The alarm on my phone dragged me from sleep, but my body refused to cooperate.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling, wishing it would just shut off on its own.
Math was third period, and I hadn't studied a single thing. Just thinking about it made my stomach twist.
Before I could wallow any longer, a sharp voice cut through the silence.
"Yuki! Get up already!"
I glanced toward the door. Mom was standing there, hands on her hips, frowning like I'd committed some unforgivable crime. Panic shot through me, and I scrambled out of bed.
"I'll start getting ready!" I shouted, trying to sound obedient.
Her voice followed me like a whip:
"Why does it take so long for you to do anything? Didn't I tell you to stop slacking, Yuki?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going!" I muttered, grabbing my uniform and rushing to the kitchen.
Breakfast was a simple bowl of rice. I barely had time to swallow a few bites before realizing I'd already wasted precious minutes. I bolted back upstairs, fumbling to brush my teeth and fix my hair. My black spikes stubbornly resisted my comb, and I cursed under my breath as I tightened my suit buttons and adjusted my accessories. Three chains hung around my neck, one on my pants, and two rings adorned my right hand. I wasn't exactly a fashion icon, but it was my style.
Shoes on, bag slung over my shoulder, I dashed for the door.
Mom called after me: "Have fun at schoo—ow! He's gone!"
The streets blurred past as I sprinted the kilometer to school. Five minutes. Five minutes to cover a whole kilometer. Sweat ran down my face, cooling me slightly in the almost-summer heat. I ignored the people waving or nodding, focusing only on the path ahead.
The school bell rang just as I reached the gates.
"Made it!" I panted, clutching my chest.
A few friends waved. One asked, "Did you study for the test?"
I shook my head. "Not at all. I'm doomed."
I hurried to class, arriving just before the homeroom teacher. Relief washed over me. At least I was on time.
Sato, ever the chatterbox, bounced toward me.
"Yo, Yuki! How was your weekend?"
"It was good," I replied. "I went over to Yui's house. It was nice to see her parents again."
Sato smirked. "Oh, did you two get all lovey-dovey?"
"Shut up," I said, flushing red. He grinned wider.
The homeroom bell rang, and the teacher called for order.
"Class, quiet down. Time for ethics. Who can read paragraph five on page eighty?"
Keita, a boy in the second row, raised his hand. I tuned out almost immediately, my mind drifting to the math test looming later.
English came next, and my attention wandered again. I tried to focus, but the formulas and grammar rules slipped through my brain like water. Midway through the lecture, I glanced at Sato, who made a ridiculous face at me. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. My attempt to bury my face in my desk failed miserably.
"Yuki! What's so funny?" the teacher barked.
"Nothing," I muttered, my face still hot from laughing. Calm down, I told myself. Focus.
Finally, the dreaded math test arrived. The teacher instructed everyone to clear their desks. I took a deep breath and looked at the first question:
(x½.y¼.x–2.y-1)/(x–½.y-¼)
My mind went blank. Maybe paying attention in class wasn't optional after all. I stole a glance at Sato. His panicked expression mirrored mine. Neither of us had a chance. I finished the test with a sinking feeling I'd earned a 20%. Lunch was my only consolation.
I waved goodbye to Sato and headed to class A2.8 to find Yui. She was chatting with friends, but her eyes lit up when she saw me.
"Hey, Yui. Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you too, Yuki."
I gestured to the roof. "Let's go somewhere quiet."
The warm summer wind hit us as we climbed the stairs. Sitting against the fence, we opened our bentos.
"Do you want to go on a date to the movies?" I asked.
"Yes," she said immediately. Her smile was breathtaking: her blue eyes, black T-shirt, ponytail, everything about her radiated warmth. I leaned in, blushing, for a kiss.
Before our lips met, Sato's voice echoed through the stairwell.
"Lovebirds, huh?"
Karin, Yui's best friend, followed, smirking.
"Don't let us stop you," she said, and we all laughed awkwardly, finishing our lunch together.
Afternoon classes dragged: ethics, English, then back to math, each period feeling longer than the last. I tried to study but couldn't focus.
Finally, the day ended. Walking home was a relief. My legs felt like jelly after all the running. On the street, I noticed a man being led into a police car. Crime reports had been frequent lately, and it made the walk home feel uneasy.
I opened the door, calling out, "I'm home!"
"Was school fun?" my parents asked.
I answered the usual, "No, boring."
Upstairs, I collapsed into bed. The room darkened as sleep approached, but then, blackness flashed in front of my eyes. My body went limp, and I fainted.