As the days ticked by, and the Mid Winter Ball grew closer, the group found themselves stressed to the max about everything. With finals looming over their heads, just about anything would set any of them off at any second.

"Ugh, damnit!" Courtney snapped as she messed up yet again on her violin piece. Her bow held so tightly in her hand, her knuckles were turning white. The strings cutting into her hand. 

Bridgette looked over at her roommate from her chair at her desk, her blonde hair pulled into a messy bun "You okay, Court?" 

Courtney looked over at her, stress lines clear across her face "Yeah, sorry Bridge.." she mumbled. Blushing in embarrassment.

Bridgette nodded a little, before turning back to her textbooks. A small sigh escaping her lips. Courtney swallowed hard, as she watched her roommate. Bridgette had been very off lately. She hadn't come down to dinner with them like they always did in almost a week. And when she did, she barely ate. Just pushed her food around on her plate. Her olive eyes would always have a far away look in them, like she was longing for something. She hadn't slept a full night of sleep in about 3 days, and Courtney had taken notice. 

"I'm telling you, there's something really wrong with her, Court," Geoff sighed, he ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair before putting his usual pink baseball cap back on. Courtney was sitting on Duncan's bed. Her back pressed up against the wall next to his bed. 

"I know," she sighed "I've noticed it too,"

"Maybe it's just mid terms. They're fucking with everyone," Duncan mumbled. He was sitting at his desk. His teal eyes scanning over a play he had to study for his acting class.

"No.. It's like she's not there anymore. Like she's completely checked out," Courtney said. 

"Princess, I'm sure she's fine," Duncan said, looking up at her. Courtney bit her lip gently.

A sound came from Geoff's phone. Like the distinct sound of waves crashing onto a shore. Geoff grabbed his phone and slid it unlocked "It's Bridgette. She set that as her ringtone. She said it reminds her of home,"

Courtney slowly blinked a little, as she thought for a second "Wait... That's it!" she quipped. She scrambled off of Duncan's bed and ran out of his dorm room and down the hall. She knocked on the door in front of her, anxiously waiting for the person she wanted to see open the door

"Hello?" Gwen asked, opening the door. She was wearing a loose pair of jeans and a band t-shirt "Court?"

"Gwen, you like to draw right?" Courtney asked. Gwen raised a brow

"It's not like it's my major or anything, hun," she chuckled. "Why? What's up?"

Courtney bit her lip, fiddling with her fingers "I have a theory," she said. 

Gwen slowly leaned against her door frame "I'm listening,"

Bridgette massaged her temples, as she listened to Izzy ramble on about how her great, great, great Grandfather once swore he saw Bigfoot.

"And he turned around, and BAM! The creature was right there!" Izzy said, throwing her arms up in the air. Bridgette nodded 

"Iz, as much as I love this story.. I gotta get back to my dorm. I need to study for my-"

"No!" Izzy yelped, grabbing Bridgette's wrist as the blonde started to leave. They had been in the library for the past 2 hours. Courtney had told Bridgette that Izzy needed Bridgette's help with studying American Arts. Which some how had turned into Izzy sharing a shit ton of her childhood stories. 

Izzy's phone beeped, and the red head grabbed it out of her pocket and read the message. Suddenly releasing her grip on Bridgette's wrist "Okay, you can go now!" Izzy chuckled. 

Bridgette blew out a long breath and rolled her eyes. She grabbed her backpack and left the library, heading back to Bach Hall. She just missed her bed. 

She missed home. 

Bridgette pulled her sweatshirt closer to her against the cold night air, as she walked up the long steps to get into Bach. Shoving the door open, she headed straight for the elevator. Going inside, she pushed the 5 button and leaned back against the glass wall. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. Feeling utterly exhausted. 

The elevator dinged, and she walked out. Heading down the hallway, she reached into her pocket and found her dorm key. She was about to unlock her door, when it popped open and Courtney slid out. Giving Bridgette a  big smile as she grabbed her shoulders

"Oh hey Bridge!" she said, a little too cheery "fancy meeting you here!"

"It's... Our dorm?" Bridge said, raising a confused brow. Wondering why the hell all of her friends seemed to be acting weird today. 

"Oh! Would you look at that, I guess it is," Courtney chuckled "Silly me!" 

Bridgette blinked, and shook her head "What the heck is going on-"

"I know you've been really down lately. And I remember you telling me about how much you missed home, and being at the beach.. So.. I did something.." Courtney confessed, a sheepish smile at her face "Well.. I didn't really do it. Gwen did. Close your eyes!" 

Bridgette sputtered as she closed her eyes, she felt herself being pulling into her room. And walked over to stand in front of something. Courtney's hands guided her shoulders. 

"Okay, open your eyes!" Courtney said.

Bridgette's olive eyes slowly blinked open, and it took her a few seconds to register what she was looking at. But as soon as she did, she gasped. And covered her mouth as she felt herself tear up.

A beautiful painting of a California beach was sprawled out across the once white wall right beside Bridgette's bed. Soft, ocean blue waves and a clear blue sky. Golden sand that she could almost feel between her toes.

"Oh my gosh.. You guys.." Bridgette gasped, looking at what her friends had done for her "It's beautiful," 

Gwen was standing beside her work, her pants stained with yellow paint "Don't worry, it's not on the actual wall. I hung up a large canvas before I started painting. So you can take it with you when the semester is over," she explained.

"We all know you've been home sick lately. And we wanted to do something to make you feel a little more... At home," Courtney said gently. Bridgette shook her head

"I love you guys," she said, as Gwen came over. Bridgette enveloped them both into a tight hug. 

Skye sighed in delight as she snuggled into Jace's warm chest. Their legs tangled together under the covers. She was comfortable in her pajama shorts and shirt. Even though it was a chilly night, she was nothing but warm wrapped in his arms. They were laying on his bed in his dorm room. They had spent hours playing their cellos together. The instruments laying soundly on the floor in their cases.

"I think my calluses are growing calluses," Jace joked, with a chuckle. Skye giggled and looked up at him. Admiring his blonde hair that curled at the ends. His strong jawline. The way the muscles in his neck melted into his broad shoulders. The spirals of black tattoos across his bare chest. 

"What? Do I have something on my face or something?" Jace asked, noticing her staring at him. She blushed and shook her head

"I'm just amazed.." she breathed "How did I get so lucky?"

Jace smirked "I mean, you are pretty lucky," he mused. Winking at her. She rolled her eyes and gently smacked his bare chest 

"you're impossible," she giggled.

"But the real question you should be asking is how I got so lucky," he said. She looked back up at him

"What do you mean?" she asked. He slowly looked down at her

"I'm the lucky one. Usually all these girls throw themselves at me. But none of them really mean anything.. I never really had someone.. Special, to me before. My past relationships have been nothing more than a hook up. But with you... It's just.. Different," he said.

"Wait.." Skye slowly sat up "Did you just call us a relationship?" she asked. Jace's eyes went wide, and he also sat up. Looking panicked 

"I mean.. If you don't want to be in a relationship with me that's fine too. It's cool-"

Skye cut him off by gently pressing her lips to his chapped ones. He smirked against her mouth. She pulled away gently "I'd love to be in a relationship with you." 

"Sweet," he said. She rolled her eyes

"Now I don't gotta worry about losing you," he said. 

Skye felt her heart ping a little at his words. Remembering her illness. 

She shouldn't be doing this. It wasn't fair to him. 

You can't promise him a future if you don't even know if you'll have one or not.

Skye swallowed hard, as he laid back down and pulled her close to him again. Him letting out a long sigh of relief, like there wasn't a problem in the world.

If only he knew.