I was just joking

The school exams arrived as scheduled.

Sam no longer needed to resort to cheating to achieve good grades; he could now proudly declare that he relied solely on his own abilities.

Turning his head, he could see the trees outside the window, which seemed to have grown taller than they were a few months ago.

Crows cawed in the distance, perching on distant trees and telephone poles.

On the sports field, younger and older students played basketball, their game punctuated by the rhythmic thumping of the ball, their efforts shedding the last vestiges of summer sweat in the autumn air.

Beside him, the sound of pen tips scratching against exam papers began to fill the air, a steady rustle.

The invigilating teacher stood at the podium, like a watchful prison guard scrutinizing all the young potential rule-breakers below.