Adam helped May to her feet.

“Thanks for the save.” She said as she dusted off her pants.

“They didn’t hurt you, did they?” he asked as he watched one of the Sigum brothers groan as he held his nose.

“Just my pride.” She said as she started putting her books back in her bag.

“Who knew history could be so useful.” He said as he handed her textbook back. She frowned at the blood splattered across the cover after impacting Dev’s nose.

“It was the only way I could think of to get it in his head.” He said with a grin.

“Let’s just get out of here.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking away.

“Hey, is what they said true?”

She grimaced, “Yeah, I couldn’t make the payment.”

“And if you can’t prove a place of residency, then they will kick you out of the University.”

“That’s their plan. Unless I pay them to keep quiet.”

“That still doesn’t solve the problem.”

“No kidding. I wish people would mind their own business.”

“Yeah, I should have just kept walking. Not my business if the seediest fraternity on campus roughs up, my friend.”

She just glared at him. Putting his hands up in surrender, “Alright, I get it. You only want people to intrude when it helps you, but they should never ask.”

She laughed, “You’re a goofball.”

“Well, thank you. I try to be light-hearted.” He waited for her to continue, but she just walked in silence.

They had grown up together, and he liked to pretend he understood her. But her current situation just rammed it home. He didn’t understand her half so well as he thought. Over the year, she had gone from one job to another, trying to juggle her studies with work. He knew she was stubborn, but sleeping in an old classroom instead of asking for help was a new part of her he had never seen. Even after her father died, he thought she would confide in someone, but she just shouldered the burden and tried to carry everyone with her. It wasn’t right. He had made a promise, and he intended to fulfill it.

No, she can’t stay here.” Emily, Adam’s sister's angry voice, came through the closed door.

“She doesn’t have anywhere else to go.” was his calm reply.

“She can’t stay here! What would Father think?”

“He would respect my decision.”

“What would mother say?”

May could imagine the grimace that would have appeared on Adam’s face at that thought.

“She would stay in your room for now. I’ll clean out the office that we are using as storage.”

“No, just no.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“I’ll stay in the office, and she can be in the room across from you.”

“I am making my decision. No matter your relationship, there won’t be any girlfriends in this apartment. You still have to answer to the priest even if you don’t listen to me. They are a lot closer than Father and Mother.”

“She has nowhere to go! Would you have her thrown out of University? You know how much her family needs this. How much they paid for this? Would you have them on the streets?” Adam’s voice continued to rise in volume.

May buried her head in her hands, the feeling of her unwashed hair just cementing her failure further. In just two years, everything had come crashing down. At least she was able to get a passing grade, but no one wanted to hire a girl who was too tired to keep up with everyone else. And now her only friend was fighting with his family to help her.

Stifling her anger, she rechecked her phone. The words from her brother, already embedded in her memory these past weeks, 'May, I hate to bother you, but my new job isn’t bringing in as much money as I had hoped. Anything you can spare will be appreciated. Samantha is going to see if she can babysit after school. Pray you are doing well. Will keep you updated.' David, her brother, frustrated her. He was too sacrificing for his good. She could imagine him juggling three jobs while skipping school. She couldn't blame him. She wanted to do the same. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she scolded herself, "Get yourself together. You knew this would be hard, don't pretend you can do it alone." Sighing, she leaned her head against the wall. Trying to ignore the heated argument on the other side of the wall. While lost in her thoughts, she had missed the better part of the conversation.

"You tell her then! You say it to her face. Go out there and tell her you want to see her fail. Tell her she isn't worth your help and shouldn't have even tried to become a nurse. You know how much it means to her family; you tell them all of them that they could all die for your care!"

"Adam! That is not what I am talking about."

"I don't care; I am going to Connor's. You tell her what you're talking about. She is in the kitchen and can hear everything you've said. I'm calling Dad. We will talk about this later." The door slammed, and Adam stood there. He stormed into his room and came out a moment later with a bag over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Emily, don't let her throw you out. I'll see what my parents can work out." After gripping her hand, he left.

May sat at the small table, wondering how much worse her life could get.

Adam pounded on the door for the third time and waited. Checking his watch, it was a quarter past ten. Lifting his hand to knock again, the door opened; Connor fixed his glasses as he looked at him.

"Oh, it's you."

"Yeah, I had a falling out with Emily. Can I crash at your place for a couple of days?" Adam said as he leaned against the door frame.

"Actually, that works perfectly; I am in the middle of a project and need another set of hands."

"How about another brain?"

"Yes, all ideas are welcome." He said over his shoulder as he led the way inside.

The dorm was one of the larger ones that had been used for nobility in the old days but were now given to exceptionally talented students. Every flat surface was littered with bits of machinery and papers detailing mathematics and schematics.

"Looks like you brought half the lab with you." Adam joked at the sight.

"Sorry about the mess. I am close to a breakthrough and couldn't put it down. I've just been using the floor for the past few days."

"I can see that," Adam said as he picked a spot that wasn't so crowded. "So, are you still working on the suspension device?"

"Yes, the test was successful; Professor Miles was ecstatic," Connor said as he fiddled with a machine with one hand while taking notes with his left.

"But? You weren't satisfied?"

"No. I am not. This machine is much too unwieldy to be a viable means of reducing the manpower needed to move large quantities. It is just too large and unstable. If the item placed within isn't solid, it will compress to its densest possible unit. Another downside is it can't be moved once it is in place; it causes some sort of destabilization that when you move the device, it slices the item if it touches the edge of the field."

"Sounds dangerous," Adam said as he perused the blueprints.

"Yes, I dread to consider what would happen if someone were to enter the field." He paused in thought, "It needs to be safer."

“And smaller. I assume.”

“Yes, if you would help disassemble this, I think I can reconfigure this generator to accept smaller parts.”

“That’s the smallest I could make; you think you can do better?” Adam said as he held up the pieces Connor had already dismantled.

“No, I couldn’t. But I think we could.” Connor said with a smile.