I Know We're Not in a Drama

Ch 1. Freshman Year

Wei WuXian re-read the offer letter for the tenth time. "Cloud Recesses Pharmaceuticals congratulates you...." Three years of working his ass off in school, taking as many AP classes and summer school classes as his guidance counselors would permit so he could graduate a year early and with college credits, twelve quarters of extracurricular activities (one athletic and one community service each quarter), a part-time job, writing the most kick-ass application to colleges, and an even more kick-ass essay for this scholarship had paid off: a full ride to the university of his choice (tuition and fees, and either room and board on campus or a food/housing stipend for off campus living), and guaranteed employment for two freaking years after graduation as long as he fulfilled a few teeny, itty-bitty details.

How hard would it be to double major in Chemistry and Pharmacology and maintain at least a 3.8 GPA?

Jiang WanYin, who, despite taking summer courses right alongside his buddy so he could also graduate a year early, did not really understand the pressure of earning a scholarship to college given that his parents owned the company Wei WuXian's parents worked at, scoffed playfully. "Are you going to marry that letter?" he teased. "You look like you're in loooovvve with it."

"Yes," Wei WuXian agreed in as loving a voice as he was capable of imitating for a piece of paper. "I'm going to marry into Cloud Recesses Pharmaceuticals and never have to work a day in my life. This scholarship is just the start. I'll find out who the CEO's daughter is, woo her, whisk her off her feet, and marry her. Wedded bliss forever."

"The word is 'sweep', you idiot. Sweep her off her feet."

"Really?" Wei WuXian didn't think that sounded right. "Sweep her off her feet like she's a piece of trash? Whisk is better, right?" He held out one hand like it was holding a bowl and whipped an imaginary whisk into it. "Maybe not? Whisk is another word for beat." He sighed and opened his laptop, typing in search phrases. "There's got to be a better word for it. What's our dorm assignment?"

"What if she's ugly? Or old?" Jiang WanYin retorted. But he, too, opened his laptop to check. "VanBuren 1605." Then he slammed his keyboard. "What the Hell, A'Xian! I thought we were going to be roommates?"

"We aren't?" Wei WuXian peeked at his friend's screen which showed another Chinese boy with long hair streaked like a rainbow. "But we picked each other?"

The two teens had been friends almost since birth. Wei WuXian's mother, CangSe SanRen had worked as an inside sales rep for Jiang Automotive until late in her pregnancy. Jiang WanYin's mother, Yu ZiYuan, was Chief Operating Officer. The two women had a sort of love-hate thing going on between them due to an unfortunate mix-up back in their dating days: their now husbands had been talking about their upcoming dates and accidentally went to the other's. It should have been something to laugh at; Yu ZiYuan did not find it funny and instead of getting upset at her boyfriend, took her resentment out on the other woman. CangSe SanRen, who had done nothing wrong, was irritated that she was being blamed for their men being jerks. The foursome's relationship went downhill from there. But it never got bad enough that Yu ZiYuan wouldn't hold her nose at paying CangSe SanRen a tidy sum each week to provide daycare for her son.

Wei WuXian clicked a new tab and logged into his new university account. "I'm in Harding, 207," he said. "We're not even on the same side of campus!"

"How am I supposed to cheat off you now?" Jiang WanYin groaned. He was kidding, of course. As a business management major, he'd have no courses in common with his friend.

Wei WuXian clicked on his roommate's profile. "Hey. I've got a Chinese roommate, too. Xenophobic much? Gotta stick the Asians together?" His Chinese roommate was quite good looking.