Page 10 of Seeds of Friendship
“Bros before... ladies?”
“Stop talking.”
But we're all kind of smiling now, even Alfie. There's something about sitting on these steps, eating pizza with these idiots while our party rages inside, that feels like the actual beginning of something.
“We should probably get back in there,” Troy says eventually. “Make sure no one's destroying our house.”
“Five more minutes,” Ethan pleads. “This is nice.”
And weirdly, it kind of is.
“Fine,” Troy agrees. “But if the cops show up, I'm blaming all of you.”
“Deal,” we all say in unison, then look at each other, surprised.
Maybe Ethan's right. Maybe we will be boys. Eventually.
4
“This is depressing as fuck,” Ethan announces, kicking a pebble down the perfectly maintained sidewalk. We've been walking for twenty minutes, trying to get a feel for the neighborhood around Oak Street. Tree-lined streets, well-kept lawns, the occasional mom with a stroller.
It's nice—really nice, actually—but compared to the busyness near campus, it feels like we've moved to the suburbs. “It's peaceful,” Troy offers, though he sounds uncertain. “Good for studying?”
“It's dead,” Ethan complains. “Where are the parties? The people? Any signs of life?”
“Not everyone needs constant noise to survive,” Alfie mutters, though even he looks a bit put off by how residential everything is. We turn the corner onto what must be the main drag—a few cafes, a used bookstore, an organic grocery that definitely charges twelve dollars for orange juice. There's even a small park with actual grass and functioning playground equipment. But there, propped against a pristine white fence next to someone's recycling bins, is this huge framed poster of Einstein sticking his tongue out.
“Holy shit!” Ethan rushes over. “Look at this!”
Troy's right behind him. “This is incredible. It's just... here? Like, free?”
They're examining it like they've discovered buried treasure. The frame's beat to hell and there's water damage on one corner, but Einstein's crazy hair and that ridiculous tongue are still intact. Someone probably put it out, hoping a student would take it.
“That's not art,” Alfie says, his voice dripping with disdain. “It's a mass-produced poster someone probably bought at a college bookstore for ten dollars.”
“It's Einstein, bro,” Ethan argues, already trying to pick it up. “This is going in our living room. This is our new mascot.”
“Absolutely not,” Alfie says.
“Come on, look at his face!” Troy's grinning now. “He's a genius, like you. It's perfect.”
Alfie looks offended by the comparison. “Einstein was a theoretical physicist. I'm studying geological sciences with a focus on planetary geology. Completely different fields.”
“Planetary geology?” I ask, genuinely interested despite myself. “Like, rocks in space?”
Alfie's expression shifts slightly, like he's surprised I'm actually asking. “More like understanding geological formations on other planets. Different planets' oceans, Martian mineral deposits, asteroid composition.”
“That actually sounds fascinating,” I admit. “Understanding how the universe works, the chemistry of it all, the way elements form and interact...” I catch myself getting too enthusiastic. “Too bad it's one of those degrees that sounds cool but doesn't actually lead anywhere job-wise. I need to go straight into industry.”
Alfie stops walking and stares at me like I've just said the Earth is flat. “Are you serious right now?”
“What?”
“Do you have any idea what mining companies pay geological consultants? Or what oil and gas companies shell out for people who can analyze formations?” He shakes his head. “One of my father's friends runs exploration for EcoTech. Starting salary for geo specialists is six figures. Starting. By the time you're senior level? You're basically set for life.”
My stomach does something weird. Six figures. Starting.
“Mining companies,” I repeat slowly. “Like, actual mining?”
