The Exam
She could barely open her eyes. She rubbed at them in an attempt to clear her vision.
“Where am I?” she asked out loud. Her eyes came to, and she looked around. She was in a room she didn’t recognize. She did, however, recognize the people in the room with her. Her friends were scattered all over the room. They were still sleeping. She realized she was on the bed beside a girl she remembered vaguely but couldn’t quite place her name.
Must be her room, she thought.
She tried to stand up. Shit! Her head was pounding. It felt like someone was trapped inside, desperately banging on the walls trying to get out. She fell back on the bed. That was when she noticed what she was wearing — a rather short skirt and a crop top. It was an outfit her mother would have described as ‘unflattering’.
But why am I dressed like this? All her friends were dressed similarly. Did we…?
An alarm rang. She groped around for her phone, pulled it out of her back pocket and silenced the 8 am alarm. Something was clawing in the back of her head — something she had to do. She shrugged. If it were important, she would remember it. She frowned at the red exclamation indicating that her battery was at 12 percent.
She tried to stand up again. She was able to stay up and did a few laps around the room.
What did I have to do?
“Ireena, you’re awake?” Somebody else had stirred. She shot around to see who it was. Audrey, her best friend, was sitting up on the couch. “Last night was wild.”
“I would agree,” Ireena replied, “but I can’t remember a thing.”
“Really? So you don’t remember you rubbing up on that guy?” She smiled. “He was cute. What was his name again?”
“Yeah, funny.”
When Audrey had finished giggling, she said, “Anyways, I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you have an exam to write?”
The realization hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. She had an exam to write. No, she had the exam to write. If she failed this, she would not be allowed to graduate that year.
And I let these people take me to the club, why?
“Shit!” she said, “Why did I allow you guys to take me clubbing then?”
Audrey shrugged. “You said it would be fine.”
Ireena sighed. “I need to get out of here now.” She glanced at her phone flashing 8:12. She remembered the exam started by 8:30.
“Where are we?”
“Redcrow Hall. We got back with a girl we met there.”
Redcrow Hall was the worst-case scenario. Her dorm was on the other side of campus, and the exam hall was on a different corner. There was no way she would make it back to her dorm, freshen up, and then to the exam hall in… she glanced at her watch, 12 minutes.
She dove into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face and gargled mouthwash.
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“How do I look?” she asked as she came out.
“Like a zombie.”
She frowned and dashed out of the room.
Audrey sat in silence for a few seconds, also trying to remember fully what had happened the night before.
Irene dashed back in. “I’m dressed like a slut.”
“A sexy slut.”
“You’re not helping.”
She threw open the girls’ wardrobe. She would just have to grab whatever she could. She put on black sweatpants over her skirt and wore a hoodie. She grabbed her Crocs.
“Tell our new friend I borrowed her stuff,” she said before she dashed out again.
8:20
She ran down the halls, crocs squeaking on the tiles. She couldn’t help but notice the stale reek of sweat and alcohol clinging to her like a second skin, leaving a trail with every step. Her breathing was ragged; each step made her feel as if her skull would come loose, but she kept moving.
8:24
She made it out of the building and cut across the courtyard, holding up the sweatpants that had begun to slip down her waist. A passing student raised his eyebrow and smirked — almost laughed.
Yeah, I look like shit. You’re welcome for the story to tell your friends.
8.26
Her brain was rattling in her skull. Her legs ached, and her lungs burned. She was only a couple of minutes away now.
8:31
She stumbled through the doors. The room fell silent as dozens of eyes turned towards her. Some lips curled up in smiles and snickers. Her sweat suddenly went ice cold as she felt the mix of amusement and judgment coming her way.
“This couldn’t be more embarrassing,” she muttered under her breath.
“Welcome, Ireena,” the professor said as he dropped his pen, eyeing her up and down. “You look like you’ve had… quite the night.”
A wave of quiet laughter rippled through the room. She wished the ground would open up and take her anywhere else.
All she managed was a tight, awkward smile as she shuffled to her seat at the back of the room, trying to ignore all the whispers.
The paper was dropped in front of her. Her hands trembled. She suddenly became really thirsty. The words swam on the page.
And, for the first time, she wondered if she would fail the exam.
