“Ah!”

I curse under my breath as the beads I’m holding fly across the table. The thread holding them together has snapped.

“Excellent, that’s exactly what I needed to happen while I’ve got three orders due and finals to study for.”

I sigh, not bothering to try to pick up the super small seed beads. The project was going beautifully before this, too. It was an intricate design of pink, bronze, and blue beads woven together using copper wire and thread to form a delicate bracelet. Two hour’s work, spread across my bedroom floor.

“Guess I’ll grab the vacuum.” I glance at the clock. “And a snack.”

Padding downstairs, I see my sister sitting on the kitchen counter, holding a mug. She almost throws it at me when I appear silently at the doorway.

“What on earth are you doing down here at eleven PM on a school night? I can feel my heart racing, you scared me so bad.”

I grin.

“Working on an order. I’m behind.” I gesture to her mug. “What are you doing down here? You’ve got school too.”

“I was thinking of skipping.”

“Really?”

“No. Too stressful.” She sighs, hopping off the counter. “Hot chocolate?”

“Sure.”

I watch her make it, taking her place on the counter.

“Do you want any help with the orders?”

I narrow my eyes. “What’s the catch?”

“None. Actually, I take it back. When you’ve caught up with your work, you could make me one of those necklaces you made for Kari. They’re good enough that I’d order one if I didn’t want to give you the satisfaction.”

That’s surprising. “You’d buy one of my products?”

“No. But I’ll take one in exchange for a bit of labor.”

“I didn’t know you thought they were good.”

“Yeah, I like your styles of jewelry. Not the earrings though.”

“What’s wrong with them?”

“Too flashy. Anyway, so you want help or not? If you give me a pattern or whatever I could follow it. It’s just the designs that I have trouble with.”

I consider. We haven’t really hung out in a long time, and I really do need help. “Yeah, that’d be great. It might be a bit before you get your necklace, though.”