Wrecking the Curve

Late nights at the library.

Blackness. From across the Arts quad cigarette ends illuminate from the steps of the library like fireflies. I proceed. As I get closer, the flickering stops and I focus on the faces. Of Oriental decent at this hour. Figures. They took my dignity when I played their game freshman year (Calc I, II, Mechanics, etc.), tonight I take theirs. I will be the last to leave. I won't leave.

-Headphones. Thanks.

I walk through the main hall at 1:46am and enter the stairwell with the swiftness of an automaton. I punch the Pepsi button a little bit more aggressively than necessary. I make my rounds. Sparsely populated. Good. Half of the battle won. I take a seat in the computer lab and glance askance at my competitors. It's 1:56am--the security contingent comes through at 2am to check for student IDs. I take mine out of my wallet and set it on the desk in front of me. I clench my teeth in fury as I notice my neighbor has already done so. He looks over with a smirk (-1).

Alright, fine. I take out my Economics textbook that weighs 12.6 pounds. In Stempel Garamond Roman font, across the top reads "Macroeconomic Theory". Emblazoned along the spinal chord of the bound bastard are the three kings; Abel, Bernanke, Croushore. He provides me with a deferential, solemn bow of the head. His textbook, while weighing perhaps 14 pounds or so, was a mere Biology textbook (+1).

3:12am. Most of the inhabitants have left. Bitches. Two remain. One eyes me unrelentingly with a glossy, pillow-yearning sheen. I take a hearty swig of Pepsi, wipe my lip and snap the tip of lead that protrudes from my mechanical pencil on my Five Star, Five Subject notebook (-1). I keep my head down as I pump more lead out with a vigorous thumb.

3:51am. He leaves. Not without spewing vitriol with his eyes (+1). One remains. He is drifting into somnolence and that is simply not how you play the game.

-AHEM!!!!!!!!!!!

He jolts to a start (+1/2!), rubs his eyes (+1/4!), and gathers his things(+1/8!). And he is gone (+1/8!), and the computer lab is all mine (+1).

I unplug my headphones and let the dulcet tones of Wiz Khalifa flood the room.

-A-huh! Black and Yellow Black and Yellow Black and Yellow Black and Yellow!

Bout to rock that Econ test tomorrow regardless of the fact that I DON'T SLEEP. EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!