"Urghhh, last day of summer classes… thank you, God!!"
Edward groaned, forehead pressed flat against the desk as the classroom buzzed with idle chatter and scraping chairs. His body sagged in exhaustion, shoulders hunched beneath the weight of sleepless hours. He'd spent the entire night binge-watching old Summer Celestèe films—again. Even though he'd seen them a dozen times, something about her presence on screen, her radiant smile and dramatic flair, kept him hooked like it was always the first viewing.
His breath fogged faintly against the polished wood of the desk as he muttered to himself, "Why'd I stay up so late…?"
"Edward!!" Mrs. Vanessa's sharp voice cracked through the air like a whip.
He jolted upright, nearly tipping his chair. "Yes, ma'am?" he answered, eyes wide, trying to look alert even as fatigue clung to his face.
"Heads up, we're about to start," she said sternly. "Today we'll be talking about the history of the Central Bank of America."
