"What! Alex! How could you!" Tommy grabs his chest and dramatically swoons.

"Bet he just doesn't want to compete with me for who can do the most of your homework."

"Nah. Wil's right, you shouldn't get too dependent on us for your homework."

"The whole point of study groups is to cheat, I really think you guys are being too dramatic. Don't worry, Toby, I'll still do your homework without being a little bitch about it."

"I haven't given you my homework yet."

"But you're going to! Well. Maybe not your artificing homework. But, like, your English homework."

"I mean, probably, but you're still being a little, a little presumptuous, I would say!"

"So if I don't want to do any more work today--"

Sigh. "Fine, fine, you caught me. One minute." Aaaaand Tommy can have his English homework. "D'you have any shop or lab stuff you want me to help with?"

"I mean, hey, I'll never say no to free help."

"You are literally doing my homework right now, that is--that is like the opposite of free."

"I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"You know what, sure. Just, uh, just let me know what free work you need, I guess."

"Any time, Tubs."

Alex, being the only junior, is the first to go to dinner. He takes a baked sweet potato that looks half-burnt and half-raw, some vaguely yellow and uncomfortably bitter broccoli(?), and rice, which has the decency to be mostly unoffensive. The main course looks to be... some sort of stew... but there's a mal by it and stew would be a great place to hide and he does not want to put a mal on his plate, thank you very much, so sweet potato and broccoli and rice it is.

He jumps when he feels someone grab his ass, but--it's just Schlatt. He makes himself relax, a nervous laugh bubbling up. "You startled me, babe."

"Yeah, 'cause you're a fuckin' pussy. Keep a better watch out or the mals'll get you."

"Not funny."

"Yeah it is, I'm always fuckin' funny. What's got your panties in a twist?"

"Wilbur got me in on a scheme. You know how it is. It'll be fun, though, trust me."

"Yeah, that's what you always say."

"Yeah, well, have I been wrong so far?"

"I don't fuckin' trust that shit. What do you want."

"Wilbur's having fucking, elections, for leader of the study group. And it's stupid but also if I can get him to stop antagonizing Tampa--"

"Aw, just cut the crap, Alex. You want me to vote for you or are you voting for me?"

"Voting for you."