You sighed as you slammed your book closed, glaring at the clock on the wall and tapping your foot impatiently. How could someone be so poor at timekeeping? The library was almost empty, only the quiet clacking of a distant keyboard at the front desk echoing around the vast space. From the windows framing the study pod you sat in, you could see the sun sinking leisurely below the horizon for a long night of rest. Sighing in envy, you opened your phone to check for any new notifications. Nothing. Damn, you were lucky that the campus library didn’t officially close for students.

Footsteps approached at a languid pace, and you crossed your arms as you narrowed your eyes at the straggler in disdain. He returned your grimace with a glare of equal intensity, sliding in across from you and pulling the book across the desk to open it in front of him.

“You’re still here. Great. Can’t wait to get this over with.”

He hissed under his breath, voice dripping with sarcasm as he set his own phone face down in the table and steepled his fingers to regard you coldly.

“Well? Where do we start?”