Against the Edge

The Student Union Buzz

Blanca sat in the student union room, poring over a stack of documents detailing the upcoming charity event and talk show. The room was alive with chatter as members of the event committee moved around, setting things in motion. William, was seated across from her, calmly going over the guest list while keeping an eye on everyone, ensuring that each person was on task.

"Blanca," Ruby called over, her arms full of flyers, "what do you think of this layout? Too busy?"

Blanca looked up, studying the design for a second before shaking her head. "No, it's perfect. Bold, but not overwhelming. Should catch people's attention right away. Great job, Ruby."

Ruby beamed, setting the flyers down with a satisfied nod. Across the table, Nick leaned back in his chair, twirling a pen between his fingers, watching Blanca with a hint of a smirk. "Not a second wasted, huh, Vice President? You're making the rest of us look bad."

Blanca shot him a playful eye-roll. "Only because you let me, Nick. Maybe try less pen-twirling and more work, and we might have this all set by tonight."

Nick chuckled, unbothered, his confidence never shaken. "I work best under pressure, Blanca. You should know that by now."

William chuckled at their exchange, glancing between them with a knowing smile. "Alright, let's keep the distractions to a minimum, people. We've got a lot riding on this event."

Niall and Amy, who were busy typing out name tags, snickered at William's "distractions" comment, exchanging a quick look that didn't go unnoticed by Blanca. She smirked, working with a team like this kept things interesting, even if the deadlines sometimes seemed to pile up endlessly.

She glanced over at William, leaning in slightly. "So, you're still good with hosting the talk show, right? You have that calm, wise thing going on that people eat up."

William smiled, a little self-deprecating. "If by calm and wise you mean boring, then absolutely."

Blanca laughed, nudging him lightly. "Give yourself some credit, Mr. President. People like that about you. You're a natural."

Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She checked the message and found it was from Miguel. She couldn't help but smile as she read it.

Miguel: Wish you could see me crush it at practice today. Hope you're not too swamped with union stuff. Miss you.

Blanca quickly typed a reply

Blanca: Crushing it over here too. Counting down until I get to see you. Miss you more.

Putting her phone back, she returned to the event planning, but there was a spark in her expression. She glanced around the busy room, her mind buzzing with excitement and the satisfaction of seeing everything come together.

"So," Nick piped up again, raising an eyebrow as if he'd read her thoughts, "what's that smile for, Blanca?"

"Oh, nothing you'd understand," she replied smoothly, crossing her arms with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Just thinking about how nice it is to work with such a motivated team."

Nick shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Right. I'll take that as a reminder to keep up with your intensity, Ms. Vice President."

The energy in the room was high as they continued going over final plans, each of them pushing to bring their vision for the event to life. As the evening stretched on, Blanca leaned back, allowing herself a rare moment to take in the bustling scene.

For all the pressure and hours of work, she wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

As the night wore on, the student union room slowly began to empty. Committee members finished their tasks and filtered out, leaving behind only a few dedicated stragglers, Blanca, William, Ruby, and Nick.

Ruby stretched, yawning. "I'm going to head out, guys. Early class tomorrow. See you at the meeting."

William, sensing the quiet opportunity, glanced at Blanca. "I think we're all set for tonight. You've been here all day, maybe get some rest?"

Blanca smiled, her eyes briefly darting to the scattered files still waiting to be sorted. "I will. Just want to wrap up a few loose ends first."

"Of course," William replied with a smile, gathering his things. "But don't stay too late."

After a round of goodbyes, the room fell quiet. Nick, who'd been watching, saw his moment.

"Late night for the Vice President," he commented, leaning back in his chair with a slight smile. "Can't say I'm surprised. You practically live here."

Blanca rolled her eyes but smiled. "I could say the same for you. Don't think I haven't noticed you always being the last to leave."

Nick shrugged, feigning indifference. "What can I say? Hard to tear myself away from a dedicated team...or certain members of it."

Blanca's eyebrow lifted slightly. "Certain members, huh? Should I be flattered?"

Nick smirked, his tone casual but his eyes sharper. "You should. People look up to you, Blanca. It's...impressive. Not everyone can handle all this and still look like they have it together."

Blanca glanced at him, trying to gauge his meaning. There was something in his tone, almost admiration, maybe even a bit too personal.

"Thanks, Nick," she replied, her tone measured. "I appreciate it. But I think everyone here works hard. It's not just me."

"True," Nick replied, not quite backing down. "But let's just say you stand out." He watched her reaction, his expression just ambiguous enough to pass off as friendly, but with a glimmer that hinted at something more.

Blanca kept her gaze steady, choosing her words carefully. "Well, I'm glad we're all on the same team," she said lightly, subtly shifting her focus back to the files on her desk.