The Big Day
1654 Words
The sound of my alarm echoed in the dimly lit hotel room, pulling me from the depths of sleep. My body felt heavy, my mind groggy from the exhaustion of endless nights spent reviewing. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I reached for my phone. 3:00 AM. The numbers glowed on the screen, reminding me that today was the day—my exam day.
I inhaled deeply, shaking off the lingering sleepiness. As I turned my head, expecting to see him still asleep beside me, I was met with an unexpected sight.
He was awake.
Sam was sitting on the couch, his posture relaxed yet focused, scrolling through his phone. The glow from the screen illuminated his face, casting soft shadows across his features.
I blinked. Why is he up?
A brief wave of overthinking threatened to creep in, but I stopped myself before it could take hold. I reminded myself that it was still afternoon in the U.S., and his body clock was probably still adjusting.
Instead of questioning it, I simply watched him for a moment. His brows furrowed slightly as he read something on his screen, then relaxed again. Even when he was just sitting there, doing nothing but scrolling, he looked effortlessly composed.
Shaking my head, I pushed away my thoughts and got up, grabbing my towel. I whispered a silent prayer as I stepped into the shower, letting the warm water run down my skin.
"You got this." I murmured to myself, exhaling deeply. "You studied hard for this. You can do this."
After finishing my shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped back into the room—only to be met with yet another surprise.
On the small table near the bed, a neatly packed lunchbox sat beside a bottle of water and my favorite chocolates.
I blinked. Did he…?
Before I could even say a word, Sam stood up, stretching his arms as he walked over to me. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, his lips lingering for a second longer than usual.
"I packed that for you," he said casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
But to me, it was.
I stared at the lunchbox, feeling warmth spread through my chest. He thought about me. He prepared this for me.
"That’s really nice of you," I said softly, unable to hide the smile forming on my lips.
He smirked. "Of course. You need energy for your big day. Also, I have a virtual meeting in a bit, so I’ll be at the pool area."
I nodded in understanding. He always had meetings scheduled at odd hours because of the time difference.
"Go do your thing, valedictorian," he teased, giving me a playful nudge before grabbing his laptop and heading out.
I chuckled, shaking my head as I turned back to continue preparing.
And then, I saw it.
On the table, right next to my packed lunch, was a steaming glass of milk, along with a plate of toast and crispy bacon.
My favorites.
I bit my lip, feeling an overwhelming sense of appreciation.
"Why are you like this?" I whispered to no one in particular, feeling a mix of gratitude and something else I couldn’t quite place.
With a hopeful heart, I sat down and ate my breakfast, allowing myself to believe that today was going to be a good day.
The exam hall was buzzing with nervous energy. Students were scattered across the room, flipping through last-minute notes, muttering formulas under their breath, or simply staring blankly into space.
I took a deep breath as I settled into my seat, gripping my pen tightly.
"You can do this," I reminded myself.
The proctor’s voice echoed through the hall as he handed out the exam booklets. The moment I flipped mine open, my heart skipped a beat.
The first section—General Education—was… easy.
A relieved smile formed on my lips as I breezed through the questions, my confidence growing with each answer I wrote down.
Professional Education followed, and though it was slightly trickier, it was still manageable.
For the first time in days, I felt genuinely confident.
"Maybe this isn’t so bad after all," I thought.
And then, I reached my major subject: Science.
I froze.
My eyes scanned the first question, and my stomach dropped.
"What the—?"
If General and Professional Education were a warm-up, Science was the boss level of this exam. The questions were intricate, detailed, and some were phrased so vaguely that I had to reread them twice just to understand what they were asking.
I let out a nervous chuckle, shaking my head. Okay, okay. Challenge accepted.
I steadied my breathing, tapping my pen against the table as I tackled each question one by one.
Some answers came naturally, but others had me second-guessing myself.
Still, I powered through.
Minutes turned into hours, and before I knew it, the proctor announced the final call to submit our papers.
With one last deep breath, I put my pen down.
It was over.
Exhausted but relieved, I grabbed my things and made my way out of the hall.
By the time I reached the hotel, it was already past 6 PM. The moment I stepped inside the room, all the weight of the day crashed down on me.
My body ached. My brain felt fried.
But before I could even process the exhaustion, a familiar warmth wrapped around me.
Sam.
His arms enveloped me in a tight hug, his chin resting on top of my head.
I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply.
"You okay?" he murmured.
I simply nodded, feeling all my tension melt away in his embrace.
"I’m proud of you," he whispered, rubbing gentle circles on my back.
I felt my throat tighten at his words.
After a long, draining day, nothing felt more comforting than this—the warmth of his arms, the steady sound of his heartbeat, the quiet reassurance in his presence.
He pulled back slightly, studying my face.
"Tough one?" he guessed.
I chuckled weakly. "Science was a nightmare."
He smirked. "Told you I should’ve quizzed you more."
I playfully rolled my eyes. "I still did my best."
He nodded approvingly before leading me toward the bed.
The soft mattress, the cool sheets—everything felt like heaven.
Sam lay beside me, pulling me close again.
"Rest now, baby," he murmured.
I barely had time to register the way my heart skipped at the word baby before exhaustion took over.
And for the first time in weeks, I let myself drift off to sleep without a single worry in my mind.
I woke up to the smell of breakfast food and the warmth of a right arm wrapped around me. The embrace was firm yet gentle, as if making sure I wouldn’t slip away. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft morning light that peeked through the curtains. And there he was—Sam.
He was already awake, lying on his side, watching me intently. His gaze traced my features like he was memorizing them, as if he was trying to engrave every little detail in his mind. My heart skipped a beat.
Is he thinking I’m beautiful?
That was my first thought.
But then, reality slapped me in the face. My morning breath.
My eyes widened as panic shot through my body. What if he wasn’t admiring me? What if he was just suffering in silence, regretting ever waking up beside me because my breath smelled like last night’s dinner?
I shot up from the bed so fast that the blanket tangled around me, almost sending me crashing to the floor. Without a word, I bolted straight to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I gripped the sink, staring at my reflection. My hair was a mess, my lips slightly swollen from sleep, and worst of all—I had no idea if my breath was safe for human interaction.
I brushed my teeth as if my life depended on it, washed my face, and patted my cheeks for good measure. After making sure I was at least presentable, I stepped out, pretending that my dramatic escape hadn’t just happened.
Sam was still on the bed, now sitting up against the headboard, a smirk playing on his lips. "Good morning," he said, his voice thick with amusement.
I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
He shrugged. "Nothing. Just wondering why you ran like I was about to eat you alive."
I rolled my eyes and walked toward the bed, only to realize what was waiting for me—breakfast. Served right there on the mattress, neatly arranged on a tray. There were eggs, crispy bacon, toast, and a glass of juice. It was simple, but the fact that it was here, prepared, made something warm bloom in my chest.
"You ordered breakfast?" I asked, climbing onto the bed beside him.
He picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite. "Obviously."
I reached for my food, but before I could take a bite, he leaned in, his face just inches from mine.
"You smell minty fresh now," he teased.
I gasped, my cheeks heating up. "You—!"
Before I could throw a pillow at him, he closed the distance, capturing my lips in a slow, lingering kiss.
My breath hitched. His lips were soft, warm, and unhurried, as if savoring the moment. And for the first time in my life, I felt like my knees had turned to jelly—even though I was sitting down. It was dizzying, overwhelming, and entirely new.
When we pulled away, my heart was racing so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest.
Sam smirked. "You okay?"
No. Absolutely not. I was floating. I was malfunctioning.
But all I could do was blink and mumble, "Yeah… just—just give me a minute."
- Writer
