I am going to kill them. I'm seriously late for my class. Mandy and Ursa didn't bother to wake me up! The point of having two roommates is having two beautiful walking alarm clocks.

I ran through the people walking opposite to me on the campus galleria, apologizing when I bumped into their strange shoulders. Why is everyone walking so slow today!

I decided to take a shortcut by the unfinished building near me. It's ajoined to the building where I need to be. I'm glad the school postponed constructing this because of the on-going exams as much as I'm glad only a few people walk through here. There's not much to see here, just scaffolding, rough cement everywhere and a few couples making out in far corners. I cringed at the thought. I hope I don't witness any today.

I hiked the stairway, clutching my term paper only to see my shoelace is undone. Tying it means I have to stop, I'm already late so I can't spare a second. One thing I'm also glad about is it's not uniform day today or I would have had to run in heels and skirt.

I reached the third floor panting, my breath echoing the corridor. I think my lungs are gonna give out anytime soon.

The hallway is so quiet, either indicating that there are no one in this floor or exams are already on-going.

I walked over to the third room on my right and smoothed my hair with my hand. I opened the door, all eyes on me suddenly. Everyone was sitting far apart and taking the exam. Some were smiling at me, although I have no idea why. My being late amuses them?

"Glad you could make it, Ms. Stevens." Mr. Hart roared... I think. I don't know if he was shouting or the surrounding was just hushed and my hearing was heightened due to running. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna show up."

I calmed myself down. I feel like I'm gonna cry because my legs are giving out on me and I'm a little embarrassed to be arriving this late.

I told myself, Mr. Hart couldn't be mad at me. I'm his favorite student!

"I'd like a 4.0 gpa sir. I'm here to take the test."

His tall figure was leaning on his desk and one of his hand was on his pant pocket and the other was holding a book I don't recognize. His wavy hair combed neatly. I focused on his face, his blue eyes were dead serious.

Oh no, maybe I caught him on a bad day. Those kind of days are rare for him because he's usually nice to me.

I still feel everyone's eyes on me and I caught Ursa looking at me meaningfully. Was that a signal for me to get out? I returned her look as to say "you didn't wake me up!"

Then I decided that the floor looks interesting. I waited for Mr. Hart to tell me to get out. He's a strict-friendly kind of professor. I'm positive no that I've caught him on his strict side this time. He usually lets me slide because I'm one his smartest student. And I was always ON TIME.

Not this time, V.

A few more quiet seconds. It was getting awkward just standing here. Maybe I should leave. I was about to when... he laughed.

I looked up suddenly. What's so funny? Some students also joined him as if they find it amusing that I'm late and I'm here to take the test.

"Alright, take a seat." He walks over and hands me a few sheets of papers stapled together. I took them quickly before he changes his mind.

He must have seen my confused look because he began talking again. "I can't believe I won. I made a bet with this fools that even though I gave you a B+ for your final grade in advance, you would still take the exam to make that an A+. Plus ten points for who were with me."

Some students celebrated. I hear people high-fiving. Yeah right, ten points couldn't save you if you didn't study. The subjects he teaches are difficult. That's why I stayed up all night studying for the test.

I glared at him although I was relieved internally. I can't believe this man! He did give me a B+ as a final grade and asked me not to come to his class anymore for I already pass. Any student would be happy to accept that. I didn't reject the B+ but I also didn't accept it. I continued coming to his class and performing as I should. Goodness, I'm on a scholarship where I only pay half my dues but I'd still fancy me some As.

I feigned a hurt expression. "I can't believe you guys bet on that for extra points."

"And I can't believe you're here to get an upgrade from B+ to A plus!" Ursa shouted jokingly from her seat, her spiral locks bouncing with mischief.

I shot her a look and she winked at me. She owes me coffee after this. AND A BAGEL!

I turned to Mr. Hart pointing my term paper at him. This good-looking man thinks like a child, seriously. "And you, with all due respect sir, you should be ashamed of yourself. Here's my term paper."

I shot him a look.

He held his stomach, laughed and took my term paper. "Come on, Stevens. We've all been through a week. It's nice to have a laugh once in a while. Now take a seat. Quiet down everyone, fun's over. Finish the test."

He was back to professor-mode. I sat down on the empty seat beside Michael and Ursa. They both laughed at me silently and I laughed as well. I have to admit it was a little bit funny.

"You owe me breakfast." I mouthed to Ursa.

And she mouthed back, "You're on."

•••

The bell rings after half an hour and some of the students stands up, excluding me.

"Five minutes." Hart announces.

I encircled my final answer, stood up and passed the test paper to Mr. Hart. I smiled at him genuinely, relieved that the term is over.

I stood beside him and collected the remaining test papers. As a teacher's assistant, I get to help teachers from our department to do stuff like this. That's why Mr. Hart and I are like friends. "How's Liz?" His wife is pregnant. I've met her at a branch thrown for investors by the university and we instantly hit it off.

"She's doing great! Getting a little conscious about her body lately. Still as beautiful though."

"Tell her I'll visit her when I have time." I said as Michael went over and placed his test paper on to my pile, winking at me as he turned to leave. "See you around, Mike."

"She'd love that. Listen, you take the time off tonight, Stevens. I'll check the papers on my own." I was going to protest but he started again, "Teacher's assistants need to have a day or two off too you know."

"Oh yeah, I could go visit--" I started. A rest day to visit Liz would be good.

"No, not for that. It's Ursa's birthday today. She said you girls are going to celebrate."

"What? I didn't know tha--" I knew it was Ursa's birthday but I didn't know I was coming to celebrate with her.

"Thanks Mr. H. You're seriously the coolest professor ever, did you know?" Ursa cut me off. She stuck her tongue at me and I stuck mine at her too.

She placed her test paper down on my pile.

"You're twenty-two and you two still act like children." Hart commented.

"Coming from the professor who made a childish bet with his students." I scoffed.

"At least I didn't bet against you. I knew you'd never accept a B plus." He took the pile of papers from me and collected his thing. "Alright ladies, got to go home. Angry pregnant wife waiting."

We laughed at that last part as he left us in the classroom.

I walked over to collect my things from my armchair when Ursa made a comment. "I'd tap that ass if he weren't married or anything, honestly."

"Oh please don't be gross. He's our professor." I looked around. Thank goodness everyone's left. Ursa is probably my most perverted friend. I don't know why I look out for people who might hear her. Everyone knows how she is.

"Oh please, Mary." She mocked. "You can not be not attracted to him somehow. Have you seen him? He's a snack. He's like Clark Kent but in this universe, he ends up as a Math major."

"I'm gonna forget you just said all that because you're my friend and it's your birthday." I threw my arm around her shoulders and we walked out of the classroom. "Let's go get Mandy and grab a bite."

Mandy's not from our department. She and Ursa became friends when they were freshmen, then Ursa decided to adopt me and we all became friends, and roommates eventually. Mandy's the mother in the group. Ursa's the liberated one. I'm obviously the smart one who stays back at the apartment and do her homework.

•••

"Ow! Can you be gentler?" I held on to the edge of the drawer as Ursa attacks my eyelids with her brush.

"Still your tits. It's like your first night out in this lifetime so this has to be perfect."

"I cannot believe you two even convinced me to join you tonight, you even made me wear a thong." I complained but the idea of me in a club partying isn't really something I'd like to whine about. It's okay to go out once in a while and have fun with friends. Plus, Mr. Hart practically ordered me to go with them. If you haven't noticed yet, going out tonight we'll be like a homework.

"Can you loosen up just little? It's a Friday night, and the last day of the term. Our lives have been hell for the last two weeks. What better things do you have to do? I need to get laid and we only have like two weeks of vacation before the new term hits us in the face with more schoolwor--" Ursa went on. She reminds me of my mother. If my mother wore the same red skimpy dress she's wearing.

"Oh my god, Ursa. She'll loosen up just shut the fuck up." Not even Mandy can stand her blabbering. She looks at me and said, "Turn on your party mode for me hon, or I'll never hear the end of Mandy's admonition."

I laughed, my eyes half open I saw Mandy looking at me meaningfully. I won't do anything that might trigger Mandy to run her mouth again. It's deafening, honestly.

I fully open my eyes as Ursa finished with my make up. I saw Mandy standing by the door wearing leather pants and a white crop top, holding a martini glass and a pair of black stilettos that would match the dress they both made me wear.

"Drink up. It'll kick start our Friday." She hands me both the martini and the shoes.

I turned on my "party mode" as she said earlier and I downed it in one go.

I grimaced. A salty and olive-y liquid ran down my throat and it felt hot. It's not my first time to drink alcohol, I've experienced this with my brother and cousins when I was like seventeen or something. I'm pretty sure there should be an olive garnish in the glass.

"Sorry, I ate the olives." She shrugged and Ursa laughed hard.

I turned to the large mirror on Ursa's wall and looked at my reflection. Geez, what has Ursa done? They made me wear this "LBD" as they both call it. It's very simple, the neck line is deep but it's not too revealing. I could wear a white shirt under it and it would look good. Although, they wouldn't allow me. I could just imagine Ursa's nonstop nagging if I even suggest it out loud. Though, I'm glad the skirt is flimsy because I don't feel like wearing anything too tight tonight.

"Isn't my dress a little too short?" I asked.

They laughed, as hard as they could. What did I say now?

"She... thinks... above the... knee is short" Ursa said between her loud laugh, Mandy giggling with her.

Fine. It's not even that short. I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, you guys are insufferable. At least the dress has pockets. "

Mandy put an arms around me. "Let's go."

"Come on. It's time to parteyyy." Ursa howled and we headed out of the apartment.

•••

Mandy parked her convertible at the free space beside the club.

"Wait you guys," Ursa said just before we get off the car.

She hands both of us a box of contraceptives from her purse. "Drink a pill, just in case things get a little out of hand tonight."

Mandy takes her box and pops a pill in her mouth.

What? I sort of panicked. No, I don't plan on getting laid tonight!

"Just a precaution, Vi. It doesn't promise you'll be having sex tonight." Ursa laughed as if sensing my discomfort. "You can stop drinking if your ass remains unlaid by tomorrow."

I shot her a look and popped on a pill. I swallowed it easily since it was really small. I left the rest of the pills on the car seat since I wouldn't be needing it tonight anyway.

"Prevention is better than cure, hon." Mandy patted my back and since this was a backless dress i felt her warm hand on my skin. "Remember what I told you?"

"Party mode on?" Unsure. She has told me a lot of things tonight.

"Perfect! Forget other shit you're still thinking about right now. Forget school and work." She beamed. To be honest, I wasn't thinking of anything, maybe it was because of the martini? Or my brain knows that I deserve some fun too.