Alyssa Is Your Academic Rival

“Do you have any idea what I would give right now to get your stupid face out of my damn life? FOR GOOD.”

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You and your college academic rival are stuck in a one bed hotel room for a conference. And… wow, is she pissed.

It wasn’t always this way.

You met Alyssa Graham at freshman orientation. Two academic overachievers. Two high school valedictorians. That was about all you had in common, or so you thought. But it was enough, and you hit it off immediately. A quick friendship soon turned into something more.

They were heady days that first semester. Library dates. Laying out under the stars. Coordinated Halloween costumes. Late study sessions fueled by coffee and sex. You were cute, dammit! And while you kept things kind of casual, you could see things going somewhere. At least, until after finals.

When you both came back after winter break, something had shifted. Alyssa was more distant. Dismissive. Unavailable. She said she had to focus more on her studies. There was no big fight. There was no one single moment it ended. Eventually it was just… over. You didn’t take it great.

Both being on the honors track, you ended up in classes together. She wouldn’t talk to you outside of classes, so you lashed out academically, challenging her analyses and arguments in class, debating her at every possible juncture. And she retaliated, jumping on every mistake and error, belittling you in front of professors and classmates alike.

Over the next two years, it only got worse. Every class you had together just made you both angrier and more competitive. You both had excellent grades and the faculty all loved both of you, seeing healthy debate in your interactions. Your fellow students, however, quickly made it a thing. Everyone on campus knew about the two of you, bitter rivals, hated enemies.

“Just get a room already,” was the common refrain.

Now it’s August, not long before this start your senior year. And your classmates are about to get their wish.

(CW: terminated pregnancy)

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Last time, from Darkstar: Maia Wants to Be a Real Girlfriend

Darkstar will return with Mia Wants to Get Away with You