April 2019

Levi Cranston and Kevin Maggliardi had just finished a run along the Charles River in Boston. They sat along the river to catch their breath and regain their composures.

“Did I tell you the story about when my friends and I did the energy drink challenge?” Kevin asked his friend.
“Yeah, I think so. Don’t remember offhand,” Levi replied.
“It was literally the stupidest thing we could’ve done.”
“Remind me what happened?”
“It was really more of a science project,” Kevin said. “We wanted to see the difference in our heart rate before and after we had energy drinks.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something my friends would have done as well,” Levi remarked.
“Can’t speak for Jing, Wong, or David, but after I drank a can and a half of the stuff, my heart was pounding, and it took me a while to fall asleep.”
“When Jack, David, Asad, and I were in high school, we ran down the alleys in downtown Valpo. I didn’t tell my mom what she did. When she found out from another parent, she was super pissed.”
“I did some crazy stuff with a few friends in high school as well, but nothing like that.”

April 2019

Levi Cranston and Kevin Maggliardi had just finished a run along the Charles River in Boston. They sat along the river to catch their breath and regain their composures.

“Did I tell you the story about when my friends and I did the energy drink challenge?” Kevin asked his friend.
“Yeah, I think so. Don’t remember offhand,” Levi replied.
“It was literally the stupidest thing we could’ve done.”
“Remind me what happened?”
“It was really more of a science project,” Kevin said. “We wanted to see the difference in our heart rate before and after we had energy drinks.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something my friends would have done as well,” Levi remarked.
“Can’t speak for Jing, Wong, or David, but after I drank a can and a half of the stuff, my heart was pounding, and it took me a while to fall asleep.”
“When Jack, David, Asad, and I were in high school, we ran down the alleys in downtown Valpo. I didn’t tell my mom what she did. When she found out from another parent, she was super pissed.”
“I did some crazy stuff with a few friends in high school as well, but nothing like that.”

November 2020

Jack Andrews and Levi Cranston were coming up with a list of people for Secret Santa this year and figure out who would be whose Secret Santa. Several people on the list don’t live in Boston, so their package would have to be sent by mail.

“Jack, can you give me a rundown of the list that we have? I want to make sure I’m not missing anyone,” Levi asked.
“You, me, Asad, David Savino, Kevin, Jing, Mike, David Rogers, Mackenzie, Shanti, Suzanne, Jenny, David Ingram, Brody, Andrew McCalsky, Adam, and Ben. Am I missing anyone else?” Jack replied.
“Rhody Leyman, my old neighbor. Everyone knows him. Can I be his Secret Santa?”
“Hell yeah. I guess.”
“Also, missing two other girls that Suzanne and them know,,” Levi said.
“Who are they again?” Jack asked.
“The twins, Ariana and Alyssa.”
“Oh! Right. Suzanne knows them from school.”
“I already know what I’m getting Rhody.”
“What are you getting him?” Jack questioned his best friend.
“That goofy-ass mug I was telling you about,” Levi remarked.
“Then you should get it for him as his Secret Santa. Where does he live now?”
“He lives in Chicago. Been there for about 5-6 years.”

​October 2020

Levi Cranston was doing a video chat with one of his friends, David Ingram. It was a while since they last spoke, especially with both being super busy with work and then the Covid outbreak on top of that. They were on the phone for a good 2 hours. Levi's friends were playing games with each other. Same went for David's friends. 

"How is it going in Boston?" David asked.
"It's good. Jack, Asad, Mackenzie, and I live in the same building as our other friends who have lived there for a few years," Levi replied. "How is San Francisco treating you?"
"Not bad. I am occupied with work and all, and obviously trying to wait out this stupid thing called Covid."
"Same here."
"Just thought about this, and I have meant to ask you. Have you heard anything from Andrew?" David asked.
"Andrew....?" Levi replied.
"Grzedek."
"Oh! No. We haven't talked in a while. I see a lot of his posts on social media. He is in Chicago, I believe. Living with a few of his friends?"
"Yeah, I saw that, too. He lives in Lincoln Park, not too far away from my brother, Toby."
"Nice. Chicago is great. My parents actually moved to Chicago and gave their house to our grandparents. This happened last year after Evelyn Maeve graduated from high school. She lives in Boston but temporarily lives with my sister, Liz, because of the pandemic," Levi said.
"Yeah. I miss Andrew. I know he is super active on social media since he does marketing. But I know he has also been very busy with family," David remarked.
"Yeah, he and Caleb are nice. I didn't feel as if I had a lot in common with them, though."
"Last we talked was two months ago I believe."

Spring 2017

Kevin Maggliardi and his best friend, Jing Hao, were moving into their Cambridge, MA apartment with a couple other good friends, David Vittorio and John Harold. After seven hours of intense moving of furniture and other things, Kevin wanted some time to himself in his room. His bed was assembled, so he lay on his bed after breaking a sweat with moving. His room was dead silent, but he didn’t care. He closed his eyes and relaxed for a bit. After a few seconds, he paid so much attention to the dead silence, that he listened to his blood flowing.

September 2009

Kevin Maggliardi and his older sister, Addison, came home from school for the day. Kevin was a sophomore, and Addison was a senior. They went to high school in Cranston, Rhode Island. Kevin had been struggling with cold and flu symptoms but ultimately decided to suck it up and go to school.

When Kevin walked through the front door of their house, he felt a sharp burning sensation and nausea in his stomach. Before, he knew it, he was kneeling on the floor, throwing up on their rug just inside the house.

His parents rushed toward him and gave him a trash bin to throw up in. Kevin was so embarrassed. His face was flushed, his heart was pounding so hard that he felt like it could burst inside his chest, and he had the worst nausea that he remenbered having.

He sat upright with his back against the door, and his arms over the trash bin. If he made any sudden movements, he would probably get sick again. His dad picked him up and carried him to the couch, so he could rest. Kevin knew he couldn’t go to school the next day. He had a fever of 102.

November 2019

Kevin Maggliardi and his girlfriend, Shanti Lee, were spending the day watching goofy cartoons. It was a little too chilly to do much else today. All of their other friends were doing other things.

“I’ve got my doctor’s appointment this weekend,” Kevin said.
“Oh, so you’re going home?” Shanti replied.
“Yeah. It’s just a yearly check-up. They’re also checking on my asthma.”
“That’s good.”
“Doesn’t keep me from being nervous though,” Kevin remarked.
“I’ll never forget that story you told me,” Shanti said.
“Which one?”
“The cute one.”
“Oh yeah. When I was like eight or something? Yeah, that one. I was really nervous, and when they had the stethoscope on my chest, I looked down and could see my heart pounding against the chest piece. And I even had my shirt on.”
“You’re very thin-chested, and it’s so cute.”
“When I’m reading or just relaxing, I can sometimes see my heart beating against my shirt. Kinda creeps me out sometimes,” Kevin said.
“Again, it’s really cute,” Shanti replied.