For two days, I was confined to my dorm room, unable to attend classes. The blisters on my nipples hurt and I was lying partially naked on the bed, only my chest exposed to air conditioner of the room.

Bathing in the morning was difficult as slight contact with my body wash or even water would make my sensitive flesh burn.

I was mentally hurling all kinds of curses to Ray for doing this to me. I felt so stupid for not stopping him then, I knew he hurt my nipples but I didn’t want to ruin the mood. It was my second time fucking a new man and I was conflicted thinking maybe ‘that’s what he does’.

Duh!

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

After what felt like three hours staring at the ceiling complaining how my life looked now, I rose from the bed. I couldn’t sit idle and not do anything.

I searched my notes to prepare for an exam due in week after this. I knew my exam portion and I felt that it was best, I started revising what I’d learnt.

I had to take my mind off the pain from my nipples and studying was one way to do it.

Eventually by nightfall, the pain faded and I had also finished with the six chapters that were due for the finals.

I softly touched the sensitive skin and the blisters didn’t hurt. I had a sigh of relief. Atleast I can attend classes now.

My phone pinged somewhere around ten o’clock and it was the class WhatsApp group. The admin who was our Biology professor, Mr Elliot, announced that there would be a small twenty mark test on Biology tomorrow morning and we were all expected to give the exam.

He told us that he wouldn’t let us know what chapter it was because he wanted to see how much we were studying so far.

I looked away from the screen and pondered. What could he possibly mean by that?

Then it clicked me.

I padded to my bookshelf and found the class notes for the semester. I found my scribbled notes in the book and a smile crept on my lips. I placed my book on the desk and switched on the desk lamp. My eyes scanned the notes reeling back to Mr. Elliot’s voice echoing in my ears.

My eyes then moved to the next line as the next set of scribbled words were written. My memories took me back in time in September when he explained to us human reproduction in detail. The backbenchers began snickering and giggling at the mention of the topic.

I tuned out their voices and focused my razor sharp hearing on Mr. Elliot. My hand was steadily noting down all he was saying, drawing mini diagrams on the side with arrows indicating the functions of said organ.

My brain was memorizing all that semi-legible writing on the page and I chuckled to myself how on earth did I write these notes without giving me brain damage.

I woke up at my usual time and made my way to the exam hall. Some students were already seated in their allotted spots, their white laminated lanyards hanging from their necks.

An invigilator was present at the back of the class, arms folded across his chest. He was observing all of us from his seat, should any of us decide to cheat. “Eyes to the front, students.” He said in a sharp tone, that caused me to jump in my seat.

My class was notorious for mass copying during exams. I’d heard rumors from other students where teachers of all subjects desired our class and the one at the end of the hallway to have an invigilator along with the subject present during all exams.

Five minutes later, Mr. Elliot arrived and went around the classroom, handing us the question papers. I glanced at the paper and noticed that it was an MCQ exam, my heart soaring with delight.

I skimmed through the question paper and noticed that all the questions were the ones I had revised the night before. I took my pen in my hand, ready to start filling in the answers with rocket speed.

I glanced towards Mr. Elliot who was still handing out the question papers to the remaining six students. After he had completed doing so, he came to his desk and placed his binder with a loud thud, sighing deeply.

Some of the students gasped, while I narrowed his eyes at his odd behavior. “Students, eyes up here.” He said, curtly.

We all looked up at him, waiting what he had to say. “In three minutes from now, the bell will be rung and you’ll start your exam. If any of you are found to be attempting the questions before the bell is rung, five marks will be deducted from your exam.”

We nodded at him.

“And as you can see, the Principal has sent an invigilator to the class due to the excellent reputation this class holds....” He rolled his eyes at us. “Should you think of cheating, you will fail the exam and the term.”

Surprised chatter filled the room. So this was what they’d planned, huh? I thought to myself.

“Silence!” Came the shrill tone of the invigilator. “Eyes on your answer sheets.”

***

The exam went smoothly and I was among the first five students to finish the exam within the first forty-five minutes. I collected my belongings from the front of the classroom and proceeded towards my room.

I set my belongings on the desk and padded to the bathroom to take a bath. After I unclipped my bra and tossed it in the clothes basket, something on my skin caught attention.

I watched in horror how the healed blisters on my nipples were now brown angry layered scabs. My hands began to shake. When did this happened? Why didn’t I notice this?

My heart began to race thinking what to do? I also needed to bathe since the heat outside was making my skin sticky.

After carefully applying bodywash to my body and using the silicon scrubber to clean off the grime, I turned on the shower.