Champagne Problems

T E N

"Go left!" Riley shouts from the passenger seat. "No, the other left!" he corrects, as Jérome, with his messy green hair flopping over his forehead, turns the wheel to the right, veering in the wrong direction once again. Riley wonders how Jérome ever managed to get his driver's license, especially since he's just run another red light.

Jérome grins sheepishly. "I knew that," he jokes, spinning the wheel to turn the car back around.

They finally pull onto the Valrose campus, the car bouncing slightly on the uneven cobblestones. "This place is massive," Yves says, leaning forward from the back seat to get a better look at the sprawling grounds. He's still got a year left before he heads off to university himself, and being here is already making him excited about what's to come, even if he's unsure of what he wants to study.

Yves and Levi are about to start their senior year of high school, while Jérome is fresh out, having just graduated. Riley's already ahead of the game, halfway through his first year of college, but the idea of all four of them being together in one place for school excites them.

Jérome pulls into the parking lot in front of the main university building. Today is the open day, and the campus is buzzing with activity—students, prospective students, faculty members, and vendors setting up their stands. There's a sea of colorful brochures, eager faces, and the hum of excitement filling the air.

Jérome parks the car and steps out, his green hair catching the sunlight as it blows slightly in the wind. "Alright, let's go find us a place to live!" he says with a grin, tossing his keys into his pocket.

Riley chuckles and shakes his head as they all step onto the campus, joining the throng of people milling around. Jérome's got this goofy energy that's both endearing and chaotic, but Riley wouldn't trade him for anything. It's part of what makes their group dynamic so fun.

As they weave through the crowd, Yves spots a familiar face. "Hey, Fenna!" he calls, spotting the blonde waitress from the café. She's standing at one of the university's general information booths, handing out flyers with that dazzling smile of hers.

"Yves! What are you doing here?" Fenna asks, waving him over.

Yves grins and shrugs. "I'm helping my friends find a place on campus. What about you? I didn't know you worked here."

Fenna laughs lightly, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm just helping out today for the open house. My mom works here, and they needed extra hands."

"Well, they're lucky to have you," Yves says smoothly, trying to keep his cool. "You should come watch our band sometime. Levi's our lead singer, and he's pretty good."

"You guys are in a band?" Fenna's eyes light up with interest. "That's awesome! You know, my boss at the café is always looking for live music. If you're interested, I could set something up for you."

Yves almost chokes on his excitement. "Seriously? That'd be amazing!"

"Yeah, totally," Fenna nods. "Just give me Levi's number, and I'll text him with the details."

Yves quickly hands over Levi's number, grinning. "You'll hear from him soon."

As they say goodbye and walk away from the booth, Jérome bursts out laughing. "Levi's going to freak out. He can barely talk to girls, let alone text one."

Yves smirks. "He owes me big time for this."

The trio make their way across campus toward the dorms. They stop at one of the smaller, older dormitories where a young woman with long black hair greets them at the door. Her accent is unmistakably French, and she's wearing a university shirt tucked into her ripped jeans.