~ CHAPTER 13~

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MONDAY MORNING

My eyes fly open, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. My exams start today and they last a week. I peek at Violet and she is still sleeping, so is Scarlett. Her exams start in just under a month. She has 2 weeks of practise exams starting this week.

I quietly slide out of the bed, careful not to wake either of the girls, because trust me, that is not a good idea. Both of them are grumpy if they get woken up before they are ready. I guess Violet is taking after her aunty. I whisk around the room and find some clean clothes to wear in a coherent outfit before I slip into the bathroom to shower. It's just after 7, and my first exam is at 11.

When I did my mock exams last week I was there 25 minutes early and that was way too early. I had to wait outside the room door, so I am aiming to be there 15 minutes before. The exams were somewhat successful, I did quite well on them, and I was able to see where I needed to do some extra work, and what else I needed to study.

I quickly shower, and get ready, before I feed Violet and pack her a bag for her day with Jane. My exam is for 2 hours, which isn't that long, but Jane offered to have her for a little longer. Scarlett gets up for school and I make us breakfast whilst re-reading my notes for this exam.

Once we are both ready, Scarlett drives me to Jane's house and we drop the baby off before we stop for a coffee where she quizzes me at the last minute. She then drives me to my college where I have 15 minutes until my exam.

I walk to my exam room right on time, with 10 minutes to spare.

TUESDAY MORNING

My exams start at 7.45 this morning. So I slip out of the house at 7 and grab a coffee where I can think and do some extra prep. I find that having someone quiz me is easier as I retain more information but the exam is so early, no one is awake. I bring Violet with me and we have a cute little breakfast before I drop her off with Holly.

Jane has an early morning meeting at 8 for her house, since she has decided to redecorate so I asked if Holly can have Violet for a couple of hours, and I can pick her up as soon as the exam is over. She agreed saying that she would do anything for Miss Vi, and she lives right near my college so I drop Violet off with her on the way. She lives in a building complex so I press the button which rings her alarm bell, where she buzzes me in

"Good Morning," I say

"Morning Tori" she replies, and I explain everything that I have packed with Violet before I say my goodbyes and I head to my exam.

My exam lasted 2 hours again, and it was relatively easy. I am surprised because this is the one I did the worst on during the mock exam.

WEDNESDAY MORNING

My exam goes for an hour and a half today, so I am in and out within 2 hours. They let us into the examination room 10 minutes before the beginning of the exam, and I take a seat grabbing out my clear pencil case full of my pens, pencils, highlighter. I have severe paranoia that my pen is going to break or run out mid writing and I won't be able to finish.

The examiners go through the rules and mandations of the exam before we have 10 minutes of reading where I read through every question. This is where I begin to answer the questions that are on the page in front of me. I make a mental note of the questions that I think will be my hardest and a note of the ones that I am going to start with first.

Jax taught me this, it helps with time. It also helps me delegate what I need to further think about. I guess you work a lot faster when you have confidence in what you are writing.

I go back to the questions that I don't understand towards the end and finish right on time. I wait in my seat for my paper to get collected, before I exit the room and walk to my car and call Scarlett, who was looking after Violet. With her trial exams Scarlett doesn't have any classes, and has the option to stay home when she wants.

THURSDAY MORNING

"Victoria," my mum says, shaking me, and I wake up, with my hand pressed to my cheek and a paper stuck to my face. I peel the paper off.

"Hi mum," I say to her groggily

"Come down and have some breakfast with us," she says

"I can't, I have to study," I say

"Baby, you fell asleep at your desk, lucky you have Scarlett. Take a break and come see us" she says

"Okay" I reply and Scarlett is snoring with Violet on her chest on the rocking chair. I compile my notes for this exam and I tidy them, taking down the textbook for a bit of light ready before, I wake Scarlett up and we walk down the stairs and eat with my family.

My exam today is at 2, so I have enough time to shower and prepare and not feel stressed. Violet is staying with mum today because she doesn't have surgery, which my mum is excited about, getting to spend the day with her.

I take my time getting ready and getting Violet ready before we drop Scarlett off at school and I meet Jane to make sure everything is on the right track.

After I meet with Jane, I head to my college and spend the rest of my time before the exam in the library studying.

FRIDAY MORNING

Scarlett's school alarm wakes me up this morning. My last exam begins at 12.30 today and lasts 3 hours! How I am going to manage this I don't know.

I hear her get out of bed, whilst I keep my eyes closed for a little longer. Scarlett gets in the shower and I feed Violet and have a little skin to skin with her.

These are the moments that I cherish the most. I slide out of the bed and try my best to make it look presentable before I make my over and sit on the rocking chair, so I can rock her back to sleep. I have my notes for my last exam today on the side table ready so I can read through them. I finish a quiz that we get for preparation before Scarlett takes the baby so I can get ready.

Once she goes to school, I fool around the house and I try to tidy the room before Grayson who happens to be home helps me study and drives me to the exam. I was going to leave her with my mum but she got called into an emergency with my dad early this morning, and Holly has a shift so Gray offers to look after and my mum said that she will help as soon as she gets home. Is this my first option no, but it's my only option.

This exam is the hardest one I have done and the most time consuming, so when I get home I play with Violet for a bit before we pass out on the couch.

How I managed to get through exams, surprises me. But never underestimate the power of a dedicated mum, I guess.

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