Two Steps Behind

CHAPTER 17

I took a sip on my hot coffee while staring at the chaotic paper of formulas. I closed my eyes and started to memorise what was written on it. After my class earlier, I headed straight back home. No holding of phone, no answering of calls, and no talking to anybody else while I'm studying. I am really eager to pass this time. I'm gonna prove to myself and to Mrs. Khant that she didn't get wrong by giving us a second chance. I stopped when someone knocked my room door and it slowly cracked open exposing Lexie's sleepy figure. 

"Blythe, aren't you gonna sleep yet? It's almost eleven o'clock, you might have woken up late. Let me remind you that you have your exam tomorrow. You need rest and sleep," she said, peeking on me from the door. 

I took a glance at the blue sparkling wall clock located near the door and sighed when she's right. I haven't noticed the time either. "I have to recall these, Lex. I might forget it again. I don't want to disappoint myself for the second time." Disappoint myself and everyone. 

She stepped her foot in then slowly turned to my direction. She scratched her head after she yawned and then she sheepishly smiled at me. I shook my head at her with a chuckle. When she reached my direction, she arranged all the scattered paper on my study table. 

"Raven told me that you must take a lot of rest before the exam," she mumbled but I couldn't understand all her words. 

"What?" I asked. 

"Ah, nothing," she looked at me with a smile then held my shoulders. "I just said, Believe me, you studied well and enough. Just learn your focus, okay?" I nodded at her. 

"Could I pass this time?" I inquired unsure and worried. 

She gave me a big smile and a thumbs up. "You can. Believe in yourself. I believe in you." 

Silence. Footsteps. Flipping papers. Ballpen dropping. Gasps. Loud sighs. Silent prays. Murmurs. And whistles. Everything that I could hear inside our class. I want to laugh on the set up, it was like we are taking a board exam and it costs our lives if we fail. Was like in the middle of a trial court and not guilty was our plea and when proven guilty, death penalty awaits us. It was like a battle of life and death. Really, overacting but kinda true. 

"She's on her way guys!" 

"This is it!" 

"Blythe, wake up. Mrs. Khant's on her way here." I immediately sat straight when I felt the tapping of my arm and voices on my side. 

I wasn't actually sleeping, I was just meditating and recalling everything because I was seriously nervous. Promise, after this, I'm gonna go shopping and chilling. I must award myself for my hard work, I guess I deserve that. 

I heaved a deep breath then fixed my messy hair by tying it on Raven's rubber band. I still have it in my bag since I forgot to give it back to him last time. We haven't seen each other since yesterday. I don't know his whereabouts and I don't care either. 

"Good morning," the class was instantly covered by silence by Mrs. Khant's usual greetings. We are all like toddlers facing the president of the country on how we behave. "I hope you do good this time. Just take your seats and I'll distribute your test sheets." 

I took a deep breath and prayed for a good result. Passing scores would be good for me already. I gasped and smiled when the paper landed on my desk. I lifted a view to the terror of Mrs. Khant on her glasses and suddenly looked away when she caught me looking at her. I want to give it a big shot this time! 

I giggled silently when I picked up my pen. The set up was like taking a board exam. She was really impossible!

I could pass this time. I will pass this time. And I should pass this time! 

"One minute!" My hands were shaking when I heard Mrs. Khant's echoed voice. I am still in the middle of solving the last number of the exam and my pen isn't working! 

I tried to scratch it on my scratch paper but it's ink was not totally in good condition anymore. Nevertheless, I still managed to use it on solving. My sweat was already streaming down in both nervousness and excitement. I am almost done with the solution of this freaking equation!

"20 seconds." Then I found the answer together with my dead pen. I shifted a look to my side and stared at Jenny who surrendered on solving already so I asked her for the pen. When she handed it to me, I immediately grabbed it then wrote my answer on the blank underlined space. 

"Times up!" she declared just in time. 

I took a deep breath and yelled a "Yes!" making them all stare at me. I awkwardly smiled at them then covered my face in embarrassment. 

"Have you answered all the questions, Blythe?" Jenny on my side asked in a whisper. 

I looked at her with a smile and a slow nod. "But I'm not sure if I got it right." 

"At least you do. While me? I only answered seventy-five percent of the problem because I don't know what to do anymore. It's cracking my head!" We both giggled. 

"Let's just hope for the best," I said with a wink. 

My whole day felt light and free as I deducted a weight on my shoulders. That review and exam was a total burden and weight! Earlier, I called Peachie and Khassie for a short and little celebration as I promised to myself. I want us to eat, go shopping, to the mall and everything. I think I deserve my price! 

"Peachie! Khassie!" I squealed underneath my breath. 

They both waved their hand in the air when they saw me from afar. I smiled from ear to ear while running towards their direction while the two of them stared at me in confusion. I immediately threw myself at them and caged them from my arms. 

"Hey, hey, hey! You're ecstasic. You're not broken already?" Khassie asked between our big hugs. Peachie and I chucked at her expense. 

"Oh, shut up with that broken thingy, Khassie. Let's have our girls day!" I cheered when we pulled each other away. 

Khassie looked at me with raised brow. "Where are we going? Peachie hasn't mentioned me about that earlier. She just dragged me out to my room and told me that we'll meet each other," she said with a pout. 

"Oh, I forgot to inform you about that. Sorry, Khassie." She wrapped her arms around her and gave a peck on her cheek which Khassie irked at. 

"Ew! Your saliva left on my face!" she yelled then staggy wiped her face which again made us laugh. 

She was actually just acting things out. She was used to saliva all over her face since she has a dog that licked her face every day at her house. Gross. 

We went straight to our favorite Korean restaurant located near the mall which is our next target spot. Honestly, it's not 'our' favorite restaurant but Khassie's favorite. The last time we had eaten here, she spotted a good looking customer and a handsome waiter and right after that moment, she concluded that it was already her favorite restaurant. Since we are always together for our girls' day, we ended up eating here always and became a regular customer and later on titled it as our favorite eating place. 

As usual, we sat near the doorway where Khassie could sight every good looking man that would enter the restaurant and signalled us if she had seen one then we would judge if it suits our taste which made us giggle. Nothing was more fun than this kind of hunting. Merely side sighting and secret smiling. 

"What day are we now? Seems like I haven't seen any cool guy here," Khassie said disappointedly. "Even the waiter was not around," she continued. 

"Thursday, 10th of September," Peachie answered while picking her kimchi with her chopsticks. "And we got a new information that handsome guys are absent on Thursdays and present during the other days," she continued and we all laughed. 

"Do you guys want to go with us? Lexie's sister's birthday today but she planned to have a beach party for her on the weekend at Palawan. It was quite boring if the three of us only went there," I opened up when I remembered it. 

Khassie, who is a beach person, instantly alerted. Her eyes lit up together with her smile. "I'll take that invitation sealed." 

"Gonna cancel all my appointments today to vacant my schedule on that time," Peachie confirmed, waving her stick in the air. 

"Great! You gotta be ready because tomorrow at noon is our flight." Since we only have half of a day class during Fridays. 

"Sure thing! But would it be fine with Lexie and her sister?" Peachie inquired. 

"Of course, they are both nice. You know that! And they would be glad if I'd tell them that you would come with us!"