Chapter Six

The following day, I woke up earlier than usual and arrived at school with my backpack. Taking my seat at my assigned desk, I retrieved practice papers and began working on them. Although the questions seemed easy, I knew the importance of studying diligently to excel in my mock exams, which were scheduled to begin at eight o'clock that morning. Underestimating the power of exams was never a wise choice; I had adopted the habit of preparing meticulously for every test that came my way.

Then, precisely at eight o'clock, the mock exams officially commenced. A teacher distributed the exam scripts, and I smiled confidently as I received mine. The English essay question was one that I had discussed with my mother the previous night, and the remaining questions appeared straightforward.

With a contented sigh, I bent my head and began answering the questions. Chioma, who was seated in front of me, struggled a bit more than I did. However, I felt compelled to assist her with some of the answers. It was the Christmas season, and I believed in the spirit of helping one another during exams so that we could celebrate the holidays with our loved ones without worry.

We successfully completed the mock exams, which spanned nearly two weeks. On the last day, December 23rd, we celebrated by igniting knock-outs and joyfully listening to their explosive sounds.

To enhance the festive atmosphere, our Class Prefect played Christmas songs through the loudspeaker he had brought to school that day. The music filled the school compound, lifting our spirits and making us wish that Christmas had arrived already, rather than being just a day or two away. It was a delightful moment for the SS3 students as we happily dispersed from the schoolyard after the small gathering, heading to our respective homes to prepare for Christmas.