Halaw (Writing Exercises)

THE COURSE (6)

From her bed, Dominique could hear the shower being used. Ty must have finished with his swimming.

After their dinner, both of them decided to pursue separate activities. Ty went swimming while she tried going over her presentation. Tried was the operative word here. There she was on the bed and staring at the Tablet in front of her. Hours have already passed since they finished dinner and she is still stuck on the sentence: The field of nanobacteria is relatively new. And then – nothing.

Groaning, Dominique buried her head under one of the pillows. Her mind can't stop turning over and over and over on how she will initiate the practical exam Ty dictated that she do. Is she really, as what Ty insisted, ready for this?

Her freaking was interrupted with the abrupt stopping of the running water from the bathroom signaling the end of Ty's shower. If she is going to do this, she should get moving. The night is not getting any younger. Will she allow herself to fail by default? The thought Ty's snickering teammates watching her while she is cleaning Ty's locker galvanized her into action.

She rummaged through her backpack and looked for the coordinated underwear she brought with her. There is nothing so fancy with this pair but they are comfortable. Comfortable equates to confidence for her. Exams, just like any fight, are 70-percent mental, 20-percent technique and 10-percent luck. For this, she can't do anything about the technique part, but she could increase her mental and luck aspects.

Still going for the mental boost, she also decided to take a shower to condition and relax herself. In her experiences, taking an exam while being tensed leads to low scores. She really took her time and lose herself in the shower. She almost scrubbed herself raw before she was able to calm down enough to finally face Ty.

Armed in just a comfortable loose polo shirt reaching up to her mid-thigh and the very comfortable underwears underneath it, Dominique tried Ty's door and found it unlocked. She caught the guy in the act of tying his drawstring pants together. It seems that his most favorite attire is being topless and just in a comfortable looking pants.

Her automatic reflex was to look away from his uncovered chest but she stopped herself. 'For Pete's sake, Dominica! You can't go through this with your eyes close all the time, can you? Quit being a sissy and just look.' With that pep talk, she looked directly into his eyes. In there, she found a hint of both amusement and challenge. Complete with his one-eyebrow raised.

Tilting her head in an angle that is slightly cocky, she stepped into the room and greeted him, maintaining eye contact. "Hi."

"Hi yourself." He grinned that grin that she believes is uniquely Ty. Even if she ransacked her brain, she is sure that she wouldn't be able to identify anyone else, whether male or female, that would have a similar grin.

"Is it okay if I am here?," she asked politely.

"Of course," he replied immediately. "Make yourself at home."

He gestured for her to sit on the bed and she did. She spent some time observing him fix up the room while she's gathering her courage. Ty kept on glancing at her from time to time with a smile on his face. She can almost guess the root of his amusement. The guy must be enjoying her uneasiness and must be making a silent bet to himself whether she would initiate the activity of the night or not.

"Do you need help?," he teasingly asked after a while. He was shoving several of his things inside the closet.

She heaved a sigh. Swallowing some of her pride, she gave in. "Can you show me, at least, where to start?," she timidly asked.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he replied. This time he finally closed the closet and then faced her. She was sitting on the bed, in front of the closet, and therefore, also in front of his standing form. She is looking up at him from her spot, 3 feet from him.