Chapter 1, My Little Project
Bex Pop
Just one more bit… and taa daa! It’s finished! I stepped back from the desk in my room, observing the completed model I made for a project. It's a hotel! I mean you know I can tell because I placed a sign saying it over the part of the building where the pool would go. Around it is a little roundabout for the cars. It's somewhat more modern than the standard I usually design my buildings with. There’s much more angles and it’s supposed to be made out of blue glass. But hey, it’s a nice place; I would pay money to stay in. You know, this project was pretty heckin’ fun; I haven’t built physical models like this in a long time, you know… It takes me back to when I played around with Legos when I was younger. Enough about the past, Becky, now think about the present! I immediately exit my room and enter the dorm’s living room, where Lily and Billie are.
“Yo gals, guess what?”
“What is it, Bex?” Lily inquires.
“Yeah, Tough One, what’s up?” Billie follows up with.
“I completed the model. Do you want to check it out?”
“Yeah, we’ll love to see Bex!” Lily responds with.
We return to my room, where my model proudly stands. You know, whenever we finish working on some project, we like to show it to each other. But it has to be somewhat entertaining; it can’t be some random research paper unless it’s something cool. Well, at least this model is somewhat nice.
“Oh wow, Bex, that’s really nice…” Billie responds with.
“I agree, like a 10/10.”
“Aw… thanks girls… You think we should invite Tommy to check this out?” I ask.
“Well, up to you, Tough One, if I were you, I would say yes.”
“Alright, sounds good!”
As the two return to the living room, I pull out my phone and begin to text Tommy, asking for him to pull up to the apartment. You know, I think he’ll really like it, we like to show each other the nerdy things we do. Like this one time when he reverse-engineered that one IBM software that sang “Daisy Bell.” To us, we just call it the original Vocaloid. You know, it’s actually kinda cool, his computer knowledge, considering I basically don’t really know much outside of the basics. I pace around my bedroom, just observing the posters on the wall, it isn’t long before I hear the buzzing on my phone.
“Sounds good! I am on my way!” He texts.
Well, our dorms aren’t that far apart from each other, so it doesn’t take him long until I hear the doorbell ring. I peek through the peephole just to make sure the person is actually Tommy. Once it’s confirmed, I open the door.
“Hi, Bex!”
“Hi, hon! How’ve you been?”
“I’ll say, well, so what is it?”
“Well, just cover your eyes, and I’ll show you.”
“Oh, alright then… What projects have you been working on now, Becky?” Tommy replies, sounding a little curious.
Once I see Tommy cover his eyes, I walk him to my room. I believe he’ll probably think of my project as being cool. My heart slightly pounds as we enter my room, but not by much; after all, in the end, he’ll probably like it.
“Ok, Tommy! You can open your eyes!”
“Sounds good,” He says as he opens them. “Oh wow… That's nice, Bex!”
He observes the building, looking at the detail I placed around the building.
“I like the style here… It’s much more modern than what I see you work with.”
“Oh yeah, you know; I just wanted to experiment with this. Considering how cool the concepts in my head were like.”
As we step back from the desk, a pending question appears in my mind; as I turn to grab a figure from the shelf I accidentally clash hands with Tommy.
“Sorry Bex… I should let you go first.” He replies, a little shyly as we both in turn blush.
“Aw thanks hon… But then again, we’re both thinking the same idea so…”
In unison, we grab a figurine of Adeline Jacobs, a character from an anime we both watch called Adeline and the Bones. I’ll probably get a little side tracked, but it’s a hella good show. It’s just about these doggirls, like humans but with dog ears and tails, who form a rock band and deal with running the group. Honestly, I bump the original soundtrack on my music playlist; they’re quite energetic and nice. Plus, I hear they’re finally gonna make a movie based on it. I can finally fill the void which the cancelled Los Romanos finale was supposed to fill! Anyhow, in an empty spot in the styrofoam base we place the plastic figurine.
“You know, maybe you should place a statue of Adeline next to the building.”
“Honestly, if it wasn’t for pesky licensing fees, I could probably do it.”
“But what about the skyscrapers that’ll probably surround the hotel?”
“Just a small sacrifice to pay…” I say in a comical menacing tone before we break out laughing.
Tommy and I continue to mess around in our dorm, soon returning back to the main living room area where we just hang out with Billie and Lily. We just have normal shenanigans, like playing video games or talking about life. Well, I’m just a little nervous for tomorrow; where I have to submit the model for the project. I mean to be frank, I don’t get nervous presenting something for a class. I am just a little nervous considering how angular this building is, and potentially getting docked a few points. But in the end, I think it’ll just be already. Oh well, I guess I just have to wait and see.
The Next Day: Room 204, Architecture class
Well luckily my building doesn’t get destroyed by just tilting it 45° degrees, unlike those old science projects in elementary school. Oh Brenden… Him with his pranks back then, ah yeah the consequences of being the youngest of your siblings by like 5 years. Oh well, that’s why glue was invented. Entering the class, I observe the classmates who arrive here earlier than I do and their models. They look really nice actually, some are modern, others were more built in that neoclassical style. After just a little bit, and when the majority of my classmates are now here; Mr. Danells, the architecture teacher, starts the class.
“Good afternoon everyone!” He exclaims, “I hope y’all are doing well. Today we shall show off your models you did for the project.”
Now I’m getting a little excited, it’s just a little presentation we have to do; but I’m ready.
“Now, do we have any volunteers?” Mr. Danells asked.
I immediately bring my hand up to have it roar into the sky, I definitely know this interaction won’t burn in awkwardness. It takes a few seconds for him to notice, but once I do; he gets a little energetic.
“Alright then! Cheer for Bex and her model!” He exclaims, as the class claps.
I walk down, carrying my model to the center of the class, where it sits in view of everyone. I stand there until the waves of claps echoing like beach waves stop.
“Hi everyone, you know I’m Bex, and here’s my model for a hotel. I decided to be much more modern and angular compared to my normal style you’re probably used to. I decided to use a blue tinted glass, combined with the crystal-like appearance I wanted to make sure this hotel would be one which you would never forget!”
I go on with the logistics of the building, you know the boring nerd stuff which only we architects would really care about when translating a model into a feasible building design. Once I finish this little presentation, the waves of claps continue once again. Before I head back to my seat, I get to hear the feedback from Mr. Danells.
“Wow, that’s some awesome work Bex! You really knocked it out of the park!” He says, with some people plus myself chuckling at his joke. I return to my seat, as the cycle continues of another classmate being chosen to present. Well, today was a pretty good day after all!