Exams had started and Kainene was half-crazed with exam stress. She had done two of her modules and she thought they had gone reasonably okay. However, her last two papers were on the same day which was the next day. She had never had two papers on the same day so she was understandably going mental.
At the moment, she was pulling an all-nighter in the basement of the French building on Woodland Road. She had not been there for the past two days as she had spent those days in the 24 hour computer room, but now it was incredibly full with everyone trying for last minute cramming so she had moved back to her favourite study room.
She chugged down her Red bull and noticed, with a wry smile on her face, the four cans lined up on her table. And to think first year did not count -- what was she going to do during her second year exams?
She paused the song she was listening to on her IPod and took out her headphones. She stood up to stretch and jumped with a little squeak as she heard the door above her open.
It was two a.m. and she suddenly realised she was the only person in a building at such a late hour. What was she going to use to defend herself against any mad rapist?
It did not occur to her, in her fright, to wonder why a rapist would know the code to the basement.
She heard footsteps as the person walked downstairs and her eyes widened as the main door to the room opened.
'Oh my God, thank God it's you.' Kainene gasped as she held a hand to her rapidly beating heart.
Rufus looked at her slightly puzzled. He had not expected her to be so relieved to see him.
'Oh, I didn't think you'd be so happy to see me.' He said.
Kainene shook her head as she fell back down unto her seat, 'Better you than a rapist, innit?'
Rufus smiled at that, then he saw that her smile was fading and her eyes going cautious. 'Erm, how's studies going?'
Kainene replied with a, 'And how did you know I was down here anyway?'
Rufus looked surprised at the reply to his question, 'Oh, err Viola told me.'
Right. She was going to slaughter Viola the moment she laid her eyes on her.
As she studied him, she realised that he looked incredibly tired. And stunning. His eyes had dark shadows under it, and his hair looked like he had almost pulled them out of their roots. But he still looked smouldering. His jumper hugged his broad shoulders and his jeans hung on his lean hips. She suddenly remembered how she had looked when she left her room for the basement, and on recalling how shabbily she had dressed, she groaned inwardly. She was definitely worse looking than then, she was sure. Her jumper hung down one skinny shoulder and her clavicle looked very pronounced. Oh God and her tattered jeans had been held together by a dead belt which did not really stop it from nearly falling off her skinny hips. And her hair! It had not been near a brush in days and looked like a snarling monster.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
'Right. Okay, well...how have exams been going for you then?' Kainene asked, trying to tame her hair, but to no avail.
Rufus shrugged, 'Well, alright I guess. It's finished now anyway. I finished mine today.'
Kainene smiled, 'Well guess you economists are lucky, innit. I finish tomorrow and I've got two exams as well.'
Rufus smiled sympathetically, 'That sucks.'
'I know.'
Both of them stared at each other awkwardly.
'Well, I've got to go back to studying now so...' Kainene said, pointing to her books rather stupidly.
Rufus nodded quickly. 'Yeah sure. Definitely. I understand. I'll just let you go now, then.'
Kainene nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat as he turned and closed the door behind him.
She turned and sat down with a sad sigh, then her heart rate sped back up as she heard a hurried clatter of footsteps as he ran back down and dragged the door open.
Rufus stared at her with his eyes wide and his hair grabbed in his hands, 'I'm not gonna let you go now actually. I mean, I came here to talk to you, and I can't just leave without doing so.'
Kainene just stared at him, her eyes widened as well.
He continued, 'I should never have ended stuff like that. I was being such an idiot. I still am an idiot. I mean, I don't care if you've got issues and whatever. Warts and all, I don't think I can be without you. I love you, Kainene Nwodo. I'm in love with you and I've been so miserable without you. My exams weren't good, they were shit. I could not concentrate 'cuz all I could think about was you and how I left you back in your room and I felt like such a....villain for leaving you like that. And I promise I'll make it up to you, I swear. Just forgive me, I beg of you.'
Kainene stared at him as he made his impassioned plea. She did not think her heart could race faster than it was already racing but it seemed her thoughts were wrong.
She said quietly, 'I guess I accept your apology. I mean, you were a bit of a shit to me that night. Not even letting me explain anything. It's like you were on a righteous mission or something. And, yeah I am silly with the whole my life is worse than yours and Minty's and Viola and Lornes, but I'm really trying to work on the whole issue. I mean, I talk how I normally talk and just be myself and don't care what anyone thinks about me anymore. Because this is who I am and I guess I should be comfortable with it no matter where I find myself. And I should definitely thank you for bringing my stupidity to my knowledge so bluntly and painfully but I don't think you had to break up with me to tell me about my faults. I mean, if you were a cow and an idiot I wouldn't have broken up with you to tell you about it. But I guess that's just the way you saw you'd get through to me, and guess what? You did. So thanks.'
