Chapter 1 The stress of exam
Monday morning, Alisha’s last exam was tomorrow, so she was preparing seriously for her history exam. Her books, notes, and revision papers were scattered all over the couch as she tried her best to memorize important dates and events. Just as she was concentrating on a chapter about ancient civilizations, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing Chandrika’s name flash on the screen, she groaned in annoyance.
“Ughhh, Chandrika had to disturb me right now! I swear, if she says something meaningless, I will not leave her,” she muttered to herself. She picked up the phone and answered immediately.
“Hello! Don’t say something meaningless or I’ll have to make you into a pulp!” she warned dramatically. On the other end, Chandrika burst into giggles. “Don’t worry! I actually have something important to tell you. I found a library containing a huge number of books, and I was hoping you would come with me to visit it.” Alisha closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “My dear friend, instead of searching for libraries, why don’t you go study? If you fail tomorrow’s exam, you will not be spared, and because I am your best friend, neither will I. So please, go and study!” she replied in a frustrated tone. “Okay, okay, I’ll study,” Chandrika said obediently, “but promise me that after the exam you’ll come with me to the library. Please?” Alisha sighed heavily, already knowing there was no point arguing. “Fine, I’ll come. Now let me study in peace,” she said irritably before ending the call.
She tossed the phone onto the couch beside her and shook her head, trying to push all thoughts of mysterious libraries and Chandrika’s endless excitement out of her mind. Determined not to waste another minute, she returned to her revision and spent the next several hours reading chapter after chapter, testing herself on important facts and making sure she remembered everything she needed for the exam. Time passed so quickly that she barely noticed the afternoon turning into evening. Feeling satisfied that she had completed all her preparation, she finally stood up from the couch, stretched her aching arms, and left her room to freshen up and have dinner. She had barely stepped into the hallway when her phone rang once again. Without even checking the caller ID, she already knew who it was. Sure enough, it was Chandrika. Taking a deep breath, she answered the call. “Helloooow, Alisha! Have you completed your studies?” Chandrika asked cheerfully, sounding just as energetic as she had earlier in the day. Alisha yawned. “Uhm, yes, I’ve finished my studies. What about you?” Chandrika replied proudly, “I revised everything too! And I asked Olivia and Niyati if they wanted to come with us to the library after the exam. They agreed! So, what’s your plan?” Alisha rubbed her eyes and replied, “Tell them that I’m coming too. I already promised you, didn’t I?”
