Chapter 20 Midnight Merit #2
"You usually are."
She folded her arms.
"As I was saying..."
She looked around until she spotted Mason speaking with one of the law faculty members.
"I've already convinced one volunteer."
Mason looked over just as she called his name.
He excused himself politely and joined us.
"You needed me?"
"I have a proposal."
He smiled.
"Those words have gotten me into trouble before."
"They won't this time."
She gestured toward Eli.
"I'd like the two of you to mentor next year's fellowship class together."
For perhaps the first time in recorded history, Eli and Mason spoke simultaneously.
"Him?"
Professor Monroe looked entirely unsurprised.
"Yes."
Eli pointed dramatically toward Mason.
"Professor, with all due respect..."
"He color-codes everything."
"It's called organization."
Mason replied.
"It's called excessive."
"It's called finding documents when you need them."
Eli shook his head.
"I've seen your calendar."
"It has footnotes."
"They're useful."
"They're terrifying."
Kai quietly leaned toward Owen.
"I'm giving this conversation about thirty seconds before they start arguing over office supplies."
"I'll take the under."
Owen whispered.
Professor Monroe hid a smile behind her coffee cup.
"I selected both of you for a reason."
Eli folded his arms.
"I'm almost afraid to ask."
"You're complete opposites."
She answered.
"Eli inspires people to think beyond limitations."
"Mason ensures those ideas survive contact with reality."
She looked between them.
"The fellowship needs both."
Mason adjusted his jacket.
"I suppose that makes sense."
Eli sighed dramatically.
"I hate when she's right."
"You've said that many times."
Kai reminded him.
"And she's been right every single one."
"Don't ruin my reputation."
The conversation might have ended there.
Instead, one of the current fellowship students hurried toward us carrying a stack of orientation folders.
"I'm sorry."
She looked apologetically at Professor Monroe.
"We're pairing alumni mentors for tomorrow's workshops."
She checked her clipboard.
"Eli Brooks and Mason Reed will be leading Group Three."
Eli blinked.
"So it's official."
She smiled.
"It is."
"We've already printed the schedules."
She handed each of them a folder before disappearing into the crowd again.
Eli looked at his folder as though it contained a legally binding contract.
"I haven't even agreed yet."
"You have now."
Mason replied calmly.
"You'll survive."
"I survived the investigation."
"I survived Eli."
Kai smiled.
"I'm not sure which required more patience."
Eli pretended to look offended.
"I'd like everyone to remember that I carried this fellowship emotionally."
"You also nearly got us banned from the library twice."
Owen reminded him.
"Those incidents have been greatly exaggerated."
"No."
Mason answered.
"They really haven't."
Everyone laughed.
As the teasing settled, Professor Monroe was called away by another faculty member.
Kai and Owen wandered toward the dessert table after deciding one celebration required at least one more slice of cake.
Liam quietly excused himself to greet one of his research colleagues.
That left me standing only a few feet away from Eli and Mason.
Neither seemed to realize everyone else had moved on.
They remained studying the mentoring schedules together.
Eli frowned at the page.
"You've already highlighted sections."
"I always highlight important information."
"We received these twenty seconds ago."
"I work efficiently."
"You work obsessively."
Mason looked up from the folder.
"You'll appreciate it tomorrow."
"I doubt that."
"You will."
"I won't."
"You absolutely will."
Despite every complaint, neither of them stepped away.
Instead, they leaned over the same schedule, discussing orientation activities, workshop ideas, and how to encourage nervous first-year students.
Somewhere between the playful arguments and sarcastic comments, something else quietly emerged.
Comfort.
Curiosity.
A spark neither seemed willing to acknowledge.
Liam returned carrying two fresh coffees.
He handed one to me before following my gaze.
"What are you looking at?"
I nodded subtly toward Eli and Mason.
Eli had just reached across the table to correct something on Mason's printed schedule.
Their hands brushed briefly.
Neither immediately pulled away.
Mason looked up.
Eli smiled.
It lasted only a second.
Then they both returned to pretending they were discussing orientation logistics.
Liam chuckled softly.
"I've seen that look before."
"So have I."
"It reminds me of two people who once argued over programming architecture."
"And accidentally fell in love."
He smiled.
"I don't think it was entirely accidental."
"Probably not."
We watched for another quiet moment.
Eli said something that made Mason roll his eyes.
A heartbeat later, Mason laughed anyway.
Neither noticed they had begun walking toward the Honors Center together while still debating tomorrow's mentoring session.
"They're going the wrong way."
I observed.
"They're heading toward the old fellowship room."
Liam smiled knowingly.
"Maybe they just have something to discuss."
"Maybe."
We both knew it was more than that.
Some stories announced themselves with grand declarations.
Others began with shared responsibilities, playful disagreements, and entirely too much time spent together.
Ours had started almost exactly the same way.
Professor Monroe rejoined us just in time to notice Eli and Mason disappearing through the Honors Center doors.
She followed our line of sight before smiling to herself.
"I wondered how long that would take."
"You planned this."
I said.
She looked delightfully innocent.
"I simply paired two excellent mentors."
Liam laughed.
"Of course you did."
"The rest is entirely their decision."
I wasn't completely convinced.
Neither was Liam.
The gala gradually came to an end.
Guests began saying their goodbyes.
Current students thanked alumni for their advice.
Faculty members promised to stay in touch.
The lights inside the ballroom dimmed as staff prepared to close for the evening.
Liam reached for my hand.
"Ready?"
I looked around one last time.
The Honors Center stood warmly illuminated against the spring night.
Inside those walls, another fellowship class would begin tomorrow.
Another group of strangers would become teammates.
Perhaps, if they were lucky, they would become something even more meaningful.
I smiled.
"Ready."
Hand in hand, we walked slowly across the quiet campus.
Behind us, laughter echoed from the Honors Center where Eli and Mason were almost certainly still arguing over tomorrow's schedule.
Ahead of us stretched a future neither of us could completely predict.
That no longer frightened me.
Blackridge University had given me an education.
It had given me a career.
It had given me friends who became family.
Most importantly, it had given me Liam.
As we disappeared into the peaceful spring night together, I realized every ending carried the quiet promise of another beginning.
Our story had found its happily-ever-after.
Somewhere behind us, without either of them fully realizing it yet, another love story had just begun.
The legacy of Blackridge Honors would continue, one generation, one fellowship, and one unforgettable chapter at a time.
· ? THE END ? ·