City Lights and College Nights

Victoria had always imagined college to be a mix of academics and self-discovery, but what she hadn't expected was how much adventure would come with it.

Between classes, assignments, and endless readings, weekends had become her escape. The moment Friday rolled around, she knew what was coming—the inevitable message from Grayson.

Grayson: "Pack your bags, losers. We're going on a trip."

Aria: "Grayson, we have midterms coming up."

Grayson: "Do I look like I care? We'll study when we're dead. Also, Victoria, we need your video skills."

Victoria laughed, already scrolling through her camera roll. She and Aria had made it a tradition to document every trip, turning their outings into cinematic reels that captured their chaotic yet incredible experiences.

Victoria: "Fine. But if I fail because of you, I'm haunting you."

Grayson: "Fair enough."

That was how it started. Almost every other weekend, no matter how much anyone resisted, Grayson found a way to drag them out of their dorms and into the streets of New York.

Their adventures varied. Some weekends were all about sightseeing—Times Square, Central Park, the Met, the Empire State Building. Other weekends were food-focused, where they hopped from one famous pizza place to another, rating slices and arguing over which one was the best.

Victoria loved every second of it.

She would stand in the middle of a bustling street, camera in hand, capturing Kimber laughing at one of Harry's terrible jokes, Arlowe and Samir posing in front of a neon-lit café, Aspen rolling her eyes as Grayson dramatically monologued about how this trip would be the best one yet.

"Stop filming me," Mylo groaned one evening as they strolled down the Brooklyn Bridge.

Victoria grinned. "Nope. You're a part of the experience."

Aria smirked beside her. "Yeah, Mylo, don't you want to be immortalized in our cinematic masterpieces?"

He sighed, but she saw the small smile he was trying to hide.

That night, she spent hours compiling clips, stitching together the laughter, the stolen glances, the inside jokes. Aria sat beside her, offering song suggestions.

"You know," Aria said, resting her chin on her palm, "I think we'll remember these days forever."

Victoria looked at the screen, where their group was frozen in a frame—Grayson mid-laugh, Kimber with her arms outstretched on a rooftop, Arlowe staring at the city lights with a rare, thoughtful expression.

"Yeah," Victoria murmured. "I think so too."

Of course, not every trip went according to plan.

One weekend, Grayson had the bright idea of taking them on a "nature escape" outside the city.

"Trust me," he had said. "It'll be relaxing."

It was anything but.

The moment they got off the train, they realized Grayson had underestimated how far they actually had to hike to reach the scenic lake he had promised them.

"My dude," Harry huffed, hands on his knees, "when you said 'short walk,' I didn't think you meant 'three-hour trek through the wilderness.'"

Grayson looked sheepish. "Okay, maybe I miscalculated."

Samir groaned. "We are so going to die here."

But Victoria, ever the optimist, pulled out her camera. "At least it'll make a great story."

And it did. By the time they reached the lake, exhausted but victorious, they collapsed on the grass, staring up at the sky.

"This is kind of nice," Arlowe admitted.

"See?" Grayson grinned. "Told you."

Victoria captured the moment—the way the sunset painted the sky in soft oranges and pinks, the way her friends lay in content silence.

It was in moments like these that she realized—college wasn't just about classes and grades. It was about this. The memories, the people, the spontaneous adventures that made life worth living.

One particular trip stood out from the rest.

It started with a simple idea—exploring the quieter side of New York. Aria had found a small jazz club, tucked away in a side street, and suggested they check it out.

As it was the night after midterms were over, Victoria also invited Damon to come along with them.

Damon was the eager to agree as with his friends they only went on "Nature's Adventures". "Finally, something classy."

The club was dimly lit, warm, and filled with the smooth sound of saxophones and soft laughter. They found a table near the back, sipping on overpriced drinks as they soaked in the atmosphere.

Victoria found herself beside Damon, who, for once, wasn't being his usual charming, flirty self. Instead, he seemed… lost in thought.

"Something on your mind?" she asked.

He glanced at her before looking back at the stage. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

A small smirk appeared on his lips. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't press him. There was something about the city at night, about being in a place surrounded by people yet feeling like the moment belonged only to them.

"Dance with me," Damon said suddenly, standing and offering his hand.

Victoria hesitated. "I don't—"

"Come on," he coaxed. "Live a little."

Aria and the others were already watching, grinning. With a sigh, Victoria placed her hand in his, letting him lead her to the small dance floor.

She wasn't a dancer, not by any means, but Damon moved effortlessly, guiding her with ease.

"See?" he murmured. "Not so bad."

Victoria bit her lip to keep from smiling. Maybe, just maybe, this was exactly where she was supposed to be.

As the months passed, their collection of reels grew.

There was one of them sprinting through Central Park, another of them crammed into a tiny diner booth, laughing over milkshakes. One of Grayson dramatically collapsing on the subway because he was so tired, and another of Mylo begrudgingly admitting that, yes, this trip was actually fun.

Victoria and Aria made sure to save every memory.

One evening, as she scrolled through the videos, Victoria felt a pang of something deep in her chest. Nostalgia? No. Something else.

Maybe it was the realization that one day, this phase of life would end. That eventually, they would all graduate and move on.

Maybe that was why Grayson pushed them to go on these trips, why he forced them out of their dorms even when they resisted. Because he knew—life moved fast.

One day, they'd look back on these reels and wish they could live them all over again.

So, Victoria decided, as long as she had her camera, she would capture every moment.

Because this?

This was what life was all about.