❛ Demetri, not all of us are up MIT's ass. ❜

     Before Miguel left for the night, he paused while packing up his things.

"Do you... wanna read my essay for Stanford? I-I haven't let anyone else read it yet, but... I'd like to know what you think."

Ayane looked up at him, nodding without hesitation. "Of course, yeah. Let's see it."

Miguel pulled his laptop out of his backpack, turning it on. Ayane had not even applied to Stanford yet, figuring she still had some time. But Miguel was clearly ahead of the game.

"It's not completely edited, so don't judge too harshly," he said, turning his laptop around to Ayane.

She shifted a little, bringing the computer to her lap as she began to read.

As it turned out, no surprise to Ayane, it was amazing. Miguel talked about who he was as a person, his love for karate, his accident and his coma.

She finished reading the essay, feeling a sense of pride for Miguel. Ayane looked up at him with a huge smile on her face.

"Miguel, it's amazing," she spoke softly.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck, taking his laptop back. "You really think so?"

Ayane nodded reassuringly. "I haven't even applied to Stanford yet, and here you are with this good ass essay."

Miguel laughed, shaking his head. "You still have time, don't worry. I'm just a little ahead of the game because I really need to try and get a scholarship. What are you... wanting to go to school for?"

The girl chewed her inner lip, giving a small shrug. Ayane had not thought about scholarships. She had always had her parents to fall back on when it came to money, but she didn't have that anymore. Ayane probably needed to be applying to scholarships too.

"I'm not really sure, honestly. I-I've thought about social work, so maybe I could help out kids with shitty home lives. Kinda like mine."

Miguel's expression saddened a little, but then he smiled. "I think that sounds perfect for you. I have no clue what I wanna do. I was thinking about law, maybe? I don't know," he laughed off his suggestion like it was dumb.

Ayane smiled softly. "A lawyer, huh? I like that. I'll probably need one of those in the future."

The boy began to laugh, shaking his head. "Let's hope not."

She and Miguel locked eyes for a solid second, Miguel being the first to break away. He drew in a sharp breath, beginning to put away his laptop.

"I, uh, I should get going. Don't wanna hold you up or anything."

"Yeah, that's fine," Ayane nodded, scratching her head.

Miguel stood, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. Ayane stood up as well, both standing in silence for a moment.

"I-I'll walk you out," she gestured to the door, Miguel leading the way out of her bedroom.

Ayane followed him to the front door, opening it as the boy stepped outside. She inhaled, looking up at Miguel with a smile.

"Uh, thanks for your help with Calculus. Either way, I'm probably still gonna cheat off of you but–"

Miguel burst into laughter, grinning. "You're the only person I'd let do that."

Ayane pulled her lips in, her stomach fluttering at that. Just friends, she reminded herself, shaking away the feeling.

"Right. Well, uh, I hope you have a good night, Mig."

Miguel returned her smile, wishing he could just hug her or kiss her, anything to be close to her again.

"Goodnight, Ayane."

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At school the following day, Ayane was greeted at the door by Miguel.

She immediately smiled, looking over to her right to see tons of booths set up down the hall.

"What's all this?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"College fair," Miguel reminded her, Ayane remembering just then. "I was gonna see if you wanted to go to the Stanford table with me."

Ayane looked back over at Miguel, then gestured for him to lead the way.

"So, I had a pretty crazy morning," he started talking as they walked together. "I read my essay to my mom, Yaya, Johnny and Robby, and then out of nowhere the sewage pipe just busts through the ceiling and floods the entire apartment."

Ayane's eyes widened. "Holy shit, are you for real?"

Miguel gave a brief nod. "Yep. So now... my family is gonna have to stay with Johnny... and Robby."

She could see how unenthused Miguel was as he said that, particularly when he included Robby. Ayane glanced away momentarily.

"You sound thrilled about that," she replied, knowing that was definitely not an ideal situation for Miguel.

Part of her wished she still lived with her parents, so then maybe she could offer a place to stay. They didn't need that giant house for just the two of them; they didn't even need it for the three of them.

"Super thrilled," Miguel rolled his eyes, visible annoyance on his face. "I'm having to room with Robby for the time being."

Ayane frowned. "I wish I could help. Maybe if I had my dad's money..."

Miguel laughed softly, stopping in front of the table which was plastered with the Stanford University logo.

The two of them got brochures from the representative, talking with him for a minute about the school and what it had to offer. It was more expensive than Ayane had realized.

After leaving the table, Ayane continued to read over the brochure.

"Fifty-eight thousand per year? That's like..."

She paused, trying to do the math in her head.

"Two hundred and thirty-two thousand for four years," Miguel helped her out, sounding dejected as he said it.

Ayane's mouth fell open a little, her face appearing fearful.

"Holy shit."

"Hey!" The two looked up, seeing Demetri and Eli approaching them. "All of our trials and tribulations of nerdom have finally come to this. We're the belles of the ball," Demetri spoke.

Ayane made a face, Miguel replying, "Is that what we are?"

"Oh yes, my friend," Demetri continued. "They are fumbling around our dresses trying to cop a feel of our tantalizing brains."

The girl continued to stare at Demetri, completely lost as to what he was going on about.

"Sometimes you make me feel like I don't actually understand English that well," Ayane responded.

Demetri ignored her. "These vultures are wasting their time, though. Eli and I have had our sights set on MIT for years."

Ayane looked over to Eli, who pointedly dodged what Demetri said.

"Are you guys applying early decision to Stanford?" Eli asked both Ayane and Miguel, who both held the brochures in their hands.

"Yeah, definitely, but I should probably look into some safety schools too," Miguel said in reply. "Stanford's pretty expensive."

He showed them the numbers on the brochure, Eli and Demetri both making the same face.

Ayane had not thought about 'safety schools', or anything of that nature. She figured she would just apply to the one. Clearly Miguel was ahead of the game.

"Hey, fam," a guy called to their right. The four looked over, seeing a representative from 'College of the Valley'. "You bros looking to post up at a college a little closer to home or, what's the word?"

"Well, Gary," Demetri gestured to the guy's name tag, "the word is we'll be taking our 'brodeo' on the 'roadeo'. But, um, thank you for all your 'brovatures.'"

Ayane was completely baffled by whatever the hell Demetri had just said, looking back to Gary.

"You got a brochure?" she asked, approaching the table.

"Yeah, one for me too," Miguel replied, taking one from him as well.

Ayane looked up at him, Miguel returning her look with a small shrug.

"Might as well apply to all the same ones."

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     Later that day, Ayane and Miguel were being accompanied on a field trip by Eli and Demetri.

They were being given a tour of College of the Valley, much to Demetri's audible dismay.

"What are we even doing here?" he asked the others as they walked along the campus. "If the University of Phoenix wasn't online, it'd be this."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Demetri, not all of us are up MIT's ass. It doesn't hurt to see other options."

Just then, someone slammed into the tour guide from the side, the four of them all gasping a little.

"Oh, sick grab boy!"

Ayane blinked a few times, unable to believe her eyes. Kyler and Brucks were students here. That was almost enough to make her want to leave.

"I don't think I like this school anymore," Ayane said, a little louder than intended.

Kyler and Brucks looked over, seeing her and the three boys standing there.

"Oh– what's up guys?" Kyler greeted, surprised.

Miguel furrowed his eyebrows. "Kyler, you go to school here?"

"Nah, it's more like this school goes to me, you know what I mean?" he laughed like a complete idiot.

Brucks left after a moment, Demetri speaking up. "Wait, so you and Brucks both go here. That makes sense."

Kyler shook his head. "Nah, he's just visiting. He goes to MIT."

Ayane raised her eyebrows, almost bursting into laughter at the look on Demetri's face.

"I'm sorry, did you say MIT?" Demetri sputtered.

Kyler gave a nod. "Yeah. And he's killing it, too."

Everyone stared, absolutely baffled by this. Was Brucks a secret genius or something.

"So what's up, guys? We hanging out or what?"

Ayane thought the obvious answer was no, but somehow Kyler was roping them into coming to a frat party.

Entering the house filled with partying kids, Ayane smelling nothing but B.O. and beer.

She wrinkled her nose, Miguel looking over at her with a small laugh. He nudged her, Ayane returning his look.

"Frat parties aren't your thing, huh?"

Ayane gave him a knowing look, halfway rolling her eyes.

"I might enjoy it if I was drunk. But... nothing good has ever happened when I got drunk," she said, Miguel's smile fading a little with a twinge of guilt.

Ayane looked away from him, seeing Kyler at a keg stand talking up some girl. Just then, a guy approached him, shoving Kyler.

"Did I tell you you could drink my beer, bitch boy?" the frat guy barked at him.

"N-No sir, Mr. Zenker," Kyler replied, dismal.

Ayane started to laugh, while Miguel frowned. She noticed his expression, contorting her face.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, Miguel shaking his head.

"That guy was a piece of shit."

Ayane knit her brows. "Uh, yeah, but so is Kyler. Do you not remember how he used to call you 'Rhea' all the time? Or when he started rumors about me?"

Miguel chewed his inner lip. "He's not like that anymore, though. I'll be right back."

He pushed through the crowd just then, disappearing to go find Kyler. Ayane turned to Eli and Demetri, bewildered.

"Do you guys agree with him?"

They both kind of shrugged, seeming impartial.

"I don't know. I'm going to get a drink," Eli said, walking off. Now it was down to Ayane and Demetri, both of them standing there looking out of place.

Ayane crossed her arms, visible irritation across her face.

Only minutes later, Ayane and Demetri were watching as Eli placed cups on the spikes of his mohawk, everyone in the building chanting, "Spikes! Spikes! Spikes!"

Miguel joined the two of them, Ayane looking over at him.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Talking to Kyler," Miguel replied. "These frat guys are completely bitching him out because he's pledging."

Ayane shrugged. "Who cares? If anyone deserves to get bitched out, it's Kyler."

Miguel frowned, wishing she would not be so harsh. He supposed that would never change about her, though.

"I'm gonna go look for the bathroom or something," Ayane finally spoke up, turning and walking away from the boys.

Miguel looked back, watching her navigate her way through the crowd of drunk college kids.

Ayane finally found it, albeit disgusting, but she tried not to touch things if she could. Being around alcohol was really tempting her, but Ayane did not need it. She exhibited rather poor self control when it came to drinking.

The girl left the bathroom, making her way back to Miguel and Demetri. A guy stepped in front of her just then, Ayane recognizing him as the frat guy that had been bullying Kyler earlier. Zenker, was his name?

"Hey, you new here?" he asked, Ayane quirking a brow.

"Uh... I don't go here."

She moved to the side to walk past him, but Zenker stepped in front of her again.

"Let me get you a drink," he smiled, clearly flirting with her now.

Ayane looked past Zenker, seeing Miguel, Eli and Demetri a few feet away. Miguel was watching them intensely.

"I'm not drinking," Ayane shook her head, trying once more to walk away from him.

Zenker reached out suddenly, grabbing her by the wrist. Ayane halted, slowly turning her head and looking up at the dude.

"Just one drink," he urged, gesturing with his head to where the jungle juice bowl sat. Ayane was really trying to avoid conflict, but this guy had just touched her without her consent.

"Dude," she warned. "Get your fucking hand off me."

Zenker's face changed, his grip tightening around her wrist. Ayane looked over, seeing that Miguel was coming closer now.

"Hey, lighten up. Bitch."

It only took a split second for Miguel's fist to connect with Zenker's face, Ayane stepping out of the way.

Watching Miguel beat the shit out of Zenker, Ayane saw more frat guys running over to join in. Eli, Demetri, Kyler and Brucks were all behind her now, Ayane grabbing a guy before he swung at Miguel.

Yanking him back, Ayane reared her arm back and punched him in the face. It was a full out brawl now, Ayane and the guys fending off frat douches.

Ayane could easily take on three of them at once, and it also helped that they were completely wasted. She backed into the beer pong table, pushing back against it as she brought her legs in the air and kicked all three guys across the face.

She saw Miguel and Kyler both taking on Zenker, surprised by this. With an empty beer bottle, Kyler brought it across Zenker's head and knocked him out.

Panting, Ayane approached Miguel and Kyler. She pushed her hair out of her face, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at all of the guys knocked out on the ground.

"Why the hell does this always happen?"

Notes.
miguel and ayane try not to be obsessed with each other challenge

i think this is like the third dude miguel has fought for ayane?? he's so down bad bro ong

sorry the chapter is a couple days later than usual, i've been a teensy weensy bit busy (i say that and then make like five tiktok edits)

favorite quote from ayane?