SHADOW OF MYSELF

Chapter Five(i)

Prisca's POV

Months dissolved into a blur as Domineer University geared up for exams. This was my first test in this esteemed institution, a place where failure meant a swift return home. Despite my reputation as a genius, anxiety gnawed at my insides.

Exams were a week away, and unlike my textbook-glued high school days, I needed a strategy. Lizzy had a mantra for this: "Two weeks to exam comeback." While the origin was a mystery, it resonated with me.

Scanning my messy room, I searched for my favorite light blue jeans. Mom, looking frazzled from chores, entered.

"Mom, can't find my light blue jeans," I called out.

She sighed. "Washed them yesterday, honey. Let me grab them for you."

"But Mom, they weren't dirty," I protested. Wearing pants hadn't been a priority lately.

While she retrieved the jeans, I pondered my outfit. A pink top seemed like a good choice.

The wait for the jeans felt like an eternity, but Mom finally returned, a savior in disguise. Thankfully, this week was lecture-free, or I'd be late already.

Dressing quickly, I grabbed my blue leather crossbody bag and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Aunt Carolina hummed while preparing lunch.

"Aunt Caro! Good afternoon, I'm starving! Anything to eat?" I exclaimed, exaggerating my hunger.

Aunt Carolina chuckled. "Sure, dear. We have lunch almost ready, but would you like a quick snack?"

"I can't wait," I blurted. "Exams are looming, and Dad would be upset if I failed after he loosened the reins."

My aunt simply nodded.

After a quick snack, I hailed a taxi and headed to Lizzy's, a regular hangout. It wasn't uncommon for Dad to express his disapproval of my frequent sleepovers, movie nights, and weekend adventures with Lizzy. But recently, I'd embraced the life I'd missed before.

Paying the taxi driver, I rang Lizzy's doorbell. Almost on cue, the door swung open.

"Water, please! I'm parched," I announced, slumping into a chair. Lizzy, ever-smiling, scurried back with a glass.

"My brother Zach wants to talk about the basement incident," she said, handing me the water.

Remembering the unsettling experience, I sighed and stood up. "Sure, where is he?"

Lizzy's confused expression mirrored my surprise. "He went grocery shopping with Mom. Should we wait?"

I shook my head. "No time. The 'two weeks exam comeback' calls!"

Lizzy, speechless, disappeared upstairs. Alone, I checked my phone – five missed calls from Joshua. His overprotectiveness was frustrating. I didn't need a hero; I was perfectly capable.

Relief washed over me when I remembered his departure to a lecturer's position at another university. But his parting words, "Be expecting me, dear," lingered, sparking a flicker of annoyance. He didn't get to dictate my life.

Just then, Lizzy emerged, dressed for a library session. "Ready, Prisca?" she asked.

Leaving the building with Lizzy, who was locking the door, her mom and brother arrived with bags laden with groceries, some recognizable and others a mystery. Lizzy mumbled, her shoulders slumping, as she hurried to lend a hand. I followed suit, a sense of empathy tugging at my heart.

Dropping the groceries inside, Lizzy's mom, perpetually busy, announced, "Now that we're well-stocked, you kids should handle dinner. I have to rush to work." Lizzy, her gaze downcast, asked, "Mom, that's fine, but will you be home for dinner?"