Study Group

Hannah is first to arrive at the library for Wednesday study group. She settles herself at their usual round table near the middle of the first floor of the library and off to the side, hidden behind some stacks. It's a nice spot because people normally don't venture over to this area and it's one of the few tables in the vicinity. Most of the other students congregate in the open study area or the study rooms and classrooms.

Hannah takes out her textbook and puts her phone beside it in case Jasmine calls or texts. She opens to the last chapter she needs to read and review. After this reading, she has to study the handout packet and then she'll be set for Friday's Child Development quiz. She lets out a long sigh. I still have to make flashcards, she mentally adds to her to-do list, tempted to put her head down and call it a day.

"Hey Han," Alexandera greets and takes the seat next to her. "You're looking all kinds of miserable."

"I have a Child Dev quiz on Friday and I have so much more reading to do, and not to mention flashcards!" Hannah gripes.

"You got this!" Alexandera cheers. "I've seen you bulldoze through chapters like nothing."

"I guess," Hannah agrees, not nearly as confident as her friend. "Oh yeah! Jasmine might be coming to the study group, and she totally has a thing for Marcus. We should set them up!"

"Uh, no."

"Why not?"

"I'm not getting involved in people's love lives. You've seen enough romcoms to know that it's always a bad idea!" Alexandera declines. "I'm all for cheering them on, but I'm not parent trapping or doing anything else to get them together. And I'm glad that Jazz is finally joining our study group, but if Kara catches wind that it's just to get Marcus's attention, she's going to flip."

"It's not," Hannah denies. "Jasmine actually needs Statistics tutoring."

"Good," Alexandera says as she takes out her laptop. "Kara's been really getting on me about slacking during our study time. So, I'm going to take it more seriously. You should too, she's not crazy that you're always staring at Zach when we're all here."

"I don't!"

"Mhmm.."

Hannah decides to let the conversation drop and takes out her pencil case, removing a highlighter and pen from the bag and refocuses her attention to her study material. She straightens her back and rolls her neck in preparation for the hours she's going to staying at the library filling her head with Child Development content. As she flips to the chapter she's on, she hears Alexandera clacking away at her keyboard. Wanting a distraction, Hannah opens her mouth to ask what her friend is working on, but closes it and decides otherwise. No, I have to study, Hannah reprimands. Focus!

About half an hour later, Kara joins the other two, sitting to the other side of Hannah believing it to be a less distracting seat than being next to Alexandera. She quietly unpacks her things onto the table and dives into her work without greeting her peers. Alexandera's typing pauses when she notices Kara's presence.

"Hey Kara," she acknowledges. "What you working on today?"

"Chemistry," Kara answers. "Exam Friday. Need to know the whole periodic table and some other stuff by then."

"Kent's good at Chem, is he coming today?" Alexandera asks. Hannah stiffens. She forgot about her plans to avoid Kent.

"I think so," Kara replies. "But he's got some project to do."

"Cool," Alexandera says and resumes clacking away.

"What are you working on?" Hannah asks Alexandera, joining the conversation and taking a break from her chapter. She finished the first section and decided to reward herself with a quick five minutes of relief.

"Creative non-fiction piece for my Creative Writing class," she explains. "Needs to be at least ten pages and include all the elements of storytelling."

"Ooh, I want to read it," Hannah says. "Send it to me when you're done?"

"Sure," Alexandera agrees. "You want a copy too, Kara?"

"Okay."

Hannah and Alexandera look at each other and takes Kara's curtness as a cue to return to their own endeavors. Hannah runs a hand through her hair as she begins the second section of the chapter. She's hardly retaining any of the information and she continuously glances at her phone waiting for Jasmine to text her.

It doesn't matter. The guys aren't even here, Hannah thinks. She holds back a sigh to not annoy Kara and readjusts in her seat. Maybe I should start going over the packet, she considers.

"Hey guys, look who we found on our way over and is joining us today," Marcus announces, causing all three girls to look up. Sure enough, Marcus and Kent have arrived and an awkward-looking Jasmine stands in between them.

"Who is she?" Kara inquires, never having met the other girl before.

"She's Hannah's roommate," Kent answers. "Marc's tutoring her."

"I'm Jasmine," she introduces herself. "Nice to meet you."

"Kara," the other girl answers. "Have a seat. What's Marcus tutoring you in?"

"Statistics," she answers. "Hannah's been trying to get me to join all of you for ages, but I felt weird since I don't think we take any of the same classes, but Marcus offered to tutor me in Stats, so here I am!"

"Okay," Kara acknowledges, turning back to her studies.

"Don't mind her," Alexandera looks up from her typing. "She's hyper focused. Welcome!"

"Thanks, good to see you Alex," Jasmine greets.

"Here you can sit here and I'll go get another chair," Marcus offers. He pulls the last chair at the table out for Jasmine to sit. He puts his bookbag on the table and wanders off.

"A real gentleman, that one," Kent teases. "Make yourself at home, Jasmine. We're friendly and we just like the accountability of having everyone around us studying. Literally doesn't matter what you're working on."

"Yeah Jazz," Hannah agrees. "So glad you made it!"

Marcus returns and sits himself between Kent and Jasmine. Hannah notices his purposeful behavior. It would've made more sense to sit between Jasmine and Alexandera since there's more space between them, so Marcus is clearly making a statement. She chooses not to say anything as to not cause any tension within the group. And maybe, with their own developments, she won't have to interfere or wingwoman after all.