The wait
Albert woke up a couple of hours after inside the dark lecture hall. He felt dizzy and unwell, and he did his best not to fall when he stood up. He walked awkwardly to the door to find it closed, he felt the wall looking for the switch to turn on the lights. When he found it he tried to see if there was another door to get out of there, but there wasn't any, so the only solution he had was to climb out of the window. He opened the shutters and looked down, he was glad that it was only a first floor, the fall wouldn't be too bad. Still, he waited for some time trying to see if someone happened to pass by and help him with the door. However the window was facing the forest, and people wouldn't stroll around there on weekdays very often.
When he finally admitted that no one would be helping him, he climbed out of the window and landed on some soft grass that was under it. He felt his right ankle give way under him and he fell on his back, however it didn't seem too bad so he managed to walk all the way to his dorm. When he got there Robert was waiting for him.
-Past time! We were looking for you! Wait, what happened to you?
Albert fell on his bed feeling as if he had just run a marathon.
-Well, I had some kind of, let's say, discussion with Marla. She won.
-WHAT?- Robert shouted.
-She's just too powerful, I think I might be able to cushion a bit whatever she might try to do, but I don't know for how long. And now I'm all by myself, I can't go talk to my grandma and I don't have anything but that stupid old book.- he said bitterly.
-What now?
-Now all I can do is wait and try to be prepared for it.
And wait he did, although not idly. He increased his training technique, pushing himself to the limit physically as for his body to be able to endure whatever might come, he would train with the rugby team two days a week and do other kind of physical efforts the rest of the days. After the training, he would meditate for at least one hour to force his mind to focus even if his body was tired. He also tried to do some of Marla's tricks, but apparently, that was out of his reach.
The weeks passed and nothing seemed to happen except that the exams were approaching, and everyone was busy studying. Albert felt safer now, although he still knew that anything could happen at any moment. The uncertainty was killing him, it was like waiting at a slaughterhouse. He discovered that he would focus better if he studied with his friends so they started meeting at the library to do intensive sessions of study. It was nice spending time with them even if it was at the library, and they would also share their meals at the sun to relax from all those hours sitting inside. They needed some rest too, Albert didn't look especially tired because all of his training, that he was trying to keep up as much as he could, but Dalia looked worse than she had ever been, she was worried she wouldn't pass the exams even if Robert had been helping her out as much as he could. They spent hours every day going through all the syllabus together and, still, Dalia struggled. She wasn't sleeping well and she cried herself to sleep some days.
One day Albert decided to talk about the topic with Robert.
-Look, man, Dalia is not okay, I know you've been helping her out, but I think she needs some time away from the books, even if it's a couple of hours. Take her to a restaurant for dinner and talk about anything that doesn't have to do with university.
-But... I don't know how to do that, I mean, it's like a date... it's like asking her out and I'm not brave enough to do that.- his friend confessed.
-Bullshit, you can do this. You like her and you care for her, and also you don't need to tell her it's a date, just tell her that she looks stressed out and that a night out in town will do her well.
-But...
-No, buts, go and win her over, you can do it.- Albert reassured him.
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