the rivals play ━━ logan huntzberger

16| the half of if

AFTER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK, Audrey was snapped back into reality. The day back to university, she was bombarded with a list of things she had to get done before the course in two weeks. Firstly, she had to start studying for the upcoming final exams in a week. Secondly, she had to start mentally preparing herself for the Christmas holiday, testing the waters with her family whom she hasn't kept in close contact with over the past three months. And lastly, the sophomore council had the plan for the winter wonderland charity event.

But as of now, Audrey had some time in her hands to sit back, relax, and watch amusingly as Rory and Paris bicker.  "Paris, please don't compare our reading speeds again." Rory said, a moment after Paris kept hovering over her while she read the newspaper. "I get it, you're fast, I'm slow."

    "I need the exact time of today's sunset."

    "Four thirty-one."

    "Alright, then I just need to keep myself busy until then." Paris sat down on the couch beside the two, grabbing an extra copy of the newspaper.

    "Remind me again why you're fasting for Ramadan?"

    "Look, I actually give a rat's ass about journalistic integrity." She said defensively. "When I write about Ramadan, I experience Ramadan."

    Audrey nodded along. "And your idea of experiencing Ramadan is to steal Sheikh Ahmad Ali's shoes from the mosque because he won't answer your emails about an interview?"

    "Journalistic integrity!" She repeated.

    Before she could complain further, Marty stepped into the dorm. "Hey, Marty!" They greeted him as he walked in holding two brown bags in his hands.

    "So, I just bar-tendered this crazy brunch with chocolate fountains and fancy charcuterie boards and I snagged us all kinds of hors d'oeuvres." He said as he closed the door behind him.

    "Oh, nice going, Marty." Paris retorted with a venomous tone.

    Marty gaped at her briefly before turning to the other two girls. "Alright, she didn't really mean nice going, did she? Because she has this devil eye thing going one."

    "She's fasting." Audrey explained. "You know what they say about hunger making people snarky."

     Paris scrunched her nose as she watched him open the two bags and set the food on the table. "Are you seriously going to eat that here?"

    "Can't you just plug your nose, or something?"

    "Sure, ask a billion muslims to plug their nose." She nodded. "That makes a lot of sense, Marty."

    "We can just eat in my room." Rory said as she quickly stood up, pulling Marty to her room. "Audrey, want some?" She asked, holding up the brown bag.

    "I'm good."

    A few moments later, Paris decided to go to a nearby restaurant, seeing as it was only an hour to sunset. Marty and Rory were still in the bedroom, leaving Audrey in the common room quietly reading her book. It wasn't often that she got time to fully engross herself in a book, but it only made it all the more special when she did have time for it.

Her reading time was cut short when someone knocked on the door. Audrey walked over to the door, pulling it open. When she saw who was on the other side of the door, she had to gather herself before speaking. "Mom?" She said carefully, caught by surprise.

    "Hello."

    "Hi." She said slowly, her lips agape. "What are you doing here?"

    "Just paying my daughter a visit." Her mother said matter-of-factly, observing the dreadful expression on her daughter's face. Her dark blonde locks were tied together in a neat bun. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

    "No, it's just bad timing." Audrey attempted to explain in good-nature, glancing down at her watch. "I have a meeting with the council in half an hour."

     Her mother invited herself into the dorm room, scrunching her nose when she saw the myriad of clutter on the coffee table. "I'm sure you can skip one meeting for some quality time with your mother, Emilia."

    "I really can't." It wasn't often that her mother shows up impromptu to her dorm room, and as much as Audrey was curious about what she had to say, she felt the dread outweighed her curiosity. Whatever it is, it can wait.

     She stared at the pink couch decisively, then chose to remain standing instead, clutching her brown Birkin bag tightly. "Audrey..." Her mother started, inhaling in a deep breath. "It's about your father."

     Audrey's expression turned blank, eyes widening slightly. The last time she heard from him, it was when he informed her that he was counter-suing his business partner. "Oh." She said, shaking her head. "What about him? Is he okay? Is he back from New York already?"

     Her mother, irritated from the questions she was being bombarded by, exhaled irritably. "They closed the case. Jenkins," She spoke the name of the man suing her husband with heavy hatred. "He won the case. The company is his now."

She stood silent for a moment, processing the news. "I thought the hearing wasn't until next week!"

     "It was supposed to be, but then his partner's lawyer offered a plea deal." Her mother began explaining the details of the deal, all the percentages from past profits that her father now owns. She then proceeded to tell her that her father still has a share in the company, although the percentage was diluted down to practically nothing. Still, it was more than Audrey could've hoped for.

    "Mom, that's great." She said, sighing in relief. Observing her mother's expression, she assumed she didn't agree. "What?"

    "Are you not listening?" Her mother scolded her. "That's not even a quarter of what his income used to be, Emilia, and your father is in no shape or form to risk opening another business just yet—" She went off talking about how banks wouldn't give him a loan, how he it was oh so horrible that he has to fly back to Connecticut in economy class, Audrey blacked out halfway. "— and we'll have to cut our spendings down, too."

    Audrey, only catching the last part, straightened. She leaned in, alert. "What are you talking about?"

     Her mother, as though embarrassed, shook her head. "We're cutting back." She finally said in a dreadful tone. "

Audrey instantly knew what this meant. It meant they were cutting back on her. "What's the catch?" She asked reluctantly.

    "You'll have to sell some more designer dresses." Her mother instructed promptly, holding in the bad news.

    "That's not so bad." She softened in response, nodding her head.

     "And..." Her mother continued, a sympathetic look painting her face. "you'll have to move out of Yale and find a cheaper place around, honey."

     "And there it is." Audrey gestured her hands to her mother, brief ire overcoming her. She bit her tongue, her mind racing with ideas and possibilities. She was well aware that her family would be cutting back on her while maintaining their luxurious lifestyle, and for a moment she wanted to fight back, to insist on finding a way to cut back on unnecessary spendings such as sell the lakehouse they have in Long Island that they hardly ever visit anymore. A myriad of ideas popped to mind, but finally, she said; "Okay."

    Her mother fished around for any hint of anger in her daughter's expression. "Okay?" She echoed.

    "I'll do it." She reaffirmed. "Besides, it can't be that hard to find a good apartment near campus." She said, faking her optimism.