"Let's discuss what our next lives will be like."
Their usual hangout had been completely overcrowded by a massive group of partygoers as the entire college celebrated their liberation from college exams— undergraduate exams. These exams— or so they were told— would only get worse the higher the education they pursued. The Twisted Root was a hole-in-the-wall bar with good food, better beer, and an atmosphere that somehow sobered the soul despite the fact that most college students were looking to get drunk and forget their troubles. There was an air of calm that seemed to exude from the worn down wallpaper, the cushy chairs with more than a few stains that almost seemed to be war trophies against years of sophomore shenanigans, and the bartender Barney who looked like he should have retired with the marine vets in Kawaii instead of pouring shots for a bunch of dumb Clodders. That's what they called the freshmen who ended up in Claudwell's common core (much more stress inducing since the woman was a retired drill sergeant down in Jersey at one point). Clodders was a term that explained itself when you saw their state after quizzes, exams, and tests. Rena Martinez, William Cormack, and Caleb Gallows were all Clodders. Ren and Cal excelled at her heinous core standards and quickly became her prized pupils. Poor Billy had been doomed from the start. He was an art major stuck in the lawyer program because of the expectations set by generations of the Cormacks that came before him. As for Theodore Twalle, Cassandra Clare, Lucy Snow, and Ellenore Swanson, they got the common core from the opposing faction led by Arnold Palm, who was as laid back as it got. Theo and Cal spent most of their time trying to help poor Billy out of the abyss. Exams had been especially brutal this year, as Claudwell had insisted they needed even harder questions, procedures, and test prep. "You gotta want it" seemed to be her recurring statement. Billy would have been crying into his cup at the Twisted Root by now. Elle swayed a little as she managed to bring the bags carrying the snacks from the corner shop up the hill. Rutter's Hill sounded a lot worse than it was. It was not a place where couples came to do the dirty, but was actually named after Alfred Rutter who had done some sort of protest here… or something. The older generations all fawned over this place, as it was a huge part of their childhood— it was what defined their time. Elle had trouble keeping up with the history and lore of this town, but nonetheless managed to diligently listen to her elder's fond memories of their youth. Rutter's Hill would be their tavern on this night, it would be where Billy would cry into his cup, where they would all make merry after a long testing period, where they would plan where to go over break, and where they would drag Cass and Billy home after they had one too many.
"Our next lives?" Elle repeated Lucy's statement. Billy had already been hiccuping with his jaw on top of the aluminum tin can probably already deprived of its contents. He needed a reprieve from the hellish college life that seemed to drain away their youth instead of excite it. Lulu grinned.
"Yep! I already have your life planned out, Elle." she put her arm over Elle's shoulder, and wobbled with her as she stumbled the last couple steps. Cal came up and smoothly extracted the plastic bags packed with snacks from her hands, nodding to her. Elle smiled and mouthed a polite 'thank you'.
"What did you plan out for my next life?" Elle asked. Lulu laughed.
"You'll be an awe-inspiring beauty!" Lulu exclaimed.
"Pft! Bull! She's already an awe-inspiring beauty!" Billy slurred, crushing his can of beer. Theo and Cass snickered into their cups, and Rena laughed out loud. Billy angrily slurred a few insults and snagged another can. Elle blushed, and took the can out of his hand, replacing it with a bottle of water.
"Enough of that!" she sighed.
"I'm not done. You'll be an awe-inspiring beauty and a man!" The group went silent. Elle stared at her, unsure of what to say.
"I'm going to be a boy in my next life?"
"Not just any boy: an unbelievably beautiful pretty boy, and a total uke." Lulu grinned. Cass and Ren lifted up their bottles.
"Yes! Need to loose that virginity to a badass swordsmen!" Cass laughed.
"He has to be kind to her— him— like a total gentleman but only to her."
"Him." Lulu corrected, "But I agree, Elle has to melt that ice!"
"Are you guys telling me that I'm going to die a virgin?" Elle asked, puffing up her cheeks. Theo sighed.
"Nobodies dying!" he growled.
"Who said we were?" Cass challenged.
"Isn't that the whole point in planning your next life? Otherwise why bother?" Theo asked.
"You girls have been reading too much BL." Billy sighed, glumly sipping the water Elle had given him.
"We've moved on to Daimei." Elle said, drinking some of her orange cassis out of the can.
"Danmei?" Cal asked.
"Chinese BL."
"Of fucking course!" Billy groaned.
"Oooooo! Good idea! It has to be the cultivation world. It must!" Lulu bounced. Cal shook his head and cleaned up some of the bottles and cans, before finding something to eat in the bag from the corner store. Elle sat down next to him and listened to the back and forth about her next life.
"I will rule the motherfucking world!" Billy stumbled a few steps forward, "All of you will rue the day you underestimated William Cormack! I a fucking Cornsnack, bitches!"
"Will you shut up?!" Theo hissed, nursing his own pre-hangover as he hauled Billy back to the dorms. Elle giggled lightly.
"Are you seriously laughing? I'm going to have to take care of this dumbass all night to make sure he doesn't kill himself!" Theo snapped. Elle grinned,
"That's why I'm laughing!"
"Don't laugh too much." Cal motioned to an equally inebriated Cass and Rena. Elle giggled and shook her head. Theo sighed. He looked up at the stars.
"How the heck did we get this sloshed?"
"Not us." Lulu laughed, bouncing ahead of them. Lulu had drank the most out of all of them and had somehow managed to stay completely sober.
"I've got a history with alcohol." she grinned. Elle smiled softly.
"Good thing I have you to help me nurse these two tonight." she looked at Cass and Rena. Lulu gave her a thumbs up.
"Tonight was a lot of fun." Lulu smiled, looking up at the stars. Elle nodded. Lulu sighed, "I hope we can always be together."
"Me too." Elle nodded, "All of you need to promise me something; no matter what, I love all of you. So, so much. No matter what happens in the future, please, always be safe, happy, and healthy."