The time has come.

It was the first thing Chris felt when he woke up that morning. Everything he did feel different. As he brushed his teeth, as he placed food for the pets, as he ate breakfast, as he walked to the school.

It was a feeling well known for him and he was remembering.

Placing his feet on the school’s grounds, Chris could see some of his classmates were the same as him.

Everyone was focused to defend themselves from what was to come. On their hand, their only way to hone their best weapons was being used. Some of them had a look of despair and dark circles under their eyes showing they weren’t ready for it. Others were proudly waiting with their heads up for the future.

Chris was neither of them. He was neither cautious nor confident, rather, he was anxious. Unlike his fellow classmates, he was behind. What would be on it? How would it be? Would the teacher allow an abstract? Those questions he didn’t know the answer.

The only thing he knew was when the classroom’s door was shut, he would know all of them, for better or worse.

Exams days as this one were like that for everyone.

He opened his eyes and was joined the countless others students who were in wait for the bells to signalize the beginning of it. But, all of this was but a memory for him. After all, his life wasn’t as it used to be.

Unlike what his imagination was showing, the reality was far different. The time before class was only five minutes, yet, nobody could be seen around the school. There was a part of him that, even if he knew it would be like this, still wished for this to be just a dream.

He had no choice other than accepting it, wanting or not. Still, it felt so surreal. He walked through the empty hallways that were usually filled with students chatting together with their friends and looked inside classrooms with nobody inside.

This was all a big prank and everyone was just messing up with him, all of them were around the corner holding their laughs while watching him panic. Soon, everyone will jump at him and shout “Surprise!” but this already passed the point of being a joke.

Although that wouldn’t matter for Chris now.

The school was still working properly despite being affected by the phenomenon. It was clear after Chris and the girl investigated a little during the classes. There wasn’t much to rely on, but it was enough to put his mind at ease.

And so, that also meant the exams were going to exist. And if he failed the exams, they would lose time because of retake exams. And if they lost time, things could get even worse.

Imagine if what was happening in the school would spread to the city as well. Nobody would be there working, everyone was going to be a statue for life! But what if it could reach worldwide?! That would mean only Chris and the girl left alone in the world.

If they ended up like that, then maybe they would need to repopulate the planet and…

(Stop! Stop! Let’s not go to that direction!)

Chris was starting to overthink again. It was not the time to have those thoughts. There was an exam coming up and he needed to concentrate. Rushing things now would only need to a bigger mess in the future.

With that in mind, he finally entered the empty classroom and took his seat. Looking at the clock, there was about one minute left before the class begins. All Chris managed to do was put his case on the table before the bell sang.

As it was ringing, the other students, one by one, started to enter the classroom and headed to their seats, with a wholesome of them with a tired look on their faces.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

It didn’t take long before the teacher also came in. He did his greetings and went to his desk, taking over some papers from a folder inside his bag. All the students were looking at him and, principally, those papers anxiously.

He wasted about five minutes checking each sheet before walking to the center of the class.

-Everyone, I’m about to hand over the exams. Once handed, you will not be allowed to exit the class, so if you want to leave, this is the-

Before the teacher could finish giving his warnings, the classroom was suddenly open and from there came the new student barely making in time for class.

-Sorry, I was a bit lost on my way from home.

With a face showing none concern for arriving late, the girl made her way to her seat while ignoring the awkward stare of the teacher who couldn’t think of a way to scold someone who just arrived from another country.

-If you want to leave, do it now.

Instead of it, he just continued like nothing had happened. Seeing nobody was getting up, the teacher started to deliver to each student the four-page exam. And Chris, getting one of the last samples, already looked down and wrote his name in the paper.

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-Ok, pencils down. Time is up.

Just like the cold blade of an executioner, the teacher announced the end of the exams. He walked through the classroom and collected the papers on the desks, without consideration for the student’s feelings.

Only a few were calm and could finish the tests with time to spare, others were relieved as they were finishing before the deadline, although some were in despair completing almost two full pages worth of answers. The majority of them were nervous because of not answering all the questions.

The teacher reached the end of the classroom and picked the papers on Chris’ desk while he was appearing confident as his exam being taken away from him. He did his bests and all the things he wrote were true to his beliefs. With that, he was staring at his classmates’ reactions with a faint smile on his face, but…

(…I didn’t know a dang thing that was there)

That smile had the meaning of defeat. Even after consulting many textbooks and his past week’s homework, Chris was sure he learned a thing or two for the exam, and when he saw the first question, he realized how wrong he was.

The contents were something he didn’t even know what it was. There were numbers with letters alongside a couple of traces forming some sort of modern art. And this wasn’t even Math. The only hope he had was the multi-choice answer, allowing Chris to just shoot the answers he thought were the right ones.

The worse of all, this was only the first exam of the day. The teacher already got out the class and they were on break time now before the next period starts. A little rest after the hardships they had passed through.

-Hello Midna, how are you?

But some students weren’t affected by the tense atmosphere at all. The same group of girls from yesterday, led by Lindsey, came by the girl’s desk. Ignoring the other students’ sorrow, they were all talking with enjoying and smiles.

-Hi. I’m fine, thanks for asking.

-Great, but is it true that you got lost today?

-It seems like it. I’m not familiar with the city just yet.

-Guess not, I think we should fix that.

-How about we got out one day and…

There was another exam happening in less than five minutes and those girls were happily chatting like it was another usual day. Some students were envious of how calm and carefree that group could be even after passing something like that. Although for one of them it was different.

(You sure know how to be normal now, huh)

It was all lies she came up with, but Chris was happy about it. She said to everyone ears that she was lost and they all believed it, but it was all lies.

The two of them went to the school together after exiting Chris’ house, but before they arrived, the girl suddenly stops and said to his confused face:

-It would be weird if they found us alone in the classroom. Better if I wait for a little before coming in.

(I’m so proud of you!)

To tell the truth, Chris was a bit wary of being alone with the girl, mostly because of what their classmates would think of them and didn’t know how to tell her. It wouldn’t be a problem if they just sat apart from each other but knowing her, he didn’t know if she could hold herself.

But now his worries were gone. She understood each other standing in the classroom, not giving him any sort of unnecessary attention since here they were nothing more than strangers in the others’ eyes.

The perfect plan, it was really without any flaws on it. And she was the one who made it, all by herself. It filled Chris’ heart with joy. His student was growing up right in front of him.

While Chris was lost in his happy thoughts, the classroom door opened once again and the new teacher came in.

-Be quiet and to your seats. The exams will begin now. – With only a few cold words, she came in and waited for all the students to return to their desks.

And like that, the exams continued.