Project Popularity

Chapter Nineteen (Part I)

Dedicated to Justin for the gorgeous banner on the side:) 

Chapter Nineteen

Luke Archer

Usually on Saturdays I don't get up until noon, which is why sitting across from Summer of all people in Starbucks at nine o'clock in the freaking morning was the last thing that I felt like doing. But with the deadline of our Marketing project two days away, I didn't really have much of a choice. And as far as I knew, we were the only group in our class who hadn't even gotten started.

Huge thanks to that idiot of a teacher who paired us up.

I didn't get home until four a.m. this morning. Bryce and Roger fell asleep on the beach and Aimee and I really did try our best to wake them before we took off but they didn't even as much as stir. So if they got swept away by the waves or something, no one could blame us for not trying.

" I think we're off to a good start," Summer enthused, looking too damn cheerful for my liking.

I glanced at the screen scoffed at her. The two of us had been sitting in front of her laptop for twenty minutes already and so far we'd only managed to squeeze out two words: Marketing Project. If this was a good start, I didn't know what a bad one was.

Yawning, I rubbed my eyes and racked my brain for more ideas. As exhausted as I was last night- or perhaps I should say this morning- I didn't sleep a wink when I got home. I don’t even know what was bothering me. I kept rolling and tossing, which was abnormal for me considering I was usually one of those people who fell straight asleep right after hitting the sack.

"This is so hard," she sighed. "I'm running out of ideas."

"Running out of ideas?" I repeated incredulously. "You haven't contributed any."

She shot me a sharp look and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I don't see you suggesting anything."

If she was doing this purpose to get a rise out of me, it was working.

"You shot down all the ideas that I suggested!" I snapped, scowling.

"You suggested that we pick cars or sports drink as our product," she scrunched up her nose. "Male products. You are such a sexist, Luke. Seriously."

Cars and sports drink were male products? Was she intentionally trying to sound ridiculous? Besides, it was a homework assignment. It wasn't like we actually had to promote the product that we selected in real life. What part of "I want to get this over with as quickly as possible" did she not understand?

Keep calm, keep calm, keep calm…

"Cellphones," I suggested, noticing her iPhone vibrating on the table. If she says no to this one too, then I'm done.

She bobbed a nod, agreeing to something for the first time since she stepped into the room. "Great. Should I type that down?"