Chapter 70 The quad buzzed with activity as students shuffled between classes, coffee cups in hand and backpacks slung over shoulders. The crisp January air bit at Jamal’s cheeks as he walked across campus, his thoughts a storm of plans and possibilities.It had been only two days since the pitch competition win, but the whirlwind of emails, meetings, and planning sessions had already taken over his life. Between grant guidelines, investor interest, and beta testing for the app, Jamal barely had time to breathe.As he approached the entrepreneurship lab, the smell of brewing coffee hit him, and he spotted Ethan hunched over a computer in the corner. A pair of noise-canceling headphones sat over his messy brown hair, his fingers flying over the keyboard.Jamal slid into the chair next to him and knocked lightly on the desk. Ethan pulled off his headphones, grinning.“Finally,” Ethan said. “Thought you’d be late again.”“Late?” Jamal raised a brow. “I was up before you this morning.”E

Chapter 72The cafeteria hummed with its usual mix of laughter, clinking dishes, and muffled conversation. Jamal slid into the booth with his tray, glancing at Leah, who was already seated. She had her hair tied back in a neat bun, her blazer crisp and sharp, and her focus entirely on the thick law textbook open in front of her."Don’t you ever take a break?" Jamal teased, setting his tray down beside her.Leah looked up, her lips curving into a small smile. "I’ll take a break when this case brief is finished.""Knowing you, that’ll be in, what—ten minutes?" Jamal said, his tone playful.She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the hint of a smirk. It was moments like these that reminded Jamal how much he appreciated her. Even when she was buried in work, Leah had a way of grounding him. Their relationship was still in its early stages—a mutual decision to take things slow given how busy they both were—but the connection between them felt solid.Before he could say more, Ethan dropped in

Chapter 74The week started like any other, with a mix of routine classes and frantic team meetings squeezed into the cracks between assignments. Jamal juggled business planning with his coursework, his notebooks growing more cluttered with every passing day.By Wednesday afternoon, he found himself rushing across campus to meet Leah at the student union. The massive glass-paneled building was bustling with activity—students sipping coffee in the lounge, club flyers taped to every available surface, and the faint hum of a cappuccino machine blending with the sound of laughter and chatter.Leah was already there, sitting at a corner table with her laptop open and her legal pad filled with neat, precise notes. Jamal slid into the seat across from her, pulling out his own notebook."Hey," he said, catching his breath. "Sorry I’m late. Ethan’s laptop overheated in the middle of our meeting, and it kind of threw us off."Leah smirked. "I’m sure he handled it with his usual grace and patien

Chapter 76The library smelled faintly of old books and fresh coffee, the kind of smell that reminded Jamal why he preferred working here over the dorm. It was a little quieter than usual for a Thursday evening, which made it easier for him to focus. He, Zoe, and Leah had snagged a corner booth upstairs, away from the main rush of students.Jamal tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the screen of his laptop. "Okay," he muttered, "if one more beta tester says ‘easy to use but slow to load,’ I’m going to lose it "Zoe looked up from her tablet, raising an eyebrow. "That’s… oddly specific. Did someone actually say that, or are you just projecting your stress again?"Jamal flipped his laptop toward her. "Here. Read it for yourself. They wrote it twice, in all caps."Leah chuckled softly, glancing over the top of her laptop. "All caps? That’s commitment. Maybe you should take it as a compliment. They care enough to yell at you.""Yell at us," Jamal said, gesturing at the three o

Chapter 78The next morning, Jamal woke up to the sound of Ethan clattering away on his keyboard. The faint hum of his laptop fan mixed with the sound of Evan snoring on the couch. The dorm room was a chaotic blend of tech and clutter, but for once, it felt like home. Jamal stretched, trying to shake off the stiffness in his neck from a restless night. The pitch meeting had gone well, but the waiting game was taking its toll on him.“Didn’t you sleep at all?” Jamal asked, his voice groggy.Ethan didn’t even glance up. “Sleep is for people who don’t have a server migration to finish. Besides, I’m almost done. Just need to optimize a few things, and we’ll be golden.”“Golden, huh?” Jamal muttered, heading to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.By the time he returned, Leah had arrived, her notebook in hand and a determined look on her face. She set her things down at the table, surveying the room like a general preparing for battle.“Morning, team,” she said, her voice brisk.