Not My Type 3: Alternate World

22. Arson

Sign in✨ This one sweet🥹.

📍ST HUGHS HIGH SCHOOL
Z  A  R  A
ᴢᴀʀᴀ

"This is Zara literally five minutes before the Literature Exam!" Gina shouts playfully. She has the latest iPhone recording me.

"Girll," I mug her and look away using my hand to block my face. My eyes still fixed on the book leaves.

Poor you.

She laughs. "Only exam can mek Zara head look so."

She's right.

I didn't comb my hair. Neither did I straighten it. It's just in four granny plaits, each flowing down to my shoulders and curls at the end. My natural baby hair makes it slightly cute.

"Only Zara can pull this off," Zanne laughs.

I ignore them.

Trying to read the last two pages of The Tempest. I feel so unprepared. I have Nickoi's threat in mind as well.

I can't fail this.

It's been two days. He hasn't responded to my message. It makes me wonder if my mother was right. I don't want to double text, even though I really want to.

All this is distracting. It's so hard to focus on the books. Thankfully, our teacher felt sick and moved the exam to this day so we could get the chance to be prepared.

Are you though?

Nope. I'm still not done reading.

This has never happened to me.

I'm always organized.

Always prepared.

I'm not in the best of moods and I'm nervous about my exam.

"How you feel bout the exam Zara?" Gina ask again.

"Mi nuh knowww.." I whine.

"Zara you're literally Lit Top Performer fi five years straight. Weh yaw worry bout?" Anna chimes in.

"That's exactly why I feel pressured. The expectations, the threats, the fact that the exam starts in two minutes and mi nuh read the last page yet," I heave a sigh.

"What is one page Zara? Get up and come on man," Gina says.

I look up at our class.

Our classmates are gathered outside while Mr. McKenzie walks through ensuring that they're exam ready.

My heart skips.

"Why Mr. McKenzie affi a invigilate we?" I kiss my teeth.

"Zara it cya be Ms. Henny. Worst everybody a say a you a har favorite student," Anna retorts. I stand from our chill spot, pick up my bag then my book.

"The man strict. The last time him invigilate my exam the man make mi ketch anxiety attack," I tell them.

They laugh.