Shorthand

checkmate (part two)

Amelia hummed under her breath, the reverberations of a melody shadowed by the familiar clicking of keys as she wrote her college paper and let her mind wander in between words in her thesis.

Grace and Jesse were engaged, according to the group chat for her class's 5 year high school reunion. Amelia was a senior in a state college for economics. Her father ran an art studio below their apartment. In her school of heirs and privilege? She was nothing.

Grace and Jesse were partnering their companies which they had inherited from their parents. Learning the trades of the family business, making choices about layovers and investments and having meetings with other large corporations. Amelia lived rather stagnantly, a constant routine of attending classes and talking to her roommate (and closest friend), Olivia Van August, about her lack of a life.

"I'm not going to the reunion," Amelia decided. "My only real friend there was Jesse, and ever since I so clumsily fell for him there's no way I can face him when he's engaged to the shining star of our school."

"Lia, corporations fake relationships all the time to add justification to a risky partnership. At least, I think so." Olivia was sprawled on the couch on her phone, watching Amelia pace the small dorm room in her peripheral. "Calm down, would you? You're going."

"Livy-"

"Lia!" Olivia exclaimed, exasperatedly flinging her hands about. "I'll help you get ready, okay?"

Amelia stopped, her hands fidgeting. She groaned, long and suffering, before giving her friend a grudging nod. "Alright, fine. God, love is so depressing."

"Just you, my friend," Olivia said with a strange smile. Right, Olivia was newly in a relationship with Luke Chandler, the college's quarterback. A relationship that seemed to have spring out of nowhere, at least to Amelia, but she was inclined to approve of.

"Fine. Help me get ready, but absolutely no pink!"

Olivia grinned wickedly, like an amused Cheshire cat, and leaped to her feet in excitement. "Brilliant! By the time I'm done with you, even Grace will wish she was you, Lia!"

"I...doubt that," Amelia chuckled, shaking her head. But still, her heart held out hope. Held onto Jesse Wade.