THE FRESHMAN (CLOSED - TEMPORARILY)

Chapter 4 - The All-Nighter

10:00PM.

"Okay! Quick check-in. How many pages has everyone finished?"
I asked.

"Eight!"
Chris says.

"Twelve!"
Zack continues on.

"Thirty!"
Abbie joins in.

"Thirty?"
Tyler asks in shock.

"What can I say? I spend a lot of time online."

"Okay... time to really concentrate and do this!"

As the time goes by, Chris looks over my shoulder to check on my progress.

"Wow... you're getting a lot done."

"Let's just say I'm highly motivated."

"And why's that?"

"I want to stay because of our friends! Look around... look at the way everyone is here helping me! I've never had friends like this before, and if I leave school, I'll lose them."

"Don't worry. You're not going anywhere. We won't let that happen."

As Chris heads back to his laptop in the next room, Kaitlyn and Abbie sidle up to me.

"Okay... time to dish. What's the latest on you and Chris?"
Kaitlyn asks.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. I know you two stayed behind last night..."

"Stop pressuring her, Kaitlyn. They were just probably talking... plus, Nicki would never be reckless enough to date someone in the house, right?"

"To be honest...he's just a friend."

"Huh. I thought for sure you two would connect..."

"I'm just glad to hear the suite is staying drama-free."
Abbie said.

"Anyways, we should get back to work!"

"You're the boss..."

Midnight.

"Looks like we're ahead schedule. We're almost a third of the way through!"

"But we just hit a serious emergency: the coffee maker is fried!"
Kaitlyn said.

"What?!"

"Game over, man! We're doomed!"
Tyler added on.

"Not if I can help it! It just so happens that the campus coffee shop is only a short walk away from our dorm! Even better, the barista is a total babe. His name is Brandon, and he basically looks like he was carved by Michelangelo. Please, please come with me, Nicki! You can be my wing-girl! Plus, we'll get enough coffee to keep everyone awake and typing!"

"Please go with, Zack. Please Nicki! We need that coffee, and if Zack goes on his own, he'll spend all night working up the courage to talk to Brandon!"
Tyler immediately said.