Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Before entering the examination room, she double-checked her admission ticket, pens, and the essential calculator. Everything was ready.

Leda had claimed she'd pray and drop her off, symbolizing a grand entrance, but Roseanne knew better. With Leda juggling two big projects, there was no way she'd make it, especially in the dead of winter. As expected, a quick scan outside the exam venue revealed no signs of Leda. Roseanne wasn't disappointed, though.

Some friendships didn't require constant texting or daily check-ins to stay strong. They were always on each other's minds, a kind of "no-reply-needed friendship" people talked about online.

The exam took two hours. As Roseanne submitted her paper, she noticed the mixed expressions of excitement and disappointment on others' faces but remained composed. Stepping out of the exam room, she saw light rain and realized hailing a cab would be tough. Opting for the subway home, she hadn't walked far when she heard someone call her name.

"Roseanne?"

Looking up, she saw Hertha standing under the nearby archway. "It is you."

It had been a while since their last encounter ended without a trip to the hospital as intended. Months had passed, and as far as Hertha knew, Murray and Roseanne hadn't reconciled. The situation had shaken Beverley's confidence, someone who initially couldn't fathom them breaking up.

Hertha overheard Beverley wondering why Murray had been having stomach issues more frequently since the breakup, something that wasn't a problem when he was with Roseanne. "Could it be they've ended things?" Her mother would muse, baffled at Roseanne risking her chance with the prestigious Sherwood family over a tantrum.

For years, Beverley had voiced that Roseanne wasn't good enough for her son, urging them to split countless times. Now that it had happened, she seemed unsettled by it.

Not just Beverley, Hertha had

struggled to come to terms with it. It was not that Hertha was a fan of their relationship, but she was surprised to see Roseanne being more determined in their breakup.

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After getting the truth from Cliff, it was clear why Roseanne was upset. Murray showing up with someone new was bound to cause an explosion. Then, Hertha began to accept that a reconciliation might be off the table.

"Hertha," Roseanne greeted her with a smile.

Noticing the clear stationery bag in her hand, Hertha recalled seeing Roseanne at the library, "So you're going through with the grad school exams..."

Like Beverley, she had assumed Roseanne's efforts were just a show, a tactic to win her brother back. But Roseanne was actually serious about it.

Roseanne nodded. "Pursuing further studies has always been a goal. I didn't take my chance before, hoping it's not too late now."

Hertha eyed her with skepticism. "You started preparing after you and Murray broke up, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's a pretty tight timeframe. It

might be..." The chances seemed slim, especially with this year's record number of applicants. Kingswell University was highly competitive, and Roseanne had been out of school for years without relevant work experience.

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Last-minute cramming wasn't likely to cut it. Hertha didn't want to discourage Roseanne, so she trailed off, leaving her thoughts unfinished.