Although the school year wasn’t done and he still had finals to look forward to, Rick was ecstatic. He just submitted his real-time programming assignment and finally, after weeks of all-nighters at the University of Waterloo, he could finally relax a bit.

It had been a really tough term. He had made the mistake of taking the real-time programming course and the compilers course in the same term. Two of the most time-intensive courses in the program.

However, he now had time to make things up to his girlfriend, Jenny. He hadn’t really been able to spend any time with her trying to get these projects done. Now, he had time for a breather before jumping into his last set of final exams before graduating. He hoped the flowers and dinner tonight would help make it up to her.

He had met Jenny at the local food bank. No, they didn’t need to use the food bank. They were volunteers there. He was a year ahead of Jenny.

To make up the required volunteer hours at his high school, he volunteered at the local food bank in his hometown. When he came to Waterloo for university, he decided to continue and volunteered when school allowed.

He met Jenny the next year during frosh week. He was tasked to show any new volunteers the ropes and Jenny was one of those volunteers. Now, it wasn’t one of those love at first sight, or she is so beautiful that he started stalking her situations. They had just seen each other at the Food Bank and on campus a few times, and after spending that time together, Rick thought that there might be something there, so he got up the nerve and asked her out. Jenny was a cute brunette. Just a few inches shorter than his 5’10” frame. He loved her dimples and the cute mole she had on her cheek.

He wasn’t just looking forward to finishing his finals because he was graduating, but he had just picked up an engagement ring. Once they had both finished their exams, he was going to take her to dinner and propose. He already has a job lined up as a software developer for a local company, so he and Jenny would both be in Waterloo while she finished her last year.

They both lived in the North Three building in the Village One residence. He was on the guys’ only first floor, and she was on the girls’ second floor.

He bounded up the stairs and was just about to turn the corner when he heard Jenny arguing with someone.

She yelled, “It was just the one time. I have a boyfriend. Just go away in case he shows up.”

The guy replied, “Come on, I know you had fun. You told me that I was the best. Let’s go out tonight and have some more fun.”

Rick just stood there, stunned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He dropped the flowers.

Jenny said, “Wait, what’s that?” She walked around the corner and gasped when she saw Rick. She pleaded, “Rick, it’s not what you think?”

The other guy walked around the corner. Rick recognized him from the basketball team. He grinned at Rick and said, “You are a lucky guy. She’s great in the sack.”

Rick was destroyed inside but didn’t want to show any sign of weakness in front of the basketball player. He took a breath and leveled his eyes on Jenny. He said, “You can have her. I am just glad to find out what she is really like now before I proposed to her after finals.”

Jenny fell to her knees and screamed, “Rick!”

Rick turned and walked out. As he was walking down the stairs, he knew that he did not want to walk to his room. Jenny would be there in a minute.

He knew that there was a classmate in one of the other buildings in the village. He took a chance to see if they were around. The village was such a maze that he gambled that Jenny wouldn’t see him head that way.

His phone started to buzz and ring. He looked at it and saw it was Jenny. He muted it.

After a few minutes, he arrived at Chen’s room. Chen opened the door. Rick asked, “Can I hide out for a while?”

Chen nodded, and Rick went inside. Rick sat on Chen’s bed and explained what had happened before the emotions overwhelmed him. He broke down crying.

Chen sat beside him and put an arm around Rick’s shoulders. He said, “I’m so sorry, Rick. We all thought you were lucky and that Jenny was quite the catch.”

Rick said, “What am I going to do? I can’t go back to my room. She is on the floor above.”

Chen thought for a minute. He said, “Wait, didn’t Bill move in with his girlfriend? He lives off-campus. Maybe you could stay there? When is your last exam?”

Rick thought, “April 18th.”

Chen said, “You have what? Three and a half weeks? If Bill is good, then you are gold and use studying for exams to get her out of your head. We are going around the last bend with the finish line in sight.”

Rick nodded his head. He took a breath and straightened out. He said, “Thanks, that would work. Could you call him? I’ll go to the lounge. I have to call my mom.”