I slumped into the worn leather couch in the student lounge, dropping my textbooks on the table with a satisfying thud. The weight off my arms was as much of a relief as finishing my exam had been. Two hours of formulating combat strategies and tactical analyses had left my brain feeling like mush.
"There you are!" Chloe's voice cut through my mental fog as she bounded over, her copper curls bouncing with each step. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Just finished my Advanced Combat Theory exam," I said, rubbing my temples. "Professor Winters was extra brutal today."
Chloe plopped down beside me, her eyebrows raised. "How'd it go?"
"Pretty well, I think. At least better than most people." I allowed myself a small smile. "Marcus looked like he was about to cry halfway through."
"Serves him right. He's been bragging all semester about how easy this class is." She nudged my shoulder. "So, where were you last night? I called but you didn't pick up."
