151
Lucy
A few weeks passed, and before I realized it, it was time to go take the GED exam. We were taking it at a separate testing center, and Duke had agreed to have the Blood Moon escort pick us up on campus and drive there together. I thought we’d have more to say on the ride there, but it seemed like we just wanted the support.
As we walked into the testing center, anticipation filled the air. Duke, Amy, Michelle, Sarah, and I were all here to take our GED exams, and we couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"We've got this," Duke said, flashing us a reassuring smile. "Just take a deep breath and do your best."
Amy nodded, her hands fidgeting slightly. "I know, but I can't help feeling a bit jittery."
Michelle chimed in, "Don't worry, Amy. We've been studying hard. Everyone will do fine."
Sarah added with a determined nod, "Exactly. We're in this together, and we're going to ace this test and be official college student! Think of it. College parties. College boys."
Amy shook her head. “Is that all you think about?”
Sarah stuck out her tongue. We checked in at the front desk. With a brief nod we separated to find our way to our assigned seats and began the exam. Time seemed to fly by as I focused on answering the questions. I wasn’t entirely sure about all of my answers, but I didn’t feel like I wasn’t prepared to take the exam.
As I answered the last question, I checked the clock. I had just enough time to check my answers again before the bell rang, signaling the end of the test. I turned my test in and took my testing receipt with me. The proctor was already separating the tests into separate piles for grading as I walked down the hallway. Sarah came running down the hallway.
“We’re free!”
She launched herself at me. I stumbled, but I caught her and squeezed her as Amy and Michelle came down the hall to join in the hug.
"We did it!" Amy exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Arms wrapped around me and squeezed. I smelled Duke’s cologne.
“Since we’re group hugging.” He laughed. "Congratulations, everyone!"
Michelle grinned, "We worked hard for this. I'm proud of us."
Sarah added, "Yeah, we did great! Now let's just hope for the best results."
I couldn't agree more. A feeling of relief washed over me. It had been a challenging few weeks, juggling magical classes, combat training, and GED preparations. Now, with the exams behind us, we were looking forward to a well-deserved break. It was the end of the semester now.
As we left the testing center and strolled down the street to the park nearby, we talked about the questions. It turned out that we all had a different version of the test and no one had the same questions, but we worked through the ones we could remember.
“Oh, I knew I should have gone with B!” Sarah groaned.
“It was just one question,” Amy said, patting her shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“How long before we get our results?”
“They said they’d have them scored by the end of the day,” Duke said.
“No matter what happens, let's celebrate tonight!" Sarah suggested. "Dinner at the best pizza place in town?"
Amy chimed in, "Count me in! I could use some pizza to celebrate."
"Sounds like a plan," Duke said, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “We’ll make Lucy order since she’s been there.”
“Oh? Did you and David go on a date there?”
I scowled at her. “It wasn’t a date.”
“But you did go with David?” Sarah pressed, nudging me. “Alone? For dinner? There was food and conversation?”
My face started to burn. “It wasn’t a date!”
They laughed. Something pricked at the back of my mind. I scanned the area until I saw a woman in the distance. She stood out in the crowd with her sharp, professional attire and dark hair that cascaded down her shoulders. What caught my attention the most was her intense gaze, fixed on me.
I nudged Duke, quietly drawing his attention to the woman without making it too obvious. "Hey, Duke, do you see that woman over there? She's been looking at us for a while. Do you recognize her?"
Duke turned to glance discreetly at the woman, nodding in acknowledgment. "Yeah, I noticed her a while back. I don’t know her…”
I swallowed. “Do you think they have something to do with her?”
Duke winced. “With our collective luck? She’s an ex and a crazy witch.”
I snickered.
Sarah and Michelle overheard our hushed conversation and exchanged curious glances.
"What's going on?" Amy asked, her eyes darting between us. “What’s so funny?”
I shook my head. “We were just talking about that woman over there.”
Sarah glanced over. “You know her?”
"No," I replied, trying to keep my voice composed. "I've never seen her before, but she’s been staring at us, watching us. Maybe… just watching me.”
Michelle stepped back. “Let’s keep walking. Maybe we’ll shake her.”
As we continued walking, I couldn't shake the feeling that this woman knew me, but there was only a few way she would know me. She looked at least six or seven years older than me, if not older. She seemed focused on me, her eyes never leaving my face, and it was making me uneasy.
"I think we should be cautious," Duke suggested, his protective instincts kicking in. "Let's head to a crowded place, just to be safe."
I agreed, and we steered our group into a bustling café nearby. The scent of coffee and pastries filled the air, providing a sense of comfort amidst my growing unease. The woman with the sharp suit was still observing us from a distance, but now we were surrounded by other people, which provided some reassurance.
"I don't like this," Michelle whispered, her eyes darting towards the woman outside. "She's giving me weird vibes."
"It could just be a coincidence," Sarah offered, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
Amy wasn't convinced. "I've got a bad feeling about her too. Maybe we should leave and head back to the testing building to wait?"
As much as I wanted to dismiss the strange encounter, I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. "You're right," I said, glancing at Duke and the others. "Let's finish our snacks and head back. It's better to be safe."
We stayed in the café a little longer, trying to shake off the unease and enjoy our time together. But every now and then, I couldn't help but feel the woman's gaze burning into me. She remained near enough to be seen and to see, but she made no move to come closer.
Once we finished, we made our way back to the testing building, staying vigilant and keeping an eye out for any unusual activity. The woman was gone when we arrived, but the encounter left me with an unsettling feeling.
A few hours later, we’d fallen into quiet, waiting around for our results. When we all got the notification to say that the results were ready, we headed back to the building and joined the long line of students waiting to get their results.
“Don’t open them until we all get ours,” Amy said nervously.
“Chill,” Duke said, shaking his head. “Of all of us, I’m pretty sure Ms. Type-Writer note taker will pass.”
We laughed as we got closer to the front of the line. Duke got his first. Then, Amy. I got mine, then Sarah and Michelle. I wanted to look, but we headed outside in front of the building away from the other students.
“No matter what happens we’re celebrating,” Sarah said.
My eyes scanned the paper, and a mix of emotions washed over me. Relief flooded me as I saw the grade written at the top. I’d passed. I looked at everyone else, grinning at the way they started to grin too.
"I did it!" Sarah exclaimed, unable to contain her joy. "I actually did it!"
Duke grinned, pulling me into a tight embrace. "We’re official college students. Feel fancy yet?”
I laughed. “Not yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.”
Sarah, Michelle, and Amy joined in the celebration, cheering and clapping for us all passing the exam. In that moment, the weight of uncertainty and doubt lifted. I was moving forward.
“Thanks,” I said, looking up at Duke. “For everything.”
He grinned. “You too.”
“You all, too,” I said looking at Sarah, Michelle, and Amy. "I couldn't have done it without all of you. Thank you for always being there for me and for lifting me up when I needed it the most."
“You’re basically our sister.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “What else are we supposed to do? We should celebrate!”
“Where’s David?”
“You rang?”
We turned around and saw him leaning against a Blood Moon escort SUV with a grin.
“David!”
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