May 14

    The week of AP exams burnt us out. By the time our Calculus exam rolled around, Jack gave up and bubbled in his answers in the pattern of a sword. With my luck, he'd end up with a higher score than me. On Friday night, my mother got us takeout from Fadlan's Falafels to celebrate.

     I was still surprised and delighted that I'd been invited (to be fair, I think everyone in the senior class was) to the bonfire. It wasn't a formal event like prom, but I still chose my outfit out carefully (a just-laundered Nirvana t-shirt and grey jeans) and put on some aftershave despite the fact I didn't need to shave. I'm a rebel in that way.

     Alex looked splendid in a pink tank top, a green flannel, and grey jeans. Her eyes were sparkling with glee as we said goodbye to my mother. "Call me if you have any troubles," she said as we waited outside for Amir to pick us up. "And whatever you do, don't talk to Uncle Randolph."

       The air outside was balmy and Alex soon tied her flannel around her waist. When Amir drove up, he smiled and we slid into the backseats. "No notes with you," he noted.

      "I already shredded them," Alex said, "and then put them in the recycling bin."

    I laughed. "You'll make TJ proud."

Amir smiled. "Is that why you didn't bring yours?"

"No, actually I still got a few finals left," I answered.

"But we finished the AP exams!" Alex exclaimed.

"I have to pass the test in US Constitution with a 70 or above to graduate," I said.

"Pity you didn't take that class earlier," Amir said.

When he parked by Sam's house, her grandparents walked her out to the car. "You'll keep an eye on her, won't you Alex?" Bibi asked.

Alex nodded, straightening herself and trying to look serious. "I'll keep my eyes peeled too," I said.

Once Sam's grandparents were gone, she threw me a glare. "I don't need supervision."

"I dare say you do," I said. "If Alex and me aren't careful, you two might hold hands or something."

Amir and Sam both blushed. Neither of them said anything as Amir drove the rest of the way to Magni and Mothi's mansion; there was no other word for it. Though it wasn't quite as large as Freya's sprawling property, it was still of epic proportions. "Who built this?" I wondered.

The streets were packed full of cars, so we had to park a ten minute walk away. "I have never put this much effort into getting to a party," Alex said.

       We met the rest of Floor Nineteen, as TJ had affectionately dubbed us, outside the gates of the mansion. A large, illuminated sign on the gate read "Bright Crack." Every time someone passed the threshold of the gates, I'd hear the words "Bright Crack" accompanied by heavenly music. "Whose idea was this?" I asked as we entered the place.

      "My mother thinks it's cool," Magni answered.

     I almost choked on a combination of nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and other assorted elements in a gaseous state. "It's very cool," I said. "Your mother is a genius."

    Mothi laughed. "I think it's kinda annoying, but our mother wouldn't budge."

     I let out a sigh of relief. I had almost committed a faux-pas within a minute of joining the party. "Well, see you around," Magni told us. "I hope you stay for the bonfire."

    The party was held outside on the sprawling lawn. There was music playing, but perhaps because we were outside, it was faint. Most of the noise came from the conversations of students. My friends and I found a place to talk near the swimming pool and we watched some seniors practice their dives as we chatted. "Graduation is next week," TJ remarked.

"I'm going to miss school," Halfborn said.

Mallory rolled her eyes. "There is still college."

      Halfborn let out a sigh. "But it won't be the same."

      "You're right," Mallory said. "It will be better. You'll have more control over your classes and your schedule."

     "Plus, we're all going to Asgard University," TJ said. "We'll have fun together."

     "We might not have the same classes," Sam warned.

      TJ shrugged. "We all have to take some gen eds."

      "Besides, classes won't take up all of our time," Jack pointed out. "College students have class only a few hours a day."

      "What do they spend the rest of their days doing?" Blitzen asked.

      "Homework," Sam said flatly.

      "Aww, shucks," Jack said. "I was hoping to make an album in my free time."

      "Surely we won't be doing homework all the time?" Blitzen asked.

    Sam opened her mouth to say something, but at that point our conversation was interrupted by Magni's magnified voice. "Will you all join us for the blessed bonfire on the southeast side of the back lawn?"

     "Who gave them a loudspeaker?" Blitzen wondered.

     "Someone without much sense," Alex replied.

      "Probably their father," Sam stated.

The bonfire turned out to have a ten foot radius. Smoke rose from the huge fire and I made sure to stay ten feet away, so my lungs wouldn't go asthmatic on me. People threw their notes into the fire with whoops and cheers. "No more algebra!" one senior shouted.

"I'll never write about Grettir's Saga again!" another shouted.

   Halfborn shook his head and clicked his tongue. "It's a pity this generation has no appreciation for Icelandic literature."

     Mallory poked him. "You are such a nerd when it comes to Nordic history."

      "And you're a nerd about Irish history," Halfborn replied with a grin. "Who else can rant for three hours about the Easter Rising?"

       "Hearthstone is a medieval nerd," Blitzen added.

        "And you're a fashion one," Hearthstone signed back.

        Alex laughed and slapped me on the back. "We're all nerds here."

    The bonfire was still burning, but we had tired of inhaling smoke. TJ struck up a tune of "Make Way for the Nerds" as we headed towards the snack table. As I walked with my friends, I felt warmth in my heart; I'd never known a party could be so much fun.