Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]
Chapter 112: Post-Exam Chaos Club

Chapter 112: Post-Exam Chaos Club

The alarm blared like it was personally offended.

Luca didn’t budge.

It blared again—louder, angrier, judgmental.

Noel groaned. "Kill it," he muttered, half-asleep, before slapping the clock like it owed him money.

A beat of silence.

Then Luca mumbled into the pillow, "Did we win?"

"No," Noel muttered, rubbing his face. "We have an exam in less than an hour."

That got him.

Luca sat up so fast he nearly hit his head on the wall. "Wait—what time is it?!"

"7:42."

"WE’RE DEAD."

They scrambled. Clothes flew. A pen rolled under the bed. Luca almost wore two different socks. Noel brushed his teeth while reading a sticky note stuck to the mirror: Elasticity = responsiveness.

Neither of them could find their ID cards.

Luca shouted from beneath a hoodie mountain, "Where’s my stamp sheet?!"

"You literally packed it last night—check your bag!" Noel called back, tossing him his jacket. "And your hair’s a mess."

"So is my GPA, babe! Priorities!"

Noel couldn’t help but laugh despite the rush. They somehow made it out the door, breath fogging in the morning chill, bags slung messily over their shoulders.

As they reached the exam hall, a massive queue snaked outside.

Luca groaned. "Oh come on..."

Noel sighed, catching his breath. "It’s fine, we’ll get in. At least we’re not late."

Emily spotted them from a few heads down. "I thought you two would be here earlier!"

"We overslept," Luca said dramatically. "Because someone made me study until my brain turned into oatmeal."

"That oatmeal better get us a pass," Noel added, elbowing him lightly.

George yawned, joining in. "My eyes are open but my soul is still in bed."

They all laughed, the nerves momentarily forgotten.

As the line inched forward, Luca reached for Noel’s hand, gave it a small, quick squeeze—nothing over the top, just enough to say we got this.

And Noel squeezed back.

The hall was ice-cold. The kind of cold that made your fingers stiff and your brain slower.

Dozens of students were already seated, hunched over their desks with that universal exam expression — dread masked as determination.

Noel and Luca slipped into their seats. George sat two rows ahead. Emily caught their eyes from across the hall and mouthed, "Good luck."

The invigilator cleared his throat. "Phones off. Bags to the front. Write your ID number clearly."

Noel glanced at Luca.

"You good?" he whispered.

Luca gave a small nod. "Yeah. Just... wish I drank coffee."

"You hate coffee."

"Exactly. That’s how desperate I am."

A soft chuckle escaped Noel’s lips.

Then came the sound they all feared: papers being handed out, face down.

A single paper dropped in front of Noel. Another in front of Luca.

"Do not turn it until instructed," the invigilator warned.

Tension stretched like an elastic band.

Noel tapped his pen against the desk — one, two, three. It was a quiet rhythm. Luca glanced sideways, recognizing it immediately. Noel always did that when he was trying to calm himself.

It worked on him too.

"You may begin," came the call.

A shuffle of pages turning, then silence — the kind that buzzed in your ears.

Luca blinked at the first question. He read it. Then again.

Noel was already scribbling something. Of course.

Focus, Luca. You got this. Econ isn’t a monster.

Ten minutes in, pens danced. Pages flipped. Chairs creaked.

Halfway through, Noel peeked sideways — not to cheat, just to check.

Luca was deep in it now, lips pressed, pencil flying, brows furrowed. He looked serious. He looked... weirdly hot like that.

Noel blinked, looked away. Focus. Exam first. Romance later.

When the time was up, the invigilator called out, "Stop writing."

A few groans. A few sighs. A few panicked, final scribbles that got ignored.

As they walked out, the sunlight hit their faces like a victory bell.

"Well?" Noel asked.

"I survived," Luca said. "Don’t ask how."

Emily joined them, flipping through her answer sheet. "I think I blanked out on question four."

"Same," George said. "But at least we’re free—one down!"

Luca threw his arms around Noel dramatically. "We deserve food."

"And sugar," Emily added.

"And a nap," George said.

"And cuddles," Luca whispered into Noel’s ear.

Noel just smiled. "Let’s go."

They were just rounding the pathway behind the admin block when a voice called out, "Well, well... look who survived the econ massacre."

Lina stood under the shade of a jacaranda tree, one brow raised, tablet clutched under her arm, a crooked grin on her lips.

"Lina!" Emily’s face lit up as she jogged the last few steps and threw her arms around her. "How did your color theory exam go?"

"Brutal. I swear the color wheel turned on me," Lina said, eyes darting toward Noel. "You okay, golden boy?"

"I’m breathing. Barely," Noel replied with a smirk.

Luca added, "He almost vibrated through the desk."

They all laughed. Even George, who had been quiet, let out a short chuckle.

Lina’s gaze flicked over the group, then narrowed playfully at George. "Still third-wheeling?"

"Fourth-wheeling, technically," George corrected. "But who’s counting."

"Ouch," Emily whispered with a wince.

"Don’t worry, Georgie," Lina said as she looped her arm through Emily’s and leaned closer, "you’ll find your Mr. Right... or Mr. Temporary Disaster."

George gave her a dry look. "So comforting."

They crossed the lawn, dodging students sprawled on benches and grass, finally approaching the cafeteria — the smell of jollof rice, fried chicken, and warm bread already calling them in.

Inside was a buzz of tired voices, chairs scraping, laughter echoing from corners.

"Claim that table!" Noel pointed.

Luca dashed ahead, flopping into a booth seat like he was claiming a throne. "Mine!"

George followed, sliding beside him. "I’m starving. No one better touch my fries."

Lina leaned into Emily’s ear as they joined. "He’s hangry again."

"Dangerous times," Emily whispered back.

Once seated, they all let out that same collective breath — the kind that came after stress and tension had finally melted into something soft. Safe.

Lina stretched her legs under the table. "Next exam?"

"Business Law," Noel groaned.

Luca buried his face in his arms. "I want to drop out and sell bracelets."

George grabbed a menu. "Just eat first. Spiral later."

Lina laughed. "That should be on the school’s motto."

Their trays clattered onto the table one by one — rice, and fried chicken for Luca and Noel; Lina had a veggie wrap and strawberry juice, while George went full feast-mode with double fries, meat pie, and soda.

"You gonna eat all that?" Lina asked, raising an eyebrow at George.

"I survived an exam," George muttered dramatically. "Let me live."

Emily giggled, stealing one of his fries without shame. "He’s stress-eating."

"Traitor!" George gasped, shielding his plate like it was a national treasure.

Luca leaned into Noel’s side, nudging his elbow lightly. "Can we always eat like this after exams? I feel like I’ve come back from war."

Noel chuckled, mouth full. "If you pass all your papers, I’ll cook for you for a week straight."

"Ooooh," Lina chimed in. "He said cook, not order. That’s serious."

Luca grinned, clearly pleased. "Then I’m passing with flying colors."

George rolled his eyes. "You people are so in love it’s making my soda taste weird."

Emily leaned into Lina. "Jealous?"

"Tragically," Lina replied with a wink, then dropped a kiss on Emily’s cheek.

George groaned and looked up to the ceiling and looked around the table—arms linked, shoulders touching, kisses dropped like they were nothing.

It wasn’t bitterness in his chest. Just... a quiet wondering."Why am I the only single one? I’m handsome. I bathe. I don’t snore... often."

"Your standards are either too high or too fictional," Lina said, sipping her juice.

"You all laugh now," George mumbled, biting into his pie. "But the moment I get a mysterious partner from a rival campus, you’ll see."

"Mysterious partner?" Luca teased. "Not this imaginary man again!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

As the lunch crowd thickened, the group leaned in closer over the table.

Soft chatter blurred into the background as they shared jokes, complained about upcoming exams, and quietly stole food from each other’s plates.

Noel rested his hand under the table, gently squeezing Luca’s knee. Luca glanced at him, smiled—warm and full of something that didn’t need words.

Somewhere between the laughter and the quiet glances, George looked around and muttered under his breath, not quite bitter, not quite sad, "Maybe love’s just late for me."

Lina heard. She softened. "Or maybe... it’s waiting until you’re ready."

George looked at her, one brow raised. "That’s oddly poetic for you."

She shrugged. "Even chaos needs balance sometimes."

They dumped their trays and stepped outside, the warm breeze brushing their faces.

George stretched with a long sigh. "Tomorrow is Saturday, yet we have exams. Who even does that? Who hurt the schedule planner?"

"Probably someone who hates joy," Emily replied, yawning into Lina’s shoulder.

"Maybe someone dumped on a Friday night," Lina added with a smirk.

Noel adjusted his bag. "Come on. Let’s hit the library before it gets too packed."

They all froze on the path like someone hit pause.

"Library?" Luca blinked, grabbing Noel’s arm. "Babe. My brain has clocked out. It’s gone. It left the building. I’m running on vibes and chickens."

Noel leaned in, calm as ever. "Then we’ll wake it gently. With coffee. And flashcards."

Emily laughed. "Sounds romantic."

Lina nudged her. "Wanna join? Couple study time?"

Emily groaned. "No way. I’ll sleep the second I open a book."

"Same," George muttered. "I’m heading to my bed to write a love letter to my pillow."

They reached the split in the road — one path toward the dorms, the other to the campus library.

"So back to the dorm?" Emily asked, looping her arm around Lina’s waist.

"Yeah, night owls we shall be," Lina said, already dragging her girlfriend along.

George gave them a salute. "May your dreams be filled with answers you didn’t study."

Luca still clung to Noel’s sleeve. "Do we really have to go to the library?"

Noel tilted his head, thoughtful. "How about this... One hour. Then we get bubble tea."

Luca squinted suspiciously. "Two hours. And I get to pick the flavor."

"You drive a hard bargain," Noel said, smiling.

Luca sighed, defeated but smiling too. "Fine. But I’m bringing my blanket.If I fall asleep on your notes, don’t wake me."

Noel bumped their shoulders. "Only if you promise not to drool on elasticity again."

Luca grinned. "No promises."

And as the library doors opened, the day quietly closed — no alarms, no panic. Just the soft rhythm of turning pages, and the sound of not facing the world alone.