.”
We both sat in silence for a moment, imagining the inevitable disaster of asking strict adults for permission. It was laughable.
Unless…
“What if we just don’t tell them that part?” I suggested cautiously.
Jane arched a brow. “And how do we get the bikinis? You know they have to be expensive. No way Aiden’s crowd is wearing anything cheap.”
She wasn’t wrong. My aunt barely gave me enough allowance for snacks, and Jane’s family wasn’t exactly throwing money at luxury swimwear either.
“Then we save,” I said firmly.
“Save?” She blinked at me.
“Yeah. We’ve got, what, twenty-seven days? If we cut out snacks, lunch splurges, and all the silly stuff, we can scrape together enough. We eat breakfast and dinner at home. Simple.”
Jane chewed her lip, doubtful but tempted. “So… starving ourselves to look hot in bikinis?”
I smirked. “Basically. Two birds, one stone.”
Her expression softened into a grin. She gave me a thumbs-up. “Fine. Operation Pool Party starts now.”
We clinked imaginary glasses in the air, sealing the pact.
And as I glanced at the calendar on my phone, a thrill ran through me. Twenty-seven days to save. Twenty-seven days to dream.
Twenty-seven days until the chance to finally step into Aiden’s world—even if just for one night.
- Writer
