In Your Corner | ✓

Twenty-Seven

"I honestly don't think I can handle this anymore."

My eyes flicker to my forever-dramatic friend. "I think you're going to do better than just handle it, Anandi. You're going to smash it, like you always do."

She's an actual genius, but she always worries about her exams, even though we all know she's so clever at her degree and is going to do well.

She scrubs a hand over her face, shaking her head. "I don't know about that."

Gray, who's sitting next to me, opposite Anandi, scoffs and reaches out to gently nudge her under the table. "You are kidding, right?"

I shake my head, looking at my captain. "Uh-uh. Every year, without fail, Anandi has a panic every time exams comes around. Claims she's too stupid to be at college."

Gray's lips twitch. "Let me guess, she also happens to get straight As in those exams, too?"

"You got it," I nod, turning back to my laptop, a smile lingering on my face.

MJ, who's sitting opposite me, snickers under her breath, but she doesn't even indulge Anandi as she tries to protest against the conversation happening around her.

The four of us are sitting in the Beanery, having agreed that we need a different scene from the library to do some studying for our exams.

It's a brilliant dynamic, having Gray join us. She and Anandi claim they've been casually seeing each other since that night at the soccer house when Gray stayed over at ours, but we all know it's a lie.

There's nothing casual about these two. Gray's over at our apartment more than she's at her own, but it's not like I'm really complaining.

It's really nice having two really good friends of mine get together and for it to work so well, too.

"How's the studying going for you, then?" Anandi narrows her eyes at me. "Learning about all those bridges and whatnot."

I rub a hand over my forehead, trying to smooth out the wrinkle lines that I'm almost certain are developing. "It's fine," I mumble, but I'm not sure how convinced I actually am about it.

My grades have always been fine, but that's it. They've never been exceptional, not like Anandi's. They've always just been enough to get me through.

It's not like I'm tanking this year, or anything, but part of me wishes I was doing slightly better than I am in terms of grades.

MJ, who's listened to me ramble about my average academic record more times than I can count, gently knocks her knee against mine. It's not really a conversation I've had with Anandi, because it doesn't really feel right to complain to someone with good grades about it. It would just feel like I was having a go at her for being clever. Which, by the way, is not something I'd ever want to.

I smile reassuringly at my friend, knowing that she's got me.

"When are you finished exams, anyway?" Gray asks, her eyebrows pulling together as she rests her chin on my shoulder and looks at the laptop screen.

"Day after tomorrow," I reply, pressing my cheek against the top of her head. "You're finished on Friday, right?"

It's Tuesday now and I'm beginning to tear my hair out. This set of exams is stressing me out more than usual and I'm just so ready for it to all be over.

"Yeah," she sighs. "I'm getting royally plastered on Friday night. Hope you'll join."

My lips twitch. "You're getting drunk? You surprise me, Grayson."