Against the Edge

The Morning After

The next morning, sunlight streamed through Miguel's bedroom as he slowly woke up, feeling the effects of last night's celebration. Checking his phone, he saw a series of group texts from Ethan, Louis, and James, all recounting the party's best moments with plenty of inside jokes.

Just as he was chuckling at one of Louis's photos of Max soaking wet from the pool prank, his phone buzzed with a message from Blanca.

Blanca: "How's the head this morning, champ? 😜 You earned last night!"

He smiled, replying

Miguel: "A bit rough, but worth it. See you on campus soon?"

After a quick shower and breakfast, Miguel headed to campus. In the student lounge, he found Ethan, Louis, Mia, and James already there, sharing stories from the party. As he walked over, Ethan raised his coffee cup with a grin.

"Look who's alive! Survived the Ethan Reed special, did you?" Ethan teased, earning laughs from the group.

"Barely," Miguel replied, smirking. "But I'll be the last one standing at the next party."

Ethan chuckled. "I'll hold you to that!"

Miguel felt a wave of energy from his friends' laughter as they wrapped up their stories from last night. Walking through campus, he was glad to be with the people who understood him best, especially after such a memorable party. They turned a corner, passing by the student union room, where he caught a glimpse of Blanca and William through the open door.

Inside, Blanca and William stood close, heads bent together over an event plan on the table. Their laughter rang out as they shared a joke, clearly comfortable and lost in their own world. Blanca's hand lightly tapped William's arm as they talked, a familiar gesture that spoke to their camaraderie.

Miguel's steps slowed, his gaze locked on the scene in front of him. Blanca's expression was so genuine, her laughter so open, it was a part of her that he adored. But seeing her that way with William sparked an unexpected sting of jealousy. The connection she shared with William as president and vice president was undeniable, and from an outsider's perspective, it almost felt like they were a perfectly matched pair. The thought unsettled him, but he told himself it was just part of her work and dedication to the student union.

James, noticing Miguel's pause, raised an eyebrow and nudged him. "You good, man?"

Miguel blinked, snapping back to the present. "Yeah," he muttered with a small smile, trying to brush it off. "Just...seeing her with William, you know?"

Louis gave him a sympathetic clap on the shoulder. "That's what you get for dating the VP of the student union, Anderson. Her life comes with a 'Vice President and President' package deal."

Mia smirked, joining in. "Don't worry. Blanca's into you, not him." She shot a playful look at Ethan. "Right, Reed?"

"Absolutely," Ethan chimed in, chuckling. "But hey, at least the guy's respectable competition. Imagine if she was VP to Nick Holloway."

Miguel couldn't help but laugh, a hint of his jealousy melting away. "Yeah, now that would be a problem."

They continued toward canteen, their laughter easing the tension. Miguel felt more at ease, though the sight of Blanca and William lingered in his mind. He knew she loved him, and he trusted her. 

—

Miguel slouched back in his seat in the bustling canteen, poking at his food while Ethan, James, and Louis recounted moments from last night's basketball practice. But even as his friends talked, Miguel's thoughts drifted to Blanca. He pulled out his phone, firing off a quick text.

Miguel:"Hey, have you had lunch yet?"

He waited, watching his screen for the usual reply, Blanca's quick wit or a few emojis that told him exactly how her day was going. But minutes passed, and still no response.

"Miguel, you with us, man?" Ethan nudged him, smirking.

Miguel glanced up, letting out a half-laugh. "Yeah, just... checking on Blanca. She's tied up with all this charity event prep. Bet she hasn't even thought about food."

Louis raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "Bet she's just deep into 'VP mode' you know how she gets when she's in the zone."

James grinned, nodding. "Dude, she probably forgot what day it is. She's lucky she's got you to remind her of meals."

Miguel shrugged, but a spark of determination lit up his face. "Alright, that's it. I'm grabbing her a sandwich, her favorite one," he said, already getting up. "And strawberry juice, obviously. If she won't take a break, I'll bring the break to her."

Ethan and the others exchanged grins, giving him thumbs-up as he grabbed a neatly wrapped sandwich from the deli and a bottle of strawberry juice. "Good luck with that, Captain," Ethan called, amused as Miguel headed out, already imagining the look on Blanca's face when he showed up with her favorite meal.