It had arrived.

My hands were sweating just thinking of all the possibilities in this small paper package. All my hopes and dreams and sleepless nights cramming in textbook information and writing notes till my hand cramped were on one sheet of paper. My hands were sweating, itching to rip open the seal and look at my grade. What would it be? Back in the exam room I had been in a frenzy, my brain struggling to remember and organise mass amounts of information I had reviewed the nights before. When I had left the exam room I slumped against the wall for support. My legs felt like jello back then and they feel the same now. I slide onto the wooden kitchen chair my forearms pressing into the cold marble counter top. I feel its paper smoothness with my fingertips, the sharp edge of the corner. Closing my eyes I breathe out slowly, calming my racing pulse. Focus. Be calm. Its not like 12 years worth of schooling and mental breakdowns all narrowed down into a two digit number.

"Please,"I mutter under my breath. Please be a high score. I need to get into my top universities. I need a scholarship for the tuition or I wont be going. With one final bated breath I gingerly peel the seal back and take out the piece of paper.