After sharing another round of laughter, we all position ourselves near the roof's edge, letting our legs dangle. Samuel reaches into his backpack, retrieving the Jim Beam bottle along with some snacks we purchased at a local grocery store. This store, conveniently situated at the corner of mine and Avery's street, is the only one we know of that remains open year-round. For the remainder of the train journey, we engage in discussions about current events in our lives, reminiscing about old memories while creating new ones. We capture pictures and record videos, laugh, and sing together, all while polishing off the bottle before reaching our final destination. And no, there were no more threats of us plunging to our demise that night, in case any of you were concerned. "Goodnight, bro." 

The 'honeymoon phase' in Max and my relationship didn't last very long. Instead, we swiftly transitioned into the 'you annoy the heck out of me, but I'm not going anywhere because you're still the only one willing to date my quirky self' phase. The first two weeks were filled with affectionate moments, but it soon became apparent that it was merely us adjusting to each other in a new way. But did I mind? Absolutely not! In fact, I cherished every moment because it added authenticity and depth to our connection. I'd give anything to have things back to how they were with Max, to have what we shared back then, before fate decided to intervene. What Max and I had was genuine in every sense of the word, but it just wasn't meant to be. ... 

"Why bother having an open-book final when it's almost impossible to write three decent five-page essays in just an hour and twenty minutes?" Avery sighs, frustrated. She asks to see the lecture notes I took on 'Shakespeare's Sonnets and Sexuality,' the same ones she missed during a mandatory rehearsal. I hand over the notes to her, annoyed that Professor Wright scheduled the final exam on the last day before winter break. "You've got a point there," I reply. "I bet he's doing it so that if we all fail, he can still justify it by saying he allowed us to use our notes." Avery nods as she flips through the notes to jot down the essential details in her own notebook. Avery and I, like all the other students at UP, have back-to-back final exams throughout the week, and it's only Tuesday. I had my Media Criticism final yesterday and submi

"You've got this, Avery. I mean, it's a music composition course, and you've been preparing for the showcase all semester," I encourage my best friend over the phone as I enter the building for my Philosophy final. "Oh, it's not the music part I'm worried about. It's Wright's final. Music, I can handle. But Shakespeare? I'd rather dig my own grave," she replies, and I chuckle as I join the line of students outside the lecture hall I've been attending for the past three months. "We still have a whole night before his exam, Avery. We won't let it get to us, right? We've been studying all week, on top of our other classes. So, after your final, meet me in our reserved study room at the Learning Commons. Tonight, we'll tackle interpreting Shakespeare's sonnets in our own words." 

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Professor Tiboni, the Vice Chair of the Music department here at the University of the Philippines, and I extend a warm welcome to the university's forty-first annual winter showcase." Applause fills the room as the audience acknowledges the turnout. "Before we dive into the main events, I'd like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all the crucial contributors who have made this wonderful program possible throughout the years, starting with..." I zone out during Professor Tiboni's lengthy introduction, recalling the shorter version that Avery had informed me about not long ago.According to Avery, this year's winter program features twenty talented performers, all carefully selected by the top professors in the music department. Each student is required to present an original piece in front of the live audience, which includes the attendees currently seated or standing in front of Campbell Hall's winter-themed stage—Kalix and me inclu