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Beyond the Bottom Weight of Decision
Chapter 80The following days felt like a whirlwind. With Rachel and Alex in town, the team had been running at full speed—working late into the night on revisions, brainstorming marketing strategies, and refining their pitch for potential investors. The presence of the two new members energized everyone, but the pressure was building, and Jamal could feel it weighing on him more than ever.By the end of the week, the team had made significant progress. Ethan had worked out a few major bugs in the app’s back-end code, while Leah and Zoe had finalized the marketing plan. Rachel had dived into the user research, offering insights that helped tweak their messaging. Alex, despite his packed basketball schedule, had been instrumental in helping refine the pitch. His ability to break things down in simple terms had been a game changer, allowing them to clearly communicate Skilbridge’s value proposition.But now, it was time for the next big decision: who to approach first for investment.Ja
Beyond the Bottom The First Pitch
Chapter 81The air inside the conference room was thick with anticipation. Jamal stood at the front, his palms clammy, the PowerPoint presentation blinking behind him. His team was spread out around the table, Rachel and Alex leaning in from one side, while Ethan, Zoe, and Leah had their eyes locked on the screen. Everyone was ready.Jamal cleared his throat, adjusting the collar of his shirt. It was a subtle move, but enough to show his nerves. He had practiced this pitch a thousand times in his head, but now that it was real, everything felt different. The room felt too quiet, too vast."Alright," he began, his voice a little rougher than he intended. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. My name is Jamal Davenport, and I’m here with my team: Ethan, Leah, Zoe, Rachel, and Alex. We’re the creators of Skilbridge, an app designed to connect students and professionals through a new kind of mentorship system."He paused, letting the words settle. There were two investors on the
Beyond the Bottom Balancing Dreams and Reality
Chapter 82The weeks following the pitch meeting were a whirlwind of emails, calls, and countless hours spent refining Skilbridge. Jamal, Leah, Ethan, and Zoe had their hands full, but the added energy of Rachel and Alex's visit kept them all grounded. Though their college lives were busy, their commitment to the app kept them connected in ways that were impossible to ignore.It was a crisp, sunny Friday afternoon when Rachel and Alex finally made their departure. They’d spent the last few days back on campus, catching up with old friends, attending meetings, and lending their expertise to Skilbridge. But now, it was time for them to head back to their respective schools—Rachel to Stanford and Alex to Boston for his basketball team’s next game.Jamal and the rest of the team had made plans to meet up one last time before they left. The campus quad was buzzing with activity, students lounging in the grass, discussing everything from upcoming exams to weekend plans. Some were walking be
Beyond the Bottom Campus Chronicles
Chapter 83It had been a week since Rachel and Alex returned to their respective lives, and the team was finally settling back into the rhythm of college. The energy Rachel and Alex left behind was palpable, driving Jamal, Leah, Zoe, Ethan, and even Evan to work harder on their dreams. Yet, college life waited for no one. Between classes, projects, and social obligations, they still found themselves juggling more than they thought possible.Jamal sat in the lecture hall, scribbling notes furiously while Professor Clarke discussed negotiation strategies. Leah was seated a few rows ahead, her notebook already filled with diagrams and bullet points. Every now and then, she’d turn back to give Jamal a knowing look as if to say, Keep up.Once the lecture ended, the two made their way to the campus café, where Zoe was waiting. She had her sketchpad open, and her pencil danced across the page as she worked on designs for a potential Skilbridge branding overhaul.“You’re early,” Zoe said, not
Beyond the Bottom Building Bridges
Chapter 84The sun rose over campus, casting a warm glow on the bustling college grounds. Jamal was the first to wake, thanks to the blaring alarm he had set on his phone. He groaned, fumbling to turn it off before dragging himself out of bed. The faint sound of Ethan’s keyboard clacking could already be heard from the other side of the dorm.“You don’t sleep, do you?” Jamal asked, rubbing his eyes.“Sleep is for the weak,” Ethan replied without looking up. “I’m tweaking the user analytics dashboard. We need better insights on engagement metrics before the next beta test.”Jamal chuckled. “You know that’s not healthy, right?”“Neither is missing our meeting with Clarke,” Ethan shot back.Jamal’s eyes widened. “What time is it?”“Relax,” Ethan said with a smirk. “We’ve got two hours. I just wanted to see you panic.”“You’re the worst,” Jamal muttered, grabbing his towel and heading to the bathroom.---By the time Jamal returned, the dorm was alive with activity. Leah and Zoe had arriv
Beyond the Bottom Building Bridges Contd
Chapter 85The following morning, Jamal woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing on his nightstand. Groggily, he reached over, glancing at the screen. It was a message from Rachel."Hey, can we do that video call later today? I have a few ideas that might help us with the next pitch."Jamal quickly typed back. "Sure! How about 3 p.m.?"Rachel replied almost immediately. "Sounds perfect. Talk soon!"After the brief exchange, Jamal rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was already past noon, and the group was expected to meet with Professor Clarke again in a few hours for a final review of the pitch. He could already feel the weight of the day pressing down on him. There was so much to get done, and with the investor pitch looming, the pressure was building.As he grabbed his laptop and headed out the door, Leah was already in the hallway, carrying a pile of printed documents.“Got everything for the meeting?” Jamal asked.“Yep,” Leah said, her face set in determination. “We nee
Beyond the Bottom Defining Moments
Chapter 86The morning of the investor pitch was met with nervous energy. Jamal woke early, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the pitch deck on his laptop for the hundredth time. The stakes had never felt higher.Ethan was already awake, of course, sipping on a mug of coffee and fine-tuning the app’s demo on his screen. “You ready for this?” he asked without looking up.“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Jamal replied, closing his laptop. “How’s the demo looking?”“Solid,” Ethan said confidently. “It’s running smoother than ever. We’re good to go.”The rest of the team slowly trickled in. Leah arrived with a large paper bag of pastries, followed by Zoe, who was balancing a tray of coffee cups. Evan strolled in last, carrying a rolled-up banner that read: "Skilbridge: Bridging Gaps, Building Connections."“Why do we need a banner?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.“Presentation is everything,” Evan said, unfurling it dramatically. “You’re welcome.”Leah chuckled. “I’m with Evan on th
Beyond the Bottom Threads Of Connection
Chapter 87The room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone huddled around Ethan’s laptop. The subject line of the email glared back at them like a warning beacon.“Cease and desist?” Zoe asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “What does that even mean? What are they claiming?”Ethan opened the email, scanning the contents quickly. His brow furrowed as he read aloud.“To Whom It May Concern: It has come to our attention that your product, Skilbridge, infringes upon proprietary features and intellectual property owned by Zenith Networks. We demand that you immediately cease all development and distribution of your app, or we will pursue legal action…”He trailed off, his face pale. “They’re claiming we stole their idea.”“That’s ridiculous!” Leah said, pacing the room. “Our app is entirely original. Zenith Networks focuses on corporate networking events—we’re not even in the same space!”“Makes sense,” Zoe muttered, folding her arms. “Milo always bragged about how his dad’s company wa
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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
