The Color of 5PM

Nari Jeong

I swear the teacher used a thicker pen when writing the big red F on the top of my test. I’m like, 99.5% sure. Or maybe that’s the type of pen Professor Woods likes to use, I’ve only gotten a good grade once in his calculus class.

“Oof,” my best friend Min-seo says as she peers over my shoulder.

“In capital letters,” I agree, stuffing the paper into my dark purple backpack.

“Well, since you’ve been dying for me to tell you…I got 87%” Min-seo beams.

I plaster on a smile. “WOW, that’s so good, sooo —yeah I can’t do this,” I say as the smile promptly drops from my face. Our footsteps echo as we step down the wooden stairs, making our way out of the lecture hall.

She gives me a pitying pat on the shoulder. “I appreciate the effort nonetheless.”

She grabs my hand once we leave Hudgins Hall and tugs me faster as we hurry across the dead grass to commons.

Welcome to Everton University. A somewhat prestigious university that boasts a notable 41% diversity score and a 0% good food score. World renowned for their Biology program, they’re famous for cranking out some of the most successful and ground breaking biologists that the world has seen since… actually I don’t know.

So of course, naturally, I go here to pursue an art major.

Why? Because they offered the most money. That’s it. That’s the whole reason.

Which I find out I’m currently in the process of losing when I check my email in commons while waiting in line for food.

Dear Nari Jeong,

We regret to inform you that you’re in danger of losing your First Gen, and Asian American Scholarship, as you’re not maintaining the threshold GPA. There's a link below that will bring you to the tutoring center if you wish to seek out academic help.

We are giving a grace period till the end of your first year here at Everton. If your GPA is satisfactory by then, you will maintain your scholarships and housing grant.

Best,

Amanda Bryson (Vice President of Financial Aid)

“Damn,” Min-seo mutters, resting her chin on my shoulder.

“What’s going on?” My roommate, Xie, chimes in. She joins us in the line, blatantly cutting as she ignores the grumbles from the students behind her.

“Nari needs a tutor!” Min-seo declares as I groan and throw my head into my hands.

“Oh fun! I love my tutor!” Xie exclaims, causing me to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.

“All you do is complain about tutoring.” I jab my finger at her.

“Um yeah, cause I hate English class. Not cause of the tutor,” she says while rolling her eyes. “Duh,” she adds jokingly.

I chuckle and shake my head as I make my salad then follow Min-seo with Xie behind to a nearby table. I plop down and attack my victim (my Caesar salad) as I shovel it into my mouth with a resigned frown.

“I’ll probably get one for calculus, that’s the main class bringing my grade down.” I cover my mouth as some greens fly out.

“You should ask for Kaia, one of the international students,” Xie says, scrolling through her phone. “I heard she’s the best at math. She’s Norwegian.” She flips her phone around and shows me an instagram account.

“She has a lot of followers,” I say, leaning forward. “But only has two posts.”

“Thats because she’s smoking hot,” Min-seo whistles.

“Okay, keep it in your pants,” Xie teases as she puts her phone away. Min-seo wasn’t wrong though. She has long dark brown hair, high cheekbones, a small nose and seemed pretty tall. She looked like one of the girls who had their life together and knew what they wanted.

….unlike me.

“But anyway, I don’t know if you can specifically ask for students… but if you can, get her.”

I open my phone and click the link that was attached to the email which brings me to a Google form.

I sigh once I reach the end and hit submit.

“I swear it was going to ask for my first born child with how many questions it asked,” I grumble and Xie and Min-seo cackle.

***

Once me and Xie reach our room, she darts to the bathroom shouting:

“That chicken went right through me!”

I laugh as I hop on my bed, calling my mom.

“Hi mama,” I say in Korean when she picks up.

“Nari! How’s my girl?” She exclaims and I cringe at her excitement. I was going to snuff that out soon.

The line was eerily quiet as I explained and I hear my dad pipe up in Mandarin, he always talks to me in his first language. It is his first language after all, but he also likes to keep my Mandarin sharp.

“I see you got your mothers skills in math then!”

We both bellow in laughter as my mom says something in the distance, making my dad whoop in surprise.

“Look, as long as you get that grade up, don’t worry about it. Try your best, okay?”

His voice is suddenly serious.

“Yes, of course,” I agree.

“We love you,” my mom calls in the distance once again as we say our goodbyes and I hang up, feeling notably better.

The bathroom door bangs open as Xie emerges.

“Might want to avoid that area for a bit, kay?”

***

The next morning, I wake up to a text message.

KAIA: Hello Nari, this is Kaia. I was assigned as your tutor.

“Xie! I got Kaia!” I gush, shaking her still form in our dark room.

“Huh?” She moans. “Who’s dying?” She slowly sits up, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“No one is dying, I got Kaia!” I thrust my phone at her and her eyes widen as she reads the message.

“I might have a chance after all!”

“You always had a chance, but yes I’m sure this helps,” Xie agrees while laying back down.

“Now, I know you have a 8am, but I don’t, so be quiet as you get ready.” She turns her back to me but I’m too pumped to even think about her nasty sassy attitude.

I add Kaia’s name to my contacts before messaging back.

NARI: hi!! When would u like to meet??

I prop my phone up on the bathroom wall while I wash my face. I check it when I dry my face, when I apply my toner and then my serums. I’m rubbing in sunscreen when she finally responds. I quickly wipe off the excess on my towel and grab my phone. It still slips out of my hand and onto the tile, so I end up just sitting on the floor when I text her back.

KAIA: Anytime after 3pm works for me. Would you like to start tomorrow around 4pm, at the Helsman Library?

NARI: Yes pls!! Ty!!