Lipgloss || A Chris Sturniolo Fanfic

School, Study, Sleep... Party

"Yes, mom, I'm getting all of my assignments finished," I say to my phone that's sitting on the table beside me on speaker, "I'm doing the best I can. I'm getting A's and high B's. There's nothing to worry about!" Exasperation is clear in my voice as my mom badgers me about school. She just wants me to succeed, and I get that. I appreciate it, even! But when she gets like this, calling 3 times a day and stressing over the smallest of details, I feel a bit like I'm going insane. "I have to go, I'm studying, bye!" I rush out and hang up before she gets the chance to continue.

Heaving a large sigh, I slump down in my chair, trying to mentally prepare myself for the next several hours of studying I have to do. My days have recently consisted of going to class, studying, and sleeping when I can find the time. Boston University wasn't the easiest school to get into, what with an 18% acceptance rate, and a tuition that literally costs more than my house. I have to keep my grades up if I want to stay here, and the only way to do that is to sleep for 3 hours (if that) every night, have a granola bar and a lukewarm black coffee on the way to class in the morning, and study for the rest of my free time. If that sounds miserable, that's because it is.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have this opportunity and the resources available to me to be able to get a good college education, but goddamn if I'm not exhausted. 

"MARGOT!" Shelby comes bursting into our dorm room, holding a white paper bag in one hand, and a drink holder in the other, while trying to keep her large purse on her shoulder by tipping her body to the right and moving her arm up and down to bounce it back up to sit nicely in the spot it's supposed to. She almost loses her balance, but I shoot up from my desk in time to give her a hand. 

"Shelby, you've got to stop wearing heals everywhere. You're going to break your ankle." I sigh and sit back down once she's gained her balance. 

"I got us some Basho while I was out!" Shelby says excitedly, setting the bag of food the coffee table in the middle of the room.

I immediately perk up at the sound of my favorite sushi place and turn around in my chair, eyeing her suspiciously, "You only get me Basho when you're trying to suck up to me. What did you do?" I get up and walk over to the table and sit down on the floor in front of it. 

"I didn't do anything! I was just wondering if you would-" 

"I'm not going out tonight, Shelbs."

"Oh come on, I didn't even finish my sentence!" she complains.

"Were you going to ask if I would go out tonight?"

Shelby bites her lip and turns her face away from me, "Maybe," She says quietly, "but please? You never come out! You're always up here studying or whatever!" She begs, throwing her arms up and letting them fall back down to her sides.

I let out a deep breath and reach into the bag to get out my Pheonix Roll.  I stare at the red and green dish and contemplate weather or not I could go without studying for one night. My mom will kill me if she finds out. But I need a break at some point. But what if this one night of not studying changes everything? My brain might actually explode if I have to read one more word of The Scarlett Letter tonight, though. 

"Fine." I breathe out. It's silent for a moment before I look up to see Shelby with her lips parted and her eyes wide. "What?" I ask her. The next moment she's jumping up and down and coming around the table to hug me and squeal in my ear.

"Oh, we're going to have so much fun!" She says with her arms still engulfing me in a hug. It's an awkward position seeing as I'm sitting cross legged on the floor, and she's crouching down beside me to wrap her arms around my shoulders. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She praises.