The next few days were busy.
School in the morning.
Classes.
Assignments.
Evening study sessions.
Nick didn't text a lot during the day anymore.
Sometimes there was only one message.
Nick: Surviving?
Or
Nick: Eat something.
It was simple.
But it made her feel less alone in the chaos of board preparation.
One night, Ariana was stuck again.
She had been solving math problems for almost an hour when she hit another difficult one.
She stared at the page.
Nothing made sense.
Finally she grabbed her phone.
Ariana: Are you awake?
A reply came almost instantly.
Nick: Unfortunately yes.
She laughed quietly.
Ariana: I need help.
Nick: Math again?
Ariana: Obviously.
She sent a picture of the question.
There was a short pause.
Then—
Nick: That one is annoying.
Ariana: yes
Nick: But it's not impossible.
She waited while he typed.
Then a message came explaining the first step.
She tried it.
It still didn't work.
Ariana: Wrong.
Nick: No.
Ariana: Yes.
Nick: Check your differentiation again.
She checked.
Silence.
"Oh."
She had made another small mistake.
Ariana: Okay fine.
Nick: You panic too fast.
Ariana: I do not.
Nick: You do.
She leaned back in her chair.
Her room was quiet except for the sound of the fan.
Ariana: Why are you still awake?
Pause.
Nick: Because I also have this chapter tomorrow.
She laughed.
Ariana: So we're suffering together.
Nick: Exactly.
For the next twenty minutes they worked on the same problem.
Finally the answer matched.
Ariana dropped her pen dramatically.
Ariana: Finally.
Nick: See.
She stretched her arms.
Her brain felt tired, but in a good way.
Ariana: Thanks.
Pause.
Then—
Nick: Anytime.
She looked at the solved page in her notebook.
Board year was going to be difficult.
But somehow it felt easier when someone else was solving the same problems at the same time.
Before sleeping she typed one more message.
Ariana: Don't disappear during exams.
The reply came quickly.
Nick: I won't.
And for some reason, that simple promise made her sleep faster that night.