Exam week was just around the corner, so I focused most of my time studying the material. I capitalized on what I thought the professors would focus on, brushing past the less important notes.
In the meantime, the rest of the campus was constantly filled with students going here and there, frantically working on their requirements for their clearances.
Well, I wasn't exactly an exception, but I'd already gotten most of the faculty members' signatures in mine, so I only really had to focus on studying.
Strangely enough, beside me sat this anomaly-literally-scribbling on her notes and mumbling unintelligible things, probably memorizing the material as we sat on a bench outside the main campus building, watching everyone scramble like office workers racing a deadline.
"Hey, couldn't you just, I don't know, maybe use your reality-bending abilities to give yourself a high score-"
"No! That's basically taking the easier route-I refuse!" She seemed... Determined. That in itself is plenty commendable, though... Is she just saying that to sound cool or, can she actually not alter her scores?
Well, that's what it was like on the first day.
Our daily routine that week consisted of going to campus, studying for midterms, going home, then studying again-sometimes together in the living room.
However, just two days before exam week, during the weekend, Anathasia suddenly stopped studying altogether, and instead, just loafed around in her room without a care in the world.
So much for being a cosmic anomaly-she still acted like a brat at times.
I stood in front of her room, looking at the door with a sign that had her name on it-styled to the brim with all sorts of shimmery decorations and whatnot. I knocked three times, just enough for her to hear.
"Anathasia, weren't you scared of failing just a few days ago? Are you sure you should be loafing around like this?"
I reminded her calmly as she opened the door. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her clothes loose-nothing special.
"I'm tired... can I skip for today...?" she groggily stated, yawning as she rubbed her eyelids gently.
Well, it's pretty obvious at a glance, so I didn't bother trying to force her. I guess even she gets tired sometimes.
"Alright then, rest up. I'll call you when lunch is ready." casually patting her head, I turned away and walked back to the living room, while she closed her door and went to sleep.
It was like that for the last two days before the midterms.
Everything went down on Monday.
During the first period, which was Literature for children and adolescents, the hall was filled with nothing but the sounds of pens scribbling against sheets of paper.
It wasn't an easy one, that was for sure.
Just when I was about to finish up mine, I glanced at Anathasia sitting beside me. Except, she was completely frozen-not even holding her pen. As if her soul had already left her.
"Anathasia! What happened??" I whispered, trying to get her attention, but she just plopped her face against her desk, turning her head to look at me like she was on the verge of dying.
>"Help, I forgot everything I studied." she wrote on her wrist, showing it to me.
My jaw dropped, how the hell do you just forget-
I slowly locked eyes with her, only now remembering how she had short term memory and couldn't even remember where she last put her phone.
Not knowing what to do, I could only turn away from her. Gritting my teeth as I whispered:
"I'm sorry... I can't help you right now.."
The color on her face drained, completely losing hope of passing the first period.
The day continued, thankfully, she only struggled on the first period and was able to ace the rest of the exams. Though, I did help her a bit during every minute of free time we had, Nonetheless, it was her who pulled it off, so that's on her.
Eventually, we found ourselves sitting at the same bench where we both sat while studying just a week ago, both staring at the sky.
"It's finally done." I mumbled, staring at the clouds.
"It's finally over." She continued, only to be followed by complete silence.
"..."
"..."
"What should we get for dinner?" She asked, snapping out of her trance-like state and shifting her attention to me.
"Cucumber sala-"
THWACK
With a single swing, her textbook landed perfectly against my face, shutting me down.
"Now you're just trying to pick on me." she mumbled, pulling her textbook away as I leaned back against the bench's backrest.
"Well, what do YOU want?" glancing at her, I watched as the gears in her head turned, probably weighing her options.
Then, her eyes brightened as she looked back at me.
"I remember seeing you buy those lumpia wrappers on Saturday, and didn't we also have some seasoned ground pork in the fridge?" she mentioned.
Looking back, I do remember buying those, but I planned on having them for later. "So why not those? And maybe some adobo for the main course? Exams are over after all."
I paused, pondering about her suggestion and well-it does sound reasonable enough.
"Alright then, we'll have those for dinner today." I nodded, placing my hand on top of her head, again. It was starting to become a habit, which was starting to make me feel unnerved, yet strangely comfortable.
But Anathasia on the other hand, simply beamed at me. Seriously, she's such a child sometimes, but she's endearing, and I can't really chase her out either, not anymore at least.
The sun eventually sank beneath the horizon, casting a hue of orange that blanketed the sky as Anathasia and I made our way home.
"It sure is quiet..." I mumbled, trailing off as I glanced at the sky, making her wonder what I was muttering about, but didn't really bother pushing further.
And just like that, our exam days passed like it was nothing.
In the end, Anathasia barely got through with a passable mark of eighty marks over a hundred.
I occasionally stole a few glances at her as we walked, thinking to myself- I'm sure she could've made things for herself easier instead of going through all that trouble. But I guess that's just how things were with her - always taking the harder route, even when she didn't need to. But maybe that's what made her... her.
Of course, I'm well aware this isn't the end. Not with her planning on actually staying with me for who knows how long, but honestly speaking? I guess that doesn't sound too bad either.