The final day of exams had finally arrived. The school grounds were quieter than usual, students scattered around campus flipping through notes and whispering last-minute facts to themselves. For Zen, Marinette, Anya, and Tim, the only thing left was Biology—a 45-minute paper that most were feeling confident about.
The four of them had taken shelter under a wide tree near the exam hall. Books lay open on the stone bench, though no one was really reading anymore. The stress of exam week had mostly faded, and the comfort of familiar company made it easier to drift off into lighter conversations.
Zen stretched his arms behind his head and turned to Marinette.
Zen: "Yooo, what did you mean by you're asexual the other time? I think my brain was buffering when you said it."
Marinette blinked, about to answer, when Anya leaned forward and cut in with a casual shrug.
Anya: "That means if she ever gets a boyfriend or husband, she's not interested in the baby-making process."
Zen looked between the two, eyebrows raised in surprise.
Zen: "Ohh… Gotcha. I think I understand now."
Marinette gave Anya a sidelong look—part amused, part frustrated—but didn't press the topic. Instead, Zen smoothly transitioned to a lighter subject.
Zen: "Anyway… what are y'all gonna do for prom? You going with anyone?"
Marinette shrugged.
Marinette: "We honestly don't know. Might just go solo or with friends. What about you? Got someone in mind?"
Zen smiled mischievously.
Zen: "That's a secret… only I'll know… not even Tim knows."
Tim, who had been glancing at his notes, perked up.
Tim: "Wait, what? Come on bro, I'm your day one—you gotta spill!"
Zen (smirking): "You'll find out eventually. She's on campus, though."
Tim: "Okay, okay… is she in our grade?"
Zen: "Yep."
Tim: "Is she in our class?"
Zen: "Nope. But since I trust y'all… I'll tell you. Not a word to anyone—not even her best friend."
He leaned in slightly and dropped the name with a grin.
Zen: "It's Jasmine."
Tim blinked in surprise. Marinette let out a small, surprised laugh.
Marinette: "So you're telling me that if no one else pops up, you'll take Jasmine to prom?"
Zen: "Exactly. I've thought about it for a while. But remember—this stays between us."
Tim gave a playful salute. Marinette zipped her lips. Anya nodded and gave a small smile.
The conversation moved on to food, memes, and funny teacher moments until the bell rang. It was time.
Students filed into the exam hall. Zen was unusually calm—this was the last stretch, and he knew he had prepared well.
Just two minutes before the paper began, Jude quickly made his way over to Zen, speaking in a low voice.
Jude (anxious): "Yo… I saw a cheat sheet in someone's bag. I think it was Rachel's. I'm not sure, but it looked like one."
Zen looked at him, surprised.
Zen: "You want me to tell Mrs. Carly?"
Jude: "Yeah. I feel like someone should."
Zen: "Alright. I'll do it after the paper."
The exam went by without a hitch. Zen breezed through the questions, confident in his answers. When it ended, a quiet sense of relief settled over the room—exams were over.
After packing up his things, Zen made his way to Mrs. Carly, who was still organizing papers at her desk.
Zen (softly): "Miss, someone said they saw a cheat sheet in Rachel's bag earlier. I'm just passing on what I heard."
Mrs. Carly gave a tired sigh and glanced briefly at the names on her attendance sheet.
Mrs. Carly: "Thanks for letting me know, Zen. But it's the end of the day now—we'll keep an eye out next term."
Zen nodded and left the classroom, his thoughts swirling. He'd done what he thought was right… but had he gone too far? Should he have waited or stayed silent?
The walk home was quiet. Trees swayed gently in the wind, and the sun painted long shadows across the pavement. Zen replayed the conversation about prom in his mind, unsure whether he had revealed too much about his feelings… or maybe, for the first time, just enough.
Either way, the exam season had ended—not just in papers and grades, but in the quiet unveiling of new hopes and questions still to be answered.