The campus art and media studio hummed with a quiet energy. Pencils scratching against paper, low music vibrating from speakers, and the murmuring of both ideas and critiques. Elaine settled at a workstation away from the other students, her gaze fixed on her screen as she rearranged layers for her class assignment. She had been working on building this particular digital composition since the start of the semester, and now, finally, it was falling into place.
"Miss Wolf," Professor Alcott's voice grabbed her attention as he leaned over the desk, the light of her display reflecting off his glasses. "I see that you've outdone yourself yet again."
Elaine offered a faint smile, leaning back with a satisfied exhale. "Thank you. I just wanted to capture how sound feels when it breathes."
"Sound breathing…" He raised his brows, giving a nod of approval. "I like that." He watched her rearrange layers, leaning back to stand at his full height. "By the way, you've been getting attention. A few independent acts and some small labels have been asking about the 'LA artist with the haunting sound and visuals.'"
Elaine blinked, pausing in her task to look up at him. "You're joking, right?"
"I am not," he said, shaking his head before turning on his heel. "Don't be too shocked if you receive a few offers here soon."
Elaine watched him walk away before returning her gaze to her screen. She bounced her knee, slowly going back to the task at hand. Rearranging and altering layers until she found her mind veering back towards what the professor said. I wonder who has been asking about me… Which small labels and which independent acts?
She leaned back in her chair, listening to the sound from the beginning while staring at the ceiling. One more semester and I'm graduating… Guess I really need to start planning what I want to do.
By the time she got home, the apartment was buzzing with a different energy than her mind. She didn't even fully get inside before Samantha grabbed the wall and leaned into her view.
"You're coming tonight, right?" She asked, grinning.
"Uh," Elaine paused, glancing around the room as she slipped her shoes off, "Where?"
"There's a rooftop party tonight," Isabel chimed in. "Did you not hear about it in class at all?"
"We're a department of mainly introverts," Elaine replied, setting her bag down on the table.
"So, that's a no," Isabel confirmed, looking up from her phone on the couch.
"Oh come on," Samantha groaned, grabbing Elaine by her shoulders, "Please? Pretty please, it'll be fun!"
"Define fun," Elaine murmured.
"Drinking, dancing, good-looking people, and no commitment," Samantha replied easily, smiling.
"Julian also said the rooftop lights are crazy this time," Isabel added. "He's also in charge of the playlists."
"You have to come, Elaine," Samantha beamed, "It'll be good for you, considering you've basically had no time to relax and unwind from assignments."
True, I guess. It had been a week since Elaine had visited the mansion to hang out with the guys. Between her own assignments and those of Eleanore and Simone, she barely had time to breathe, let alone do anything considered fun.
She groaned, leaning her head back before sighing. "Alright, fine." She then paused as Samantha grinned. "But if I get glitter bombed again, I'm blaming you, Sam."
"Worth it!" Samantha beamed, bouncing over to the couch to peer at Isabel's phone.
Eleanore made her appearance, wrapped in a towel as she grabbed a water out of the fridge. "Samantha, go help Elaine pick out an outfit."
Elaine blinked. "What?"
"Okay!" Samantha turned, grinning widely as she grabbed Elaine's wrist and dragged her through the apartment into her room, despite Elaine's protests.
When they finally arrived at the rooftop party on campus, the scene was already alive with other students and their friends. Julian spotted them immediately, grinning from ear to ear as he leaned over the soundboard. "Elaine Wolf actually left the studio," he called out. "Somebody document this miracle!"
Elaine shook her head, "Don't make me regret this."
"Too late," he grinned. "I'm dedicating the next track to your unhealthy commitment to caffeine."
"You act like I have a problem," Elaine shot back, laughing as Samantha handed her a drink.
"Oh, honey, you do have a problem," Simone chimed, strutting up behind them, dressed in his usual flashy attire. "But we love you nonetheless."
The group merged with the crowd, dancing in bursts between conversations. Julian seamlessly mixed tracks of both campus artists and those well-known in the industry, leaving the air energized through sound.
Kendra joined them halfway through the night, red solo cup in hand. "Okay, question," she said over the music. "Why did Professor Brown call you a 'quiet wildfire'? Because that sounds both poetic and terrifying."
Elaine immediately groaned. "He was talking about focus! Not… Whatever it is you're picturing."
"Between her projects and online attention, she's practically a campus myth," Eleanore teased.
Samantha grinned, raising her drink. "To our mysterious, caffeine addicted legend!"
Elaine shook her head, chuckling as they tapped their cups together, laughing. Some liquid spilled from Samantha's cup onto Isabel's shoes, causing her to pause with a look of disgust.
"Okay, seriously," Isabel groaned, rolling her eyes toward Samantha, who handed her cup to Eleanroe and took off running in the opposite direction.
After a while, the night blurred into flashes of light and movement as Simone and Eleanore tried to out-dance each other, and Kendra failed spectacularly during a spin move.
Elaine found herself drawn toward the edge of the rooftop where the wind was cooler. She watched everyone from a distance, her thoughts finally able to catch up. She tilted her head, thinking about the members of Premise for a brief moment. Rylan and Casen's energy, Lucian's flirting, and the quiet of Enzo and Luca.
"Hey!" Samantha's voice cut through the music and her thoughts, causing her to look over. "Come on, Julian's about to start his newest remix!"
Elaine gave one last look at the crowd, smiling as she tossed her cup into a nearby bin, and took Samantha's hand to join her and the others in the crowd.