Early December - Finals Week
If midterms were hell, finals were the ninth circle.
The apartment had transformed into a study bunker. Textbooks covered every surface.
Empty coffee cups formed precarious towers. Maya had learned to tiptoe around us, recognizing the signs of academic-induced insanity.
"You have crazy eyes," she informed me on Monday morning.
"That's because I have a Biology final in four hours and I just realized I never actually learned cellular respiration."
"You definitely learned it. You've been muttering about ATP in your sleep."
"That's not reassuring."
Kai emerged from our bedroom looking equally deranged, hair sticking up at odd angles. "What day is it?"
"Monday," Maya said patiently. "Your CS final is at 2 PM. Aria's Bio is at 10 AM. I have a math test at 9 AM."
"Right. Monday." He poured coffee directly into his mouth. "We can do this."
"Debatable," I muttered.
Emma arrived at 8 AM for our final cramming session. She looked as terrible as I felt.
