The morning of the final exam arrived. The atmosphere in the classroom was heavy with nervousness. Everyone was reviewing their notes one last time, whispering prayers, and biting their nails.
But Rina looked different.
She was paler than usual. Her hands were gripping her pencil case so tight that her knuckles turned white. She kept taking deep breaths, but her chest felt tight.
'I have to do well. I have to be number one. Mom and Dad are waiting. I can't lose to Luna again.'
The pressure was crushing her.
Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her. She looked up and saw Luna leaning casually against her desk, looking fresh, relaxed, and annoyingly perfect as always.
"You look like you're about to pass out," Luna said, looking down at her with a mix of amusement and worry.
"I'm fine," Rina snapped, though her voice shook a little. "Just... stay away. I need to focus."
Luna didn't leave. Instead, she pulled a chair and sat right next to Rina, ignoring the "Do Not Sit Here" vibe Rina was giving off.
"Hey," Luna said softly, lowering her voice so only Rina could hear. "Look at me."
Rina hesitated, then turned her head.
"You are brilliant," Luna said, her eyes serious and intense. "All those nights we studied? You know everything. Stop thinking about the rank, stop thinking about your parents. Just think about the paper. You can do this."
Rina looked into Luna's confident eyes. Somehow, hearing those words made the tightness in her chest loosen just a little bit.
"But..." Rina whispered, "What if I make a mistake? What if I panic?"
Luna smiled. She reached into her own pocket and pulled out a pen. It was a beautiful, high-quality black pen with a sleek design.
"Take this," Luna said, placing it in Rina's trembling hand.
"What? Why?" Rina blinked.
"It's my lucky pen," Luna lied smoothly. Actually, it was just a pen she bought because it looked like the color of Rina's eyes, but shhh. "I used this to get top scores every time. Now I'm lending it to you."
Rina held the pen. It was warm because Luna had been holding it.
"But... then what will you use?" Rina asked, concerned.
Luna chuckled and tapped her own temple. "I got everything up here. Don't worry. Use it, and remember... you're not just competing against me. You're doing this for yourself too, okay?"
Rina looked at the pen, then at Luna. A small, genuine smile appeared on her face.
"Okay," Rina nodded. "Thank you, Luna."
"Good," Luna stood up and ruffled Rina's hair gently. "Now go get your seat. Show me what you got, rival."
Rina walked to her examination desk, holding the pen tightly against her chest. It felt like she was holding a piece of courage.
The exam started. Two hours of intense writing.
At first, Rina was nervous, but every time she felt stuck, she looked down at the black pen in her hand. She remembered Luna's voice: You are brilliant.
She started writing. Her handwriting was neat, her answers were clear. She was in the zone.
Luna, sitting a few rows away, wasn't even looking at her own paper half the time. She was watching Rina.
'Look at her go,' Luna thought proudly, a soft smile on her face. 'So focused. So beautiful. God, I'm so whipped.'
Luna finished her own paper quickly, of course. She could get full marks with her eyes closed. But she took her time, double-checking everything, just because she wanted to stay in the same room as Rina for as long as possible.
When the bell rang, signaling the end, everyone groaned and stretched.
Rina put down the pen and let out a huge breath. She felt... light. She didn't know if she got everything right, but she knew she did her best.
She looked across the room and met Luna's gaze. Luna gave her a thumbs up and a wink. Rina blushed and looked away quickly, but her heart was warm.
After class, Rina walked up to Luna. She held out the pen.
"Here," Rina said. "Your lucky pen. It... it actually helped me calm down."
Luna looked at the pen, then at Rina. She didn't take it immediately.
"Keep it," Luna said.
Rina widened her eyes. "Huh? But it's your lucky pen.. "
"Now it's yours," Luna grinned, shoving it gently back into Rina's hands. "Consider it... a prize for being such a hard worker. Or a bribe so you can challenge me again next year."
Rina held the pen, feeling her cheeks heat up. "You are so weird... but thank you."
She clutched the pen tightly. She decided she was going to keep it forever.
"So," Luna leaned in closer, whispering playfully. "Think you beat me this time?"
Rina smirked, suddenly feeling confident. "Maybe. You better watch your back, Luna."
"I'm counting on it," Luna laughed, her eyes full of affection.
To be continued in chapter 5>>>>( ⭑•̀ᴗ•́ )✧