"What an amazing campus!", Desiree exclaimed as he led the group of 9 around the campus.
"I know right!", Claire agreed, "I mean, look at all these cool buildings. Did you guys see the turtles, and, check this out, a reflecting pond!".
"Maybe you can see how crazy you look right now", Alex snapped.
"God, I wish I brought a Frisbee", Phil muttered.
"Well, what's so special about this place?", Haley asked, "It looks exactly like the college I went to".
"And we've been here about as long as you were there", Luke quipped as he walked past Haley.
"Luke", Phil sternly raised his voice.
"What?!", Luke defended, "With Alex leaving, someone's got to keep the train running".
"Back me up here guys!", Desiree interrupted, "This place just screams 'Alex' and 'Zephyr' doesn't it?".
"It looks like every other college in America", Haley stated, "What am I missing?".
"Good grades. S.A.T. scores. Basic verbal skills", Alex listed, walking past Luke and muttering, "And that's how you do it".
[Commentary]
Claire and Phil
"Caltech is the perfect college", Claire stated.
"For Claire", Phil added.
"And Alex!", Claire shook her head, "We're talking about one of the most prestigious schools in the country. And it just so happens to be a coincidence that it's 45 minutes from our house".
"Of course", Phil raised his voice, "We'll support her wherever she goes".
"Obviously", Claire nodded, "Nothing is more important to me than her academic success, but with Alex, the important thing is keeping her close for the next four years. After that, I'm never going to see her unless she Skypes me from Neptune where she's living in a biodome Zephyr invented".
"Awesome!", Phil exclaimed, trying to redirect the conversation, "That means Christmas in Neptune".
"And that's just the worst-case scenario!", Claire yelled, exasperated, "She'll probably end up marrying Zephyr who'll probably be the richest man on Earth before he even finishes college and move away from us, only calling when she remembers she has a family!".
"It's okay!", Phil tried to calm down his wife, who was hyperventilating, "Take a deep breath. Everything's going to be okay".
Desiree and Matt
"Zephyr's a bright kid", Matt began, "Some might even say a genius".
"That's what you call him", Desiree interrupted.
"Anyways", Matt continued, ignoring Desiree's unhelpful intervention, "When I had Zephyr, Nyx and I hoped that he'd either go to Harvard as I did or Caltech, which is where she worked. Now, Zephyr's an anomaly among geniuses".
"What a nice way to describe your son", Desiree quipped.
"What I was trying to say before I was oh so rudely interrupted", Matt announced, "Is that even among geniuses, Zephyr stands above them. During the summer holiday, I took Zephyr on a tour of Harvard, you know, give him the Harvard experience. He went to a lecture on quantum physics and noticed a small irregularity in the lecturer's lesson and called him out for it".
"It sounds like Harvard needs better teachers then", Desiree mumbled.
Matt, unperturbed, continued, "After that, the lecturer informed President Faust who talked with him and she talked about how she'd like it for him to attend Harvard".
"Boring", Desiree yawned, halting Matt, "While it's Matt's idea for Zephyr to go Harvard, I want him to go Caltech. The college is 55 minutes away so we can visit him any time. What's more, Zephyr is a tech guy so going to Caltech, one of the most advanced colleges in the country. It seems like a no-brainer to me".
"Stop pretending", Matt interrupted, "You just want him to be close because you're worried that after he finishes college he'll never see us again".
"But it's true!", Desiree exclaimed, "Once he finishes college, he's going to spend all his time on his business and the companies he'll take from his grandfather and he'll move to New York and take Alex with him and then they'll get married and have kids and we won't even be there because he'll forget about us!".
"Take a deep breath", Matt instructed, trying to calm down the ranting Desiree, "Nothing of that sort is going to happen".
"How do you know?!", Desiree screamed, grabbing the collar of his shirt and violently shaking it.
"He's written it in his chronicle", Matt answered.
"Chronicle?", Desiree asked.
"It's a book where a man writes about his feelings and thoughts", Matt explained.
"So it's like a diary?", Desiree questioned.
"Ye-No!", Matt exclaimed, "It's nothing like a diary!".
"Whatever you say", Desiree surrendered, "But what did he write in his dia-sorry, chronicle?".
"There was a bunch of manly stuff written and hidden deep within that he wrote about how he would like to stay in California even after he finishes college", Matt stated.
"That's all?", Desiree inquired.
"Yep", Matt nodded his head, unwilling to reveal more.
Desiree stared at him and took a deep breath, a predatory and determined gleam flashing in her eyes as she stared at Matt.
"N-No!", Matt exclaimed, standing up and trying to get away.
"What?", Desiree innocently smiled.
As she was about to stand up, Matt made a run for it, bolting out.
"Get back here!", Desiree yelled, running after him.
[Commentary ends]
"All right everyone!", the tour guide exclaimed, gathering everyone's attention, "Gather around. We'll begin the tour in just a moment".
"That's our cue!", Desiree excitedly exclaimed, "Let's go!".
"Desiree!", Matt yelled, "Slow down please!".
Seeing this, Zephyr shook his head in disappointment and turned to look at Alex next to him who was going through the leaflet. "Embarrassing, aren't they?", Zephyr asked.
"Yep", Alex answered, "I'm just glad Dad's going to take part in some experiment".
"Lucky you", Zephyr let out an exasperated sigh.
"Let's just go", Alex muttered, "The longer we wait, the more embarrassed we're going to become".
"You're right", Zephyr nodded his head. Walking side by side, Alex and Zephyr followed after their respective parents and made their way towards the tour guide, who had already begun moving.
[A few minutes later]
"Now, I'm afraid to inform you parents that the rest of this tour is for the prospective students only", the tour guide announced.
"Oh", Desiree muttered, slightly in shock.
Before she could even argue, Matt grabbed her hand and quickly dragged her out.
"Thank God", Zephyr sighed in relief upon seeing his parents disappear.
"I'm just glad mom's gone now", Alex muttered in relief.
"Ok, let's go!", the tour guide exclaimed, directing all the students forward.
"Go on ahead of me", Zephyr said, "I've got to unwrap this stupid apple and chuck the wrap in the bin over there".
"Okay", Alex nodded and followed after the tour guide.
"Now, as we walk past the Milika Library, you'll find the bridge annexe which is also the sight where Carl. D. Anderson discovered the ..."
"Neutron?", a student called out.
"Anyone else?", the tour guide inquired.
"The positron", Alex and the nerdy boy beside a tree answered at the same time.
"In 1932", Alex muttered.
"On August 2nd", the boy added.
"On the third floor", Alex finished.
"Really?", the boy asked in curiosity.
"No. Maybe", Alex shrugged, "I just wanted to win".
"I'm Jason", the boy introduced.
"Alex", Alex greeted back.
"Yo!", Zephyr loudly exclaimed as he rejoined the group, "I'm back". Taking a loud bite of his apple, he looked at Jason questioningly and asked, "Did I miss something?".
"Nothing happened", Alex rolled her eyes, "And no need to be so dramatic. This is Jason". Then turning to look at Jason, she introduced, "Jason, this is Zephyr".
"Sup", Zephyr greeted, holding his hand out.
"H-hey", Jason nervously said, shaking Zephyr's hand.
"I'm Zephyr Blake, Alex's boyfriend", Zephyr added.
Hearing this, Jason stopped shaking Zephyr's hand but recovered quickly enough. "I'm Jason Darling", he introduced, trying to hide the hurt tone in his voice. Trying to distract himself, he asked, "Hey, did you know that you're named after-".
"The Greek God of the West Wind", Zephyr finished, "I am aware".
"T-that's cool", Jason stuttered. Standing there awkwardly, Jason looked around for a moment, before saying, "I think I saw someone I know. I'll see you guys later, maybe". Not wanting to stay any longer, Jason quickly walked away from them.
"What a nice guy", Zephyr commented, receiving a jab in the stomach from Alex in return.
[Time Skip]
"Now, thank you all for coming", the tour guide said, "As you'll have been informed during the tour guide, our acceptance rate is 8% so, in the fall, I look forward to seeing one in ...".
"12.5", Zephyr answered within a second.
"12.5", Alex answered right behind him.
"12.5", the boy who incorrectly answered the question at the start answered 2 seconds after Alex.
"So we know who's not coming", Zephyr whispered to Alex.
"Thank you all for visiting, and if you're lucky to attend here next year, I'll enjoy seeing you", the tour guide finished and walked away.
"What do you think?", Zephyr asked.
"You were right", Alex admitted, "There's a lot to like here. If I don't get into Harvard, then I'd like to get into here".
"That's the spirit!", Zephyr cheered, "Now let's make s run for it before our parents realise the tour's over".
"It's like you're reading my thoughts", Alex muttered, following right beside Zephyr as they crept past the group of parents waiting for their kids. "We can text them once we're away", Alex whispered, receiving a nod from Zephyr who was hiding behind a tree.