Crystal

Part 1.1

=Olivera University=
=12:59 P.M.=

Between Mercer Library and Andres Hall was a seven-minute walk--or a four-minute sprint--along with nearly fifty people, just standing around like they had nowhere to be. At the end of this overpopulated grayscale rainbow stood the Astronomy midterm. Doors closed permanently at noon sharp.

Oh. Shit.

Crystal's red sneakers pounded against the pavement as she ran into the crowd. She juked to the left away from the guy in green, only to nearly bump into the lady with the hoops dangling from her ears. She spun, then ducked under a paper sign that a pair of burly dudes were holding from either side. The salty, earthy smell of sweat and prolonged B.O. slithered up her nostrils as her lungs burned in their struggle for air, and the taste of bile mixed with that of blood.

Can't... stop... running!

Faster...

She moved her legs faster once she broke free of the crowd. A spiraling, white tower of a building came into view just a few feet away. The class she needed to be in--294C--was just past those sliding glass doors.

Pumping her lean arms as much as she could, Crystal did her best to beat the clock. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Professor Luna strolling into the building far to the right, carrying a briefcase in her gloved left hand.

Crystal was out of time.

"Professor Luna!"

The older woman froze in her tracks and turned on a booted heel, then adjusted her glasses. Her face scrunched up in disbelief. "Crystal?"

Crystal slowed her sprint to a jog. The world was spinning in ways that she didn't think were possible. Her legs felt like something between jelly and pudding; the ground beneath her seemed like it was mere moments from giving way to a bottomless pit.

"Sorry... I woke... up late." She could barely pant the words out. "I--"

"Shhhhhhh." Professor Luna wagged her finger. "I don't need you to finish that."

Crystal caught her breath and stood from her hunched position. Her clothes clung to her like an unwanted hug. The sun boiled the sweat on her skin, and she frantically tried wiping it off in response.

"You still have a midterm to do, you know." Professor Luna had already started walking through the doors. "I've already given you grace, Miss Winters!"

"C-coming!" Crystal called out.

========================

"Yo." 

Crystal walked out of the building and saw Max Van Ness standing outside, perched on their  scooter. Their gray eyes followed her down the stairs, watching as her face transformed from one bearing a fake smile to a grimaced expression.

Max lifted a brow. "I... take it the midterm didn't go well."

"Fifty percent," Crystal confirmed. "Definitely not showing Grandma Mint this. She'd fire me without even blinking."

"Counter-terrorism has a GPA requirement?"

"At least a 3.1 every quarter."

"Ewwwww."

She walked past Max, who began scooting slowly beside her. "Have you ever had a professor tell you that they expected better of you? It's the second worst thing they could tell you."

"Just below, 'Ooo, sorry. I changed the due time an hour ago. Should've checked your e-mails.'?"

"... Fair. Did you ever get that taken care of?"

Max chuckled and sighed before dropping the smirk. "Do you see Devin LaRue working here anymore?"

"You got him fired?"

"Pretty easily, actually. Apparently, he's done it before. The review committee didn't even bat an eyelash before voting for his termination."

"Huh."

The two walked down the pavement for a while, passing by several different groups. There were the smokers standing outside the red-bricked Bryson Hall, easily identified by their vape pens and their tired, sullen expressions. Then, there was the usual five-person study group out on the lawn, focusing as quietly as they could.

Max cleared their throat before scooting a bit faster. "So, how's star magic treating you? Still refusing to take on an actual science?"

Crystal glared at them before speeding up to a power walk. "It's a grind. I think Sagittarius might be mad at me this time."

"Why's that?" Max turned their head and gave a smug grin. "Did you use her bow for annoying the squirrels again?"

"I will not confirm nor deny that statement, but there is a distinct possibility that it does involve squirrels."

"Possibility?"

"Shut up, Max."

"So, squirrels."

"... Yes, squirrels."

Max shook their head as they stepped off the scooter. The vehicle faded into a luminous frame before disappearing entirely. "Sucks to suck, man. Think Aries might be less... opposed to your existence?"

Crystal shrugged. She looked up ahead, noticing a crowd of people beginning to form. The chatter grew louder, and from what could be seen, students and faculty wore frustrated and worried expressions. One or two of them were talking on their cell phones, glancing either at the chrome-and-glass skyscraper called the Union Building that stood off to the right, or at Mercer Library, something that looked like a cross between a greenhouse and the DMV. They were likely looking for landmarks to give directions, but she couldn't be sure.

"Hold on," Crystal said, sticking her arm out in front of Max. "Was there a protest going on today?"

"What?" Max moved Crystal's arm back to her side. "No, not that I know of. Though..."

Max turned their head over their shoulder. Reluctantly, Crystal followed their gaze back towards the lawn, where the students that had been lying in the grass were. 

Where'd they go?

"No need to wonder, Honey Darlin'!" said an annoying, high-pitched voice. "Pixie Riley, forger of emergency missives and campus demonstrations, is right here, in your face and ready to serve!"