Thrill of the Chase

"Whoa!" Avery exclaimed."Look, Avery, there it is – the University of the Philippines," I declared.Avery, my lifelong friend since diapers, turned to me in awe, saying, "I'm at a loss for words, Isabella.""Are you ready?" I asked, my arms straining from the weight of the first of many unopened boxes we still had to carry."As ready as I'll ever be," she replied.With that, we entered the renowned campus, making our way to Manzanita Village, our home for the next four years.Ever since we visited UP during a class trip with Mr. Coleman from Our Lady of Fatima University in the Philippines, Avery and I had dreamt of coming here. We fell in love with the campus atmosphere and the programs it offered – Avery's voice program for her exceptional singing talent and the film and media studies program for my passion for the movie industry. Four years had passed, and now we were living the Filipino Dream.As Avery went to unlock our shared room, she mused, "I can't imagine not rooming with y

My throbbing hangover feels like Super Sonic slamming headfirst into a brick wall, I mused upon awakening.I had only roused myself from slumber about five minutes ago, and while my senses were still hazy, at least I could see again, albeit not very clearly. I remained at the frat house from the previous night, sprawled on a soft couch that would forever bear the imprint of my sunken-in posterior. I gingerly attempted to sit up, but an oppressive weight on my stomach sent me tumbling back down. I closed my eyes briefly, reaching out to remove this rock-like object. To my surprise, instead of a rock, my hand encountered something lengthy and slender—a hand.Upon opening my eyes, I discovered that this hand belonged to my good friend Noah Evans, who was conked out on the nearby table. Emitting a groan, I swiftly liberated his arm from my midsection, inadvertently smacking him in the face and jolting him awake."It wasn't me, honest!" Noah sputtered with wide eyes, before realization daw

Despite my sleepless night, I managed to get up and dressed for the first day of school, feeling fully prepared.Once Avery headed off to work, Deborah called to share her job news. She asked me to review my class schedule and email her my availability before completing other paperwork. My sleep had been sporadic throughout the week, making this morning's awakening a struggle."Ready to go?" Avery inquired as she swung her backpack over her shoulder."Now I am," I responded, tossing a blue Sour Patch Kid into my mouth with a wink.She rolled her eyes, smiled, and grabbed a blue candy for herself. We made our way to the English department together, both enrolled in Introduction to Shakespeare with the same professor. Don't ask why; you'll soon find out. At least we had each other in the class."I can't believe this was the only English course left," Avery grumbled as we located seats towards the back of the lecture room. "I adore Shakespeare's plays, but if we have to craft our sonnets

"So, is it a sleepover with Jake or not?" Avery inquires, sipping her tea — pun intended.I respond, "No, far from it. I spent the last hour of my Friday night escorting a lunatic who seemed hell-bent on self-destruction home." I recount the tale to Avery."No way!" She practically shrieks. "I knew I'd made the right choice with him! And using the IV drip as a diversion... you go, girl! Works like a charm to play hard to get.""Yeah, well, maybe a little too well," I mutter.Honestly, I hadn't anticipated him actually wanting to walk me home. I thought he'd give up after a few rejections."You can say that again," Avery quips, winking. "It's pretty evident he's already into you.""Whatever," I quickly retort before her thoughts run amok. "So, how was your night with Kalix?"She lets out that sigh she only does when she's truly content or satisfied."Isabelle, it was mind-blowing. Seriously, the best time I've ever had with a guy.""Really?" I ask, genuinely surprised. "Even better tha

I turn to Avery and inquire, "You sure you don't mind tackling the laundry tonight, G? I can handle it when I get back."With a shirt folded in hand, I finish my thought. Avery lets out a sigh, and I pick up one of her shirts, saying, "After all, isn't the whole point of being your little sister to make your life easier? So, no worries, I'll take care of the laundry.""I don't care what you say, but I'm not letting you give up. It doesn't matter that you haven't spoken to that guy in a month; the semester isn't over yet," Avery insists."You're crazy," I reply, shaking my head."No, I believe in fate and miracles. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm already late for my date," she retorts.I respond with a smile, "Tell Kalix I said hi.""And make sure Connor doesn't sleep in my bed," Avery adds.We share a laugh, and she heads out, leaving me alone until Connor arrives.Indeed, a lot had happened in the past month. Avery and Kalix continued hanging out, still an adorable couple after three w