Calista

College was making me nocturnal.

It was only a few weeks into the semester and the all-nighters had already started. I was heading onto hour eight of working on the latest research report—caffeine fuelled my sleep deprived brain. I'd spent most of the past two hours trying to keep my eyes open. The light from my laptop seared them dry. Sitting in a dimly lit dorm room probably wasn't one of my wisest ideas either. I rubbed at my eyes, willing the discomfort away. What was I thinking when I convinced myself that taking an additional biochemistry course would be a good idea?

It's alright, I reminded myself. A few more pages and I'll be able to sleep for the entirety of the weekend.

The torture would be worth it. It had to be. Otherwise, why would anyone put themselves through a treacherous university degree? I rested my head in my hands for a moment. If this is what my undergrad consisted of, I can only imagine what a prospective Master's degree would be like. Maybe I should get my bachelor of nursing and get out while I still could.

The lock on my dorm room jiggled and I swivelled in my seat. At this point I'd welcome any excuse to turn away from the jumble of words on the screen.

"Calista Madison Hale, that cup of coffee better not be the only thing you had today," Ella, my roommate, said with an accusatory finger.

The mug came to a halt below my parted lips. "I don't have a middle name. Where did you get Madison from?"

"It was the first thing that came to mind. It kinda has a nice ring to it, dontcha think?"

I raised a brow in response, taking a swig of the now-cold coffee.

"You're so talented," I muttered.

Ella flashed me a beaming smile, dropping her keys on the entry table. "Thanks."

"How was class?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't grill me about living off of americanos and breakfast sandwiches from our dorm's cafeteria.

"Same old, same old. New concepts taught by prehistoric professors. I might as well be teaching myself at this point." Ella threw herself back onto her bed. She sighed. "How about you? How's the paper going?"

"It's going... well."

"You haven't moved since I left this morning. Did you at least shower?" Ella asked.

A twinge of self-consciousness bubbled up as I took in my stained Fenton U sweater that I had slept in the night prior. "I'm working on it."

Ella raised her brows, a knowing smile on her face. "Well, when you're ready, I bought this new hair mask when I went downtown with the girls the other day. It smells delicious. You can use it if you'd like."

I envied people like Ella Gillard. People that could stay out all night at the campus bar, and still manage to hand in a project the following morning. People that managed to lead a social life while waist deep in the university trenches. People that kept their head above water and didn't have to pull all-nighters.

Girls that were sweet and gorgeous simultaneously.

"Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you." I returned her smile. A self-care day sounded perfect.

"How much more do you have to go?" She asked, pulling her blonde tendrils into a high ponytail.

I hummed, turning back to my laptop to glance over my notes. "Not too much... a couple more pages and then the work cited."

"Does that mean you'll actually have time to come out this weekend?" Ella asked from her position on her bed. There was already a romance novel securely in her hands.

"Honestly, probably not."

"And why not?" Ella pouted over the open pages.

I spun around again and crossed my legs. "You know that Master's program I've been telling you about? The one I want to apply to for next year?"

"Yeah?"

I pulled out a loose thread from my sweatpants. "Well I finally got Hamilton to agree to write me a reference letter."

Even though I couldn't see her, I could hear Ella spring into a seated position, slapping her book down onto her unkempt comforter. "That's great!"

"But," I said, "in exchange he wants me to tutor a failing student of his from one of his anatomy blocks."

Ella's shoulder deflated. "Of course he does."

"Basically, I have to help this guy pass the course if I want that reference."

"Okay." She perked up, optimism shining from her cerulean eyes. "That'll be no problem. All he has to do is pass, right?"

"In theory..."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." Ella waved her hand as if shooing away an invisible fly. "You're a natural teacher. Remember that time I had you tutor Liam for one of his epidemiology courses? You hadn't even taken that course yet and still managed to help him."

"I still regret tutoring him."

"I regret asking you to help him," Ella muttered. "If I would have known the only reason why he wasn't doing well was because he was too busy spending his nights with other girls and pretending he was single, I wouldn't have put you through that."

Liam Doyle. That wasn't a name that I heard too often anymore.

Liam was Ella's high school boyfriend and the scumbag that broke her heart Junior year when she took a surprise trip down to his college in Texas and found another girl staying in his dorm room. Ella had been rightfully jaded ever since.

"I don't have time for boys," Ella had declared once she returned to campus. "I'm not going to become a high-power attorney crying over someone who isn't worth my time. "

"Whatever," Ella said, picking up her book again. "My original point is that you're going to knock this tutoring thing out of the park and get Hamilton's reference. No stress."

"I wish I was as optimistic as you are."

"What is there to be pessimistic about?"

Raising my hand, I pushed back the stray hairs that tickled my forehead. "I wouldn't say I'm a pessimist... I'm more of a realist." I motioned to the stack of cue-cards. "You see those over there? That's half of the material for a midterm I have coming up. Half. Between attending lectures, labs, studying for exams and practicum experience, I'm just worried I'm going to burn myself out before the semester is over. Maybe if there were ten more hours in a day I wouldn't feel like I was drowning."

A thoughtful wrinkle appeared between Ella's brows. As her lips parted, a fiery red mane appeared in the doorframe.

"Dinner is served," Harper said as she stepped into the room. A draw-string bag was dangling from shoulder and a white take-out bag was in her hand. If I had to guess, I would assume she was heading back from the gym.

She placed the bag on my clutter-filled desk. The plastic handles parted just enough for me to spy the sub sandwich inside. My mouth instantly started to water. I clearly hadn't realized how hungry I was.

"How did you know I haven't eaten yet?" I asked.

Harper gave me a knowing look as she plopped to the floor. "Consider it a lucky guess."

Having someone to remind you to eat is one of the many benefits of heading off to college with your childhood best friend.

"BLT with cheese?" I questioned, emptying the bag.

"BLT sans the B with extra, fake mozzarella."

I grinned at the sound of my usual order. "You're a saint."

"So, what are we talking about?" Harper asked, leaning up against Ella's bed.

"Cali's been conned into tutoring."

Well, when you say it like that...

"Tutoring?" Harper raised an eyebrow. "I thought you've sworn to never do that again."

By the time both sets of eyes landed on me, both of my cheeks were already stuffed with bread. "Weeell.." I tried to say.

The pair sat quietly, waiting for me to swallow. "Technically, I didn't get conned. I was offered the chance to tutor one of Hamilton's students in exchange for a reference letter."

"The reference letter?" Harper leaned in ever so slightly.

I nodded, biting back into my sandwich. "The reference letter."

"That's substantial, Cal." Harper continued as I nodded along. "You've been trying to find an automatic into that nursing program and you finally have it."

"Well," I said, placing the sub back onto its parchment wrapper. "I don't have it yet. I have my in, but if I don't successfully tutor this guy, I'm screwed."

Ella had propped her head up on her hand. "Like I said earlier, I don't see that being an issue."

"I don't know..." I said, stuffing one of the stray tomatoes back into the bun. "Not all students who are placed into supplemental instruction actually want it, you know? I just hope he doesn't give me a hard time."

"Do you know who you're tutoring yet?" Harper asked.

Dusting bread crumbs off my hands, I spun around to face my laptop. "Actually, I got an email about it earlier but I was too busy cross checking references to see what it said."

Harper and Ella were up in a flash, each of their heads over my shoulders. I scanned through my overflowing inbox before I came across the subject line: Supplemental Instruction Assignment.

The room was silent—the only noise came from the clicking of my mouse pad as I opened the email. I slid my finger along the laptop, scanning for any useful tidbits of information.

"Referral number. Professor. Course. Supplemental Instructor. Ah, there it is—student." I murmured to myself. With the cursor, I highlighted over the black text that read the name Lincoln Pierce.

"His name is—" I started before I felt a shift in the room.

Behind me, I could feel my best friends tense before they simultaneously said the most unnerving thing they could have possibly said at that moment.

"Fuck."

* * * * *

author's note:

It's looks like Lincoln's reputation proceeds him. I wonder why... ;)

See you Wednesday!