Page 17 of Pick Me Up On Tuesdays

For a moment, I actually entertained the idea of a potion stand—cute little bottles filled with shimmering elixirs, elegant handwritten labels, marketing slogans like ‘Refresh Yourself with a Hint of Regret!’ But then I remembered we’d need a merchant’s license, a stable potion supplier, and enough charm to convince rich people that they needed overpriced lemonade.

Too much effort. Not to mention that we were students, so most of our lives were spent in class.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Okay, look, I’m smart. I’m good at math, rune coding, writing, and generally being an overachiever. Freelancing could work.”

Shun nodded. “That’s actually a good idea.”

Joy smirked. “So basically, you’re about to become an academic crime lord?”

“…What?”

“Think about it! Rich noble kids pay nerds like you to write their essays on ancient spell craft. It’s practically illegal.”

I sighed. “Joy, it’s called tutoring.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, not convinced. “And where’s the gold, Clark? WHERE’S THE GOLD?”

Okay, so she had a point. Freelancing wouldn’t be fast enough.

I let out a long, defeated breath and draped my arms over the table. “Alright, new plan—we give up and accept our fate.”

Joy dramatically threw herself onto the Table of Eternal Wisdom. “Yes, let’s embrace the cold abyss of financial despair.”

Shun, as always, was the voice of reason. “Or… we find a better option. Because, for starters, if it wasn’t you, Joy I'm looking at you, we wouldn’t be here,” she said, locking eyes with her elven-turquoise eyes.

I hate to put the blame on Joy, but it was her idea to play fear pong in the first place, so technically, maybe she was part of the problem.

Joy only raised a brow, accepting the fact. “.…Fine. But in my defense, I didn’t think Clark would scream at a floating rodent like it was a demon spawn.”

“IT WAS A LEVITATING BUNNY, JOY.”

“WHATEVER.”

Shun rubbed her temples. “I hate both of you.”

Just as I was about to start stress-eating my way into a coma, Joy's eyes lit up the way they only do when something either brilliant or mildly illegal is about to happen. My spine tingled. This was it. The moment before the madness. I could already feel my GPA weeping in the distance. Please don’t say time travel. Please don’t say necromancy. Please don’t say—

“I HAVE AN IDEA.”

Shun blinked. “I’m scared.”

“What? Rob a bank,” I quipped, before she eye-rolled my joke.

She shoved her crystal tablet in my face. “BOOM.” I squinted.

And read:

NATIONWIDE HIGH SCHOOLS DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION!

Winner’s school receives a HUGE PRIZE!

Deadline: 20 Days.

Silence.

Then, Shun calmly said, “That… could actually work.”

Joy grinned like a villain. “Clark, you’re a nerd. I’m… dramatic. Shun exists. We could totally win this.”

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