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Beyond the Bottom striking the balance
Chapter 39The bustling hallways of Lincoln High were as chaotic as ever, but Jamal had grown used to the rhythm of it. He maneuvered through the sea of students with ease, his mind racing with thoughts about SkillBridge and the mountain of responsibilities that awaited him after school. Yet, no matter how much he tried to focus, the lingering presence of Marcus was like an itch he couldn’t scratch.It had been weeks since Marcus had reappeared, strutting through the halls with a smug look that hinted at plans best left unspoken. Jamal had tried to steer clear, but their paths crossed more often than he’d like. And with the whispers about Marcus’s family still lingering, Jamal couldn’t shake the feeling that trouble was brewing.As Jamal reached his locker, Rachel and Alex were already waiting for him, their faces serious.“We need to talk,” Rachel said, her tone leaving no room for debate.Jamal raised an eyebrow but nodded. “What’s up?”Rachel glanced around to make sure no one was
Beyond the Bottom Old Threats,New Faces
Chapter 40The sun hung low over Lincoln High, casting long shadows across the front lawn. Jamal walked toward his usual spot near the lockers, where Rachel and Alex were already waiting. Despite the relative calm of the day, he couldn’t shake the sense of unease that had settled over him lately.“Finally,” Alex said as Jamal approached. “Thought you got lost in the math wing.”Jamal smirked. “Had to talk to Mr. Grayson about the SkillBridge presentation next week. We’re almost ready.”Rachel adjusted her glasses and leaned against the locker. “It feels like things are finally falling into place—at least on that front. But what about Marcus?”Jamal hesitated. He didn’t want to bring up Marcus again, not when they’d just started getting back into their routine. But Rachel had a point—Marcus wasn’t the type to let things go, especially after his family’s downfall.“Let’s not worry about him for now,” Jamal said, trying to sound casual. “We’ve got bigger things to focus on.”Alex shrugge
Beyond the Bottom Shadows In the spotlight
Chapter 41Lincoln High buzzed with excitement as news of the upcoming school prom spread like wildfire. Posters hung in every hallway, and students debated themes, outfits, and potential dates. For Jamal, however, prom was the last thing on his mind.He sat in the school library, buried in notes for his SkillBridge pitch. Rachel and Alex flanked him, both equally engrossed in their tasks.“You know,” Alex said, leaning back in his chair, “you could take a break, Jamal. Prom’s coming up, and we’ve barely talked about it. You’ve got to live a little.”Jamal glanced up, a wry smile on his face. “You sound like my mom. Prom’s not exactly a priority right now.”Rachel snorted. “That’s because you don’t have a date. Don’t worry; we’ll find you one.”“Not interested,” Jamal said firmly. “We have bigger things to focus on—like making sure SkillBridge doesn’t crash and burn at the board meeting next week.”---At lunchtime, Leah showed up unexpectedly, carrying a bag of food from a nearby din
Beyond the Bottom Bonds Beyond Boundaries
Chapter 42It was a breezy Saturday morning when Leah arrived at Zoe's small but vibrant studio. The space was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the walls adorned with Zoe's artistic photography. Leah paused at the entrance, admiring a striking black-and-white portrait of a young girl staring defiantly into the camera.“You made it,” Zoe greeted, waving her in. She had a streak of paint on her cheek, the sign of a productive morning.Leah stepped inside, smiling. “This place is amazing. I’ve seen your work online, but it’s something else in person.”Zoe grinned, wiping her hands on a rag. “Thanks. It’s my little sanctuary. You want coffee?”“Sure,” Leah replied, setting her bag down on a chair.As Zoe poured them both a cup, Leah wandered around, taking in the space. “So, what’s the story behind the girl in that photo?”“That’s Tasha,” Zoe said, handing Leah a mug. “She’s from the youth center I volunteer at. That look? She gave it to me when I told her to stop stealing
Beyond the Bottom Shadows and strides
Chapter 43The morning bell at Lincoln High rang sharply, jolting students into action. Jamal walked through the bustling hallways, dodging backpacks and sidestepping groups of chattering classmates. Though he kept a steady stride, his mind raced with a thousand thoughts—SkillBridge updates, Marcus’s cryptic behavior, and the weight of balancing it all.He reached his locker, spinning the combination with practiced ease. As he pulled out his books, Rachel appeared beside him, her ever-present notebook in hand.“Morning,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “You look like you didn’t sleep.”“Because I didn’t,” Jamal replied, shutting the locker door. “Between updating the mentorship pitch and prepping for the meeting with Principal Roberts, I’m running on fumes.”“Typical Jamal,” Rachel teased. “Overachieving your way to exhaustion.”He offered a tired smile. “Somebody’s gotta do it.”Alex joined them, a bag of chips in hand despite the early hour. “Please tell me we’re not spending l
Beyond the Bottom Strengthening Ties
Chapter 44The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the neighborhood as Leah walked into the cafe where Jamal, Zoe, and Rachel were waiting. This wasn’t her first time with the group. Over the past few months, she had become an integral part of their circle—sharp-witted, resourceful, and loyal.“Finally!” Rachel exclaimed, waving her over. “We thought you’d bailed on us.”“Traffic,” Leah replied, rolling her eyes as she dropped her bag onto an empty chair. “And some old lady in the grocery store line decided to pay with coins. Fun times.”Jamal laughed. “Classic Leah. Always a story.”Leah grinned. “What can I say? Life keeps me entertained.”Zoe slid a menu toward her. “Grab something. We’re just getting started.”The group had gathered to discuss the next steps for SkillBridge, a project that had brought them together and tested their collective grit. Jamal had the vision, but it was the combined effort of everyone—Zoe’s organizational genius, Rachel’s creative spark, Leah’s k
Beyond the Bottom Unseen Tensions
Chapter 45The morning bell rang through Lincoln High’s halls, signaling the start of another hectic day. Jamal stepped into the crowded hallway, his mind already racing with thoughts of SkillBridge and how to expand the mentorship program. He had a lot on his plate, but he couldn’t let his focus slip—not with Marcus still out there, lurking in the background.Zoe was waiting for him at their usual spot by the lockers. She gave him a quick nod when she saw him. “Got a minute?”“Always,” Jamal said, slipping his backpack off his shoulder and leaning against the locker beside hers.Zoe hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I’ve been thinking about the mentorship program. We’re getting a lot of interest from other schools, but we need to make sure we’re prepared for any potential roadblocks. Like, from people who don’t want to see us succeed.”Jamal’s eyes narrowed. “You mean Marcus.”Zoe didn’t need to say anything else. She knew that Marcus’s grudge against Jamal was personal, and i
Beyond the Bottom Strenght In The Numbers
Chapter 46 The tension in the air was palpable as Jamal and his friends gathered at the usual meeting spot after school. SkillBridge’s presentation for the city fair was just days away, and with each passing moment, Jamal felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. The pressure wasn’t just from the competition; it was the looming threat of Marcus, who was still out there, waiting for the right moment to strike. Jamal walked into the small café where his team was already seated, his mind racing with all the things they still needed to finalize. Rachel, Alex, and Zoe were all hunched over their laptops, going through the final touches of their business pitch. As Jamal slid into his seat, Zoe looked up and gave him a reassuring smile. “You ready for this?” she asked, her voice steady, though her eyes showed a hint of nervousness. “Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be,” Jamal replied, running a hand through his hair. “But we can’t afford any mistakes. We’ve got one shot at th
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A Shift in Priorities
Chapter 126The tension in Jamal’s life was reaching its peak. Balancing Skilbridge, academics, and personal life was proving to be more than he had bargained for. Every day felt like a ticking clock, each second slipping away faster than the last.The workload at Skilbridge was growing, and with every new challenge came a new obstacle. University obligations were still looming over his head, and now, there was another layer to the chaos—Rachel and Alex’s relationship was crumbling, and though they were miles apart, Jamal could feel the shift in their dynamic.Rachel sat on her dorm room bed, staring at her phone. Alex hadn’t texted her in over a day. Normally, she would have been worried, but at this point, she was just exhausted. Every conversation between them had started feeling like a chore—strained, predictable, and lacking the spark they once had.Her roommate, Melanie, glanced at her over the rim of her laptop screen. “Still waiting for him to text?”Rachel sighed. “I don’t ev
The Threat Becomes Real
Chapter 125 Jamal sat at his desk, fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden surface. His laptop screen glowed in the dim dorm room, the anonymous email staring back at him like a silent threat. He had read it a dozen times already, trying to decipher any hidden meanings, but its message was simple and direct:You think you’ve won? This is just the beginning.He clenched his jaw. Milo was getting bolder. And now, it seemed, he wasn’t acting alone. Jamal turned to Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were sitting on his bed, each of them wearing matching expressions of concern.“This isn’t just some petty campus rivalry anymore,” Jamal muttered. “Milo’s taking this outside Columbus University.”Leah folded her arms. “We need to track down who sent this. If he has outside help, we’re at a disadvantage.”Zoe sighed, running a hand through her hair. “But how do we stop someone we can’t see?”Ethan leaned forward, his eyes sharp with calculation. “Maybe we don’t have to find him. Maybe we make
On the Verge of Collapse
Chapter 123 – Breaking PointJamal sat in front of his laptop, the glow from the screen highlighting the exhaustion on his face. The Skilbridge scandal was spreading faster than he anticipated. Despite their efforts, the accusations kept circulating on campus forums. It didn’t matter that there was no concrete proof—people loved a juicy controversy.Leah’s voice came through the team’s group call. “The livestream is scheduled for tomorrow. We have three professors from the tech department agreeing to watch. If we prove our originality, we kill this rumor.”Ethan exhaled. “Still, we need to be ready for anything. Milo isn’t dumb—he’ll try to discredit us again.”Zoe, who had been eerily silent, suddenly spoke. “Then we do something he won’t expect.”Jamal rubbed his temples. “Like what?”“We go bigger,” Zoe said. “We turn this livestream into a full-fledged demo day. Invite students, industry experts, hell—even potential investors. We force the narrative into something positive.”Leah
Lines Drawn
Chapter 122 Jamal sat at the far end of the library, surrounded by stacks of textbooks and notes, yet his mind refused to focus. The weight of everything pressed against his skull—Skilbridge, his slipping grades, the rumors Milo was spreading. It was too much at once, and no matter how much he tried to block it all out, the anxiety simmered just beneath the surface.Leah tapped her fingers against the table, waiting for him to say something. She had just laid out the latest problem—the false rumors about Skilbridge’s tech. Someone was trying to undermine them, and they both knew exactly who.“We need a plan,” Leah said, her voice low but firm. “If this spreads, we could lose investor confidence.”Jamal exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. “We need proof that Milo’s behind it.”Zoe, who had been scrolling through her phone, suddenly smirked. “Or we can play smarter. If he wants to spread lies, we counter with undeniable facts. Make our work so solid that no one even considers his nons
Tipping Points
Chapter 121 – Tipping PointsThe night air outside Columbus University was crisp, but inside Jamal’s dorm, the air felt thick with stress. His desk was a mess—open textbooks, half-written assignments, and a laptop screen blinking with notifications. He tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the calculations he needed to finish for his next class.His phone vibrated. Ethan.“Meeting in 10. Lecture Hall.”Jamal exhaled, rubbing his eyes. These late-night strategy sessions were necessary, but they were also draining. Skilbridge was growing at a pace none of them had fully prepared for, and balancing school with running a startup was proving to be more of a nightmare than he had expected.Still, there was no backing out now.He grabbed his hoodie and headed out.A Late-Night Strategy SessionThe lecture hall was mostly empty at this hour, except for Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were already inside, gathered around one of the large desks. Leah’s tablet was open, showing analytics, wh
Issues Brewing
Chapter 120 The office was quiet except for the soft tapping of keys. Jamal stared at the engagement report displayed on his laptop, his brows furrowed. The numbers weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. Skilbridge was growing, but not at the pace they had hoped. While universities were signing up, user retention was dropping. It was a frustrating plateau, one that could determine the platform’s future.Leah sat across from him, scrolling through her tablet. “We need something more compelling. The AI tutoring feature is promising, but it’s not enough. We need a hook—something that makes Skilbridge essential, not just convenient.”Zoe, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward. “What if we establish a student ambassador program? Get representatives in each school to market the platform directly to their peers. Word of mouth is still the strongest form of promotion.”Ethan, casually spinning a pen between his fingers, nodded. “That could work. Organic marketing has a bette
Cracks
Chapter 119 The weight of responsibility pressed down on everyone, stretching them thin in different ways. Jamal struggled to balance Skilbridge with university, Rachel found herself caught between ambition and love, and Alex—once the most dependable of them—had started slipping away into silence.The bonds that once felt unbreakable were now under strain.Rachel sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at her phone. Alex had been distant lately—more than usual. Their conversations, once filled with laughter and teasing, had turned into brief, one-word replies.She had assumed it was just basketball and school. But now, she wasn’t so sure.Rachel: Hey, are you okay?Minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty.Finally, a reply came.Alex: Yeah, just busy.Rachel frowned. That was it? No reassurance, no questions about how she was?Her roommate, Ava, glanced over from her desk. "You’re staring at your phone like you’re waiting for it to explode."Rachel exhaled. "It might as well. Alex has been
Diverging Parts
Chapter 118 The weeks following Malcolm Reid’s investment felt like a whirlwind. Contracts were signed, funds were transferred, and Skilbridge began expanding faster than Jamal had anticipated. With Leah and Ethan leading different departments, they had started hiring new developers, refining their marketing strategy, and pushing for university partnerships beyond Columbus. But the real test was just beginning. Jamal sat in the office space they had rented near campus—a modest but functional place filled with whiteboards covered in code, marketing strategies, and expansion plans. It was late, and most of the team had gone home, but he was still there, staring at his laptop screen. "Still here?" Leah’s voice broke the silence. Jamal looked up to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a small smirk on her face. She walked in, setting her laptop on the table beside him. "You’re one to talk," he said with a chuckle. "What’s keeping you up?" Leah sighed, taking a seat. "The
Crossroads and New Beginnings
Chapter 117 Jamal lay awake in his dorm room, staring at the ceiling. The offer from Malcolm Reid weighed heavily on his mind. Five million dollars. That was a life-changing sum, more money than he had ever imagined having access to at this stage of his life. With it came the potential to take Skilbridge from a promising startup to a nationwide brand.But was it worth giving up more control?His phone buzzed. Leah.Leah: Can’t sleep?Jamal: Nope. You?Leah: Same. We’re about to make the biggest decision of our lives.Jamal: And we can’t afford to mess it up.Leah: Let’s talk in the morning. Maybe things will be clearer.Jamal sighed and put his phone away. He hoped Leah was right.By noon, the team reconvened in the same conference room where they had first strategized against ByteEdge. The tension was palpable.Jamal exhaled, looking around the table at Leah, Ethan, Zoe, and the other key team members. "Alright. Let’s vote. Do we take Malcolm Reid’s offer?"Leah leaned forward, her
