Outside the exam hall they found a bench just under the sun spilling through the trees overhead, casting soft shadows over the concrete.
Emily dropped down first, exhaling as if she'd been holding her breath since the first question.
Luca flopped beside her, legs stretched out, head tilted back toward the sky. "I feel like I just ran a marathon with a pen."
George chuckled and leaned against the bench arm, sipping water from his bottle. "You looked like you were going to pass out mid-sentence."
Luca groaned. "She was breathing down my neck, George. I swear I saw her soul leave her body and float above me."
Emily smirked, picking at the strap of her bag. "Kessler does that. She gives 'villain origin story' every semester."
A few students passed them, laughing loudly, their voices echoing across the campus. The tension of exams was slowly cracking, letting in light again.
Emily glanced around, then squinted toward the building next door. "Noel's not out yet?"
