The holidays had finally started, and while most students looked forward to the long break, Monica couldn't help but feel a little empty. Three months. Three whole months without her friends, without Lynx, and without the daily chaos of school. It felt like forever.
At first, she tried to enjoy it—sleeping in, watching shows, scrolling through her phone—but the excitement wore off quickly. Being stuck at home made her feel trapped, and no matter how many things she tried to do, boredom always crept back in. Worse than boredom, though, was the anxious feeling in her chest.
The thought of next semester haunted her. What if she didn't get into the same class as her friends? What if she and Lynx were separated? What if everything changed?
Monica had two goals—either Alpha, the science stream class, or Betha, the STEM class. She had dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was a kid, so getting into Alpha was her biggest hope. But Betha wasn't bad either—it was still academically strong, just a step below Alpha.
Their school had ten classes, each with its own focus:
Alpha – Science Stream
Betha – STEM
Gamma – Sports Science
Pluto – Home Economics
Delta – Digital Graphics
Omega – Business Studies
Alma – Literature
Lotus – Music/Arts
Sigma – Art
Plasma – Art
Finally, the class placements were announced. Monica's heart pounded as she checked her name. Betha.
She exhaled. It wasn't Alpha, but at least it was her second choice. And at least Chelz was in the same class as her. But the relief didn't last long.
Nana got placed in Delta. Dan was in Pluto. And Lynx? Lynx got into Omega.
Monica stared at the list for a while, trying to process it. She had hoped they could stay together, but now they were all scattered. Of course, she still had Chelz—but aside from him, the only other familiar face was a guy from last year's class, someone she barely talked to.
Still, as she scanned the list again, she realized that most of the names looked familiar. Even if she hadn't spoken to many of them in years, they at least knew each other. So, maybe it would be fine.
Her eyes landed on one particular name—Bona. They still talked from time to time, but things were never the same as before. Back in primary school, Monica once thought they were close, but as they grew older, their friendship faded into something more distant.
Would it be awkward? Would they even get along in the same class again?
Monica sighed, staring at her new class list. She just hoped everything would turn out okay.