STORY 39: APOLOGY TO MY BESTFRIEND G*G (End)

Chapter 1 "Finally done?" Naya asked, leaning against the wall outside the exam hall, her backpack slung over one shoulder, scrolling through her phone. She looked up with that familiar grin, her dark hair tied back in a ponytail, sweat beading on her forehead from the afternoon heat. The private tutorial center was buzzing with students spilling out, laughing and comparing answers after the mock test. We had been coming here for weeks, cramming for the real thing, and today felt like a relief, but also the start of something hanging in the air. "Yeah, that last section killed me," I replied, wiping my face with my sleeve, my heart still racing from the stress. My shirt stuck to my skin, and I felt that post-exam high mixed with exhaustion. Naya and I had known each other for years back home—school friends who shared everything, from crushes to family drama. We even had our first kiss together one night during a sleepover, just experimenting, our lips brushing quick and innocent, giggl