Complications with Exams

After going over her exam one last time to double-check her answers, Sage is satisfied with everything and decides to turn it in. She slings her backpack over a shoulder, grabs her coat from the seat and skips down the steps, careful not to disturb the other students. Her professor for the Landscape Design Fundamentals course glances up from his seat and smiles warmly at her as he takes the papers. "How was it?" he questions.

"Not as bad as I expected," the girl supplies truthfully. It could have been harder, but she's glad it wasn't. His study guide had helped tremendously.

"That's good to hear," the man says as he flips through her test. "It was a pleasure having you in my class this semester, Ms Chan. I hope you have a good winter break. You deserve it."

Out in the hallway, Sage slips into her coat and then heads out towards the library. The frigid, winter wind whips against her exposed skin and forces her to pick up her pace. Unfortunately, she forgot her hat and scarf this morning and now she's paying the price for rushing. Once she enters the library, however, the heat swallows her whole. With each step she ascends, Sage's body begins to buzz with excitement. The sensation is something foreign to her, but she does not think much of it.

She reaches the third floor and scans the area. She catches sight of a familiar head full of dirty blonde locks occupying their usual table and, ever so casually, she strolls over and plops her bag down in the chair across from his. "Is it okay if I sit in this seat?" she questions even though she already knows his answer is going to be yes.

At the sound of her voice, Jack freezes and stops what he's doing. His heart thumps out of rhythm again as he inhales a cavernous breath and looks up at her. She's staring at him with those gorgeous hazel brown eyes of hers and it takes him a moment to respond with a nod. "I thought your exam was supposed to end at eleven," he says once his senses return. He wasn't expecting her until then.

"I finished early," Sage replies offhandedly as she removes her coat and settles in. "What time was your exam again?"

"One." Jack sighs as he recalls the dreaded event. He may understand the material well right now, but whenever it comes down to the actual exams, he tends to blank out and somehow forget everything. He's never discussed the ordeal with anyone before because he has always managed to pull through by himself and this time is no different. Perhaps if he really focuses and tries his best, he'll be able to pass the class with flying colors instead of just barely making the cut.

"Are you unprepared?" the girl assumes once she notices his ghostly complexion. He doesn't look all that confident in himself and anyone can see that.

Her words cause Jack to break away from his train of thoughts. "What?" He looks at her with his brows now puckered.

"Your expression," she explains briefly. "It doesn't look so good."

"Was my expression that grave?" A smile drapes over his lips when he realizes that she may be worried about him.

Sage doesn't answer his question directly, but pulls out her phone and aims the camera at him instead. "Shall I take a photo and show you?" She's dead serious and Jack can't help but laugh out loud as he looks at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Confused as to why he's laughing all of a sudden, Sage lowers the device and stares at the young man with her lips pursed and head tilted at a slight angle. Did she miss something? She glances around but doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary. After, her eyes resettle on him. "Why are you laughing?"

"It's just funny," says Jack once he manages to calm down a bit. If anyone else had said the same thing to him, he would have assumed that they just wanted a picture of him for keepsakes. However, with Sage he can tell it's a different story. She doesn't have an ulterior motive and genuinely wants to show him his expression. But, even if she does have a hidden agenda, Jack wouldn't mind.

"What is?" Sage inquires, still very much lost. She doesn't have a single clue as to what he finds so amusing and she would be lying if she says she's not curious.

"You," he replies before a gentle smile greets her. Sage thinks about her actions but doesn't recall doing anything even remotely funny. "It's not that I'm unprepared. It's just when it comes to taking exams, I always get nervous and I'm not sure why. It's actually been this way since the start of high school." Jack pauses as soon as he completes his statement, his mind in disarray. Why did he tell her that? He swallows the lump forming in his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing up and then down, as he averts his gaze from the girl.

"Test anxiety," Sage utters upon recognition. The place starts feeling stuffy and Jack tugs at the collar of his shirt, his gaze still directed elsewhere. She must see him as a joke right now. A man his age having issues with taking tests? Hell, it sounds ridiculous even to him! "It's not strange, you know," she continues knowingly, "A lot of people suffer from it. It's nothing to be flustered over. I had the same problem in middle school." Jack's body noticeably relaxes and he gains the confidence to meet her eyes. She isn't wearing a taunting countenance, just a rather placid and comprehensive one.

"Really?" he manages to get out. "You're not saying that to make me feel better again, are you?" Can you blame him for being suspicious after his totally lame remark about her name being an herb?

"No," Sage denies with a firm shake of the head. "Studies have shown that nearly twenty percent of students experience test anxiety. Although, it is a bit peculiar yours started in high school. Then again, the transition from middle school to high school can be stressful for some people."

Now that he's heard her say that, Jack feels at ease. It's nice knowing that he isn't the only one having a tough time. "How did you manage to overcome it?" he questions as he props an elbow up onto the table and rests his chin in the palm of his hand. "You don't seem to be nervous about exams at all."

"I still get nervous like everyone else," she admits, leaning a little closer to him from across the way. "But instead of panicking and letting it get the best of me, I always take three deep breaths to calm myself down before I do anything. If I studied diligently, there's no reason for me to fail. I know the material. I just have to remind myself that whenever I start feeling anxious again."

Her remedy seems too simple, too ordinary, and he wonders if there's anything else that might help her. "Is that it?" he wonders. Surely, there must be more.

Sage coughs, withdraws and sits tall in her seat. How did he know? Next, she scratches her earlobe and quietly says, "I might also use the same lead pencil every time." Sage has never been a superstitious person but sometimes it's reassuring to have a safety blanket with you. Even if you're technically an adult now and that safety blanket comes in the form of a writing instrument you've had for the past decade.

She then waits for Jack to tease her, like Morgan usually does, but he doesn't. Instead, he surprises her. "Do you think I can, I don't know, use that pencil for my exam today?" His cheeks start burning up as he places his hands onto his lap to hide the fact that they're trembling. "I mean, since it's worked for you all of these years, maybe it will work for me too." It's the first time someone's ever asked of such a thing from Sage and she bites back a smile.

Jack is no longer looking at her and she reaches into her backpack. She shouldn't be stingy. Sharing is caring, and she couldn't have the guy fail an exam. They are, after all, friends now. "Sure, if you don't mind the bunny," she replies as she sets a cute, worn down, lavender mechanical pencil in front of him. Jack glances down at it and finds the corners of his lips curling upwards as he carefully reaches out for it, his fingers brushing against the white rabbit at the top. The pencil doesn't quite match Sage with her mature personality and everything but, at the same time, it reminds Jack that she's a girl too.

"It's adorable," he confesses.

"It was a present," she returns.

"I'll make sure to take good care of it then," Jack assures and locks eyes with her. "Thank you for lending me something so precious to you. I promise I won't let anything happen to it."

Sage's heart stutters as she gets further immersed in his stormy gray eyes. For some people, it may be only a pencil. Monetary wise it isn't worth much. However, it is apparent that Jack is well aware that, sentimentally speaking, this one pencil is practically priceless to her and she's deeply touched. "Just remember, three deep breaths," she advises, holding the same number of digits up to emphasize her point. "It also helps to look over the entire test before you do anything. One section can help you with another."

Playfully, he salutes her. "Aye aye, captain," he sings, his mouth molded into a boyish grin. Again, Sage feels a fuzzy feeling blossom inside of her stomach. Heat rises to her cheeks and she quickly flips open her notebook in order to distract herself. Has Jack always been this handsome? Wait, what is she thinking? Of course he has been! The young man, on the other hand, still has his sights set on her, that grin of his never faltering.

* * *

In the lecture hall Jack manages to find Blake, who is located all the way to the left of the room. If it hadn't been for his flailing arms, Jack wouldn't have been able to spot him so easily. Being polite, he then excuses himself through the people who are already seated and reaches his friend without tripping over anyone. "Are you ready for this?" Blake asks as they retrieve the materials they need, which includes either a pen or a pencil and nothing else.

"I think so," Jack says as he puts the bunny mechanical pencil down so that he can unzip his jacket.

Blake notices it and is intrigued. It definitely doesn't belong to Jack. It's the first time he's seen him with it. "Did you forget all of your pencils or something? Where'd you get that from?"

Jack picks the pencil up and chuckles softly. "It's my borrowed good luck charm," he answers.

"Your borrowed good luck charm?" Blake repeats, baffled. "What does that mean?"

Before Jack can supply him with any more details, their professor waltzes in with the exams in hand. The chatter decreases thanks to her arrival and their conversation is ultimately cut short. Once the woman prompts them with the instructions, she distributes the tests and tells them to do their best. Jack grabs the pile from the girl next to him, takes one and passes it on to Blake. Sage's words echo in his mind and he takes in three deep breaths.

This is the last exam he has scheduled. Thanks to the girl's advice, he was able to get through his other finals without too much of a problem and he's hoping this one will be the same. As he's flipping through the pages, Jack grows more confident and starts to answer the problems. He gets stumped on a few, which are rather tricky when compared to the rest. Fortunately, he isn't shaken and simply skips over them. He'll come back to those later.

An hour flies by and Jack has filled in exactly a hundred bubbles. Since he still has plenty of time left, he decides there will be no harm in reviewing his answers. It's always good to double-check, especially if there's still time remaining. Content with his responses, Jack proceeds to gather his belongings. When he looks around, he is shocked to discover that the place is almost barren. It seems like a majority of the class has already finished their exams, Blake included. After he turns his exam in to the professor, he pulls out his phone and makes his way out. The line rings four times before his call his answered.

"I just finished my last exam," he reports, his shoulders feeling light and weightless.

"How do you think you did?" his mother questions.

"Pretty good," Jack answers as his lungs vacuum in the frigid December air. "I won't be home for dinner though. I'm going to grab a celebratory meal with a friend. We both had our last final today."

"A friend?" Sharon's voice perks up. "Is this friend, perhaps, a girl?"

He should have seen this coming. The boy immediately shakes his head but there's a small smile adorning his face. "See you later, mom." Not wanting to be bombarded with questions at the moment, Jack hangs up and goes to his messages. There's a new one from Sage informing him she'd be in the Student Center since the library was closing early today and Jack heads to the commuters' parking lot to fetch his car. It's only six in the evening but because of Daylight Saving Time, it's nearly pitch black out already. Making sure that the vehicle is all warmed up, Jack changes the gear to drive and departs for the Student Center.

When he's outside of the building, he rings Sage. She doesn't pick up yet and Jack seizes this chance to clear his throat. It's been two and a half weeks since they've officially upgraded from strangers to friends yet he can't help but get nervous whenever it comes to her. There are still several things he wants to know about the girl but it is not an easy task. Sage hasn't really opened up about her personal life to him and Jack doesn't want to pry by asking too many questions either.

Sure, he might know a little about her and her family because of his mother but it's not the same thing. He wants Sage to feel comfortable enough to talk to him about that kind of stuff on her own accord. So far, however, waiting has not done much for him. Hopefully tonight they'll be able to take a step in the right direction because that's what he wants. "Hello?" Sage answers on the other end of the line.

"I'm outside," announces Jack. "Are you ready?"

He can hear paper shuffling and the legs of a chair scraping against the floor. "Oh yeah," Sage says. "I'll be out in a minute."

"No worries," he tells her. "Take your time." While he drums his fingers against the steering wheel, waiting patiently for her arrival, Jack spots the girl scurrying out of the front doors, a binder clutched to her chest. A strong gust of wind suddenly passes by and he watches as Sage fights against the current, her hair dancing up in the air. He laughs under his breath when she blindly searches for the handle and he quickly reaches over and opens the door for her. Cold air rushes in, giving him goosebumps, before Sage scurries in and slams the door shut.

"You didn't have to drive up here," she says, slightly out of breath. She sets her binder down onto her lap and fixes her disheveled hair. It's become a bit tangled but she manages to get rid of the knots. "I could have met you down at the lot."

"It's freezing," he remarks. "You would have gotten frostbite."

"Not today," Sage retorts as she reaches into her pockets. "I remembered to bring my gloves." She waves the accessories in the air but freezes, her nose twitching, before she lets out a quiet sneeze.

Jack shakes his head and turns the heat up a little more. "You might have been safe from the cold, but the wind would have definitely blown you away," he teases as he bites back a grin and thinks about her struggle to reach the car.

Sage pulls the seatbelt over her body, buckles up and crinkles her nose. "I'd beg to differ. At the very most it would have just slowed me down," she argues.

After he hits his blinker and pulls away from the curb, Jack clears his throat. "Why aren't you asking me how my exam went?" Without realizing it, he licks his lips and waits for her response. He doesn't know if he should give himself a pat on the back or a slap to the face for that one. Perhaps he should have talked to her about break instead. Why did he even mention his exam in the first place?

"I don't need to," Sage says as she flicks her hand dismissively. "I'm sure you did fine. You did have my lucky pencil after all." The girl then feels vibrations coming from her pocket. She reaches in to fetch her phone only to discover that it's Tabby who's calling her. There's no doubt her friend is going to pressure her into going to another party and to spare herself from having to listen what an antisocial worm she is, Sage doesn't bother picking up. It's not like her answer is going to change. 

"That's true," hums Jack, grabbing Sage's attention. "Here you go. Thanks again for lending it to me." He plucks the mechanical pencil from the cup-holder situated between them and once Sage takes it, both of his hands return to the steering wheel. "In order to express my appreciation, I've decided to treat you to dinner tonight. Think of it as a celebratory thing if you'd like."

His suggestion catches her completely off guard and she looks at him with bewilderment written all over her features. "You don't have to," she insists. It's been sort a tradition of hers to pass out underneath her covers as soon as she finishes her exams to make up for all of the sleepless nights she'd experience during the semester. And to be honest, she's been looking forward to it.

"But I must," he replies, a grin painted over his lips. "Like you said, nothing in the world is free." Those familiar words echo in Sage's mind and she suddenly recalls their first encounter out in the pouring rain. He's never going to let her live that one down, is he?

- - -

Author's Note: I'm so so so sorry it's been a while. I hope you're all still here <3 I honestly thought Jack and Sage were sooo cute in this chapter. You can definitely see them getting closer to each other! It's the little things; I'm telling you. What do you guys think so far?