I finally brought myself to ask this question:
“Was I in my right senses in the morning, or did the rainfall wash away my senses?”
It's crazy now, to think that yesterday, an absurd excuse would have cost me months of preparation.
I asked further.
“You weren't planning to forfeit a professional exam over a cup of hot tea and a warm blanket, were you?”
I should whip myself so hard if that's possible now. Here's what happened. Yesterday happened to be one of the most remarkable days in my academic career. Don't get it twisted. Other days are great, too, but yesterday was a milestone. It belled the reality that I would be taking my first professional exam ever! One that would earn me my license as an educationist.
Great, right? So I concluded, as I stuffed my bags with my books and snacks for a TDB (study till daybreak) with my friends. I wasn't only driven by the motivation to study, my face swelled with much joy. Soon, I would be congratulating myself for taking this huge feat, I squealed within.
But when the early morning drizzle graduated to a heavy downpour, different thoughts wrestled for my attention.
“Will this rain stop today?”
“What if it rains till evening?”
“Can't they shift this exam till tomorrow?”
I didn't realize how deep the thoughts had settled in until I grabbed a throw pillow and found a suitable couch. That was the last thing I remembered before sleep descended upon me like the rain pouring non-stop on the roof over my head.
My eyelids opened to a thick duvet over my body. I loved whosoever did that, but more I loved the warmth I felt. Again, I shut my eyes and surrendered to nature's call.
A few hours later, I was up. The rain still poured non-stop on the Earth. I found my friends and had to laugh at how their legs spread on different couches like butter on bread.
9:30 a.m., we were still caged by the rain, although it had reduced to a sprinkle. But who cared?
Breakfast was served: a cup of chocolate steaming tea with so much heat that my forehead felt the impact. My throat itched impatiently, and I knew I couldn't wait to have a taste of it. The aroma of the fried, scrambled eggs wafted through my nostrils and I felt alive again after a long sleep.
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As the sweet flavour of the tea touched my taste buds, I raised my satisfied face to my friends who were equally seated to their cups of tea and plates of scrambled eggs and bread.
“It is my cup of tea if I make it late to the exam venue, right?” I asked, lifting my mug.
They did not respond at first. But after a few seconds, Comfort burst into laughter. The words hit Meg as well and she joined in the laugh, her mouth full of bread.
I ate in silence; deep down, I was laughing at myself for cracking such a joke.
“But, do you know you are unserious?” Meg asked.
“On the contrary,” I resumed. “I don't think I want to go for this exam today. It's still raining; besides the examination is computer-based, and since we aren't scheduled, I don't want to go in this rain.”
Comfort gave me a weird stare like I was talking gibberish. “Which rain?”
Smiling sheepishly, I gulped down the last of my tea and there was something new calling me: a good duvet in one of the couches. That would take me to cloud nine before the cloud emptied its content.
When I brought my preferred duvet, my friends seized my pillow. I shot them an angry stare.
“And what do you think you are doing?” They asked, ready to tear me down.
“I'm going back to sleep! Apparently, no exam today.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.” I snatched the pillow back. “The exam can wait all I want. It's computer-based, I can write anytime.”
With that, I collapsed onto the chair.
My friends would not hear of it. Comfort stood before me, her hands akimbo. “Are you okay?”
Meg didn't banter words with me. She held onto my leg.
“You either get up or we pull you. Choose.”
Her face appeared stern, but I rather found it funny. She didn't know how to frown and she knew it. Before we realized it, we all burst into laughter, almost cracking our ribs.
But neither of us was joking. The previous nights had been taxing, and I felt I should rest before going for the final exam; after all, the examiners would understand that it rained. And my friends were serious about us not taking any chance at all.
An hour later, I was in the midst of final year students, queueing on the ICT ground for the exam. I caught a few familiar faces stepping out of the centre, and their faces looked scary.
Immediately, my tongue lost track of the taste of bread and chocolate tea, leaving me with the bittersweet taste of an exam I was about to write. I was yet to begin, but I was already having a taste of it in my buds.
It was my cup of tea and now I had to feel the impact of the heat.
