Moving Ahead

May 2029 - Pine State University, Arcadia, North Carolina
University students - Baine Austin is 20, Violet Craig is 19, Kat Gates is 19

 

 

Kat is working some long study time in the science lab at Pine State University by doing projects directly with the machines.

One afternoon she gets interrupted by a classmate.

“Hey,” he says. “I’m Yori Hayashi. We have physics together.”

Kat nods. “I’m Kat Gates.”

He smiles. “You know a lot about these machines, don’t you?”

 “I try to know a lot,” Kat says. She shrugs. “I don’t know how much that actually is.”

“I need some help with the exams we have coming up,” Yori tells her. “Do you think you might have some time to explain things to me?”

“Why would you need help from me?” she asks. “There are tutors available for these classes. You could talk with Professor Mitchell.”

“Maybe I could, but I think you could teach me without getting as frustrated as the tutors would.” He grins wide at her.

Kat laughs. “Okay. Maybe we can meet tomorrow?”

“Why don’t we put our papers on hold and head out on the town?” Violet suggests. “I’m bored here in the library.”

“I need to finish my research,” Baine tells her.

“You’re always working on your research,” Violet says. “Do you ever want to take time to relax?”

“Of course I do,” he tells her, rolling his eyes. “But some of us aren’t as smart as you are and actually need to work.”

Violet turns back to her computer. “Fine. Let’s spend all our free time in the library and party silently at our computers.”

She doesn’t know what has happened to the Baine she’s always known. He’s not as fun as he was in high school.

*** 

Yori arrives at Kat’s dorm the next day after they’ve both finished their classes. “Thanks for helping me out with this,” he tells her as she leads him to the study table.

“No problem,” Kat says. “I’m happy to help.”

After some time hitting the books, Yori lets out a long sigh. “Can we take a break? My head is going crazy trying to absorb all this.”

Kat laughs. “Okay then. Let’s play some foosball to give you something else to think about.”

 

 They play a few rounds together, Kat laughing whenever Yori says he’s going to beat her.

 But it turns out he does. And Kat isn’t happy. She always has a hard time losing.

 

“Thanks for the help,” Yori says when they’ve finished the study.

Kat smiles. “I hope I’ve provided enough help.”

“You did.” He reaches for her hands and she doesn’t pull them away. “Are you free tomorrow after class? We could hang out and get a bite to eat.”

Is he asking her on a date? Kat isn’t sure if he thinks of her as a friend or something more. But her stomach flutters at the thought of spending more time with him.

“I’d like that,” she says.

***

Kat meets with Yori down at the waterfront area the next day. He buys her a small milkshake for this warm late spring day.

They walk down the wooden walkway along the water, talking about their classes and life outside of PSU.

 “I like spending time with you,” Yori says when they stop along the path.

 Kat laughs. “What do I do to make you like talking about classes?”

 “I like hearing your voice,” he tells her. “You know I’m from San Myshuno and I’ve heard a lot of people talk in various tones. But yours I like best.”

Kat’s face flushes with a deep blush. She doesn’t know what to say to that. Her brain has suddenly become so mixed up she can’t figure out any words.

“Hey,” Yori says. “It’s pretty hot out here. Want to go inside to cool off? We can go to that place down the road.”

Kat finds the strength to nod. “That would be great.”

Yori grins wide at her and turns as if he’s racing her. “Come on, let’s get a cool drink.”

“So what is it like in San Myshuno?” Kat asks when they've settled down at the bar at a local pub.

“It’s certainly busy,” Yori tells her. “A lot of people and things to see. But sometimes too busy. I needed a different place while I was in college. So I came here for some peace.”

 Kat laughs. “Sometimes there isn’t a lot of peace. Have you met my dormmates? One is my ex and another is his current girlfriend. They both live to make me miserable.”

 Yori gets up and moves to the seat closer to her. “I don’t know why anyone would want to make you miserable. I’m having fun hanging out with you.”

“Even though we haven’t really done much except look at water and sit at a bar?” Kat laughs.

“Anything that lets me spend time with you,” he says.

Kat and Yori leave the bar and walk along the water again as the sun lowers in the sky, beginning a warm night. 

“So what have you thought of my hanging out with you today?” Yori asks. “Have I been too boring?”

Kat moves closer to him, her skin tingling at the touch of his arm against hers. 

“No,” she says. “Not boring at all.”

***

“Good morning, Kat,” Baine says as he walks into the dorm kitchen one morning. “Good morning,” she says, not looking up at the guy she thought she loved years ago in their teen years.

“Mind if I sit with you?” He doesn’t even wait for a response before he pulls out one of the chairs. 

“If we sit with you,” Violet corrects him as she walks into the room. 

Kat shrugs. “Sit where you want.”

“So...” Baine draws out the word slowly. “I heard your roommate whispering that you brought in a guest last night.”

 “That’s none of your business,” Kat tells him.

“But if people are visiting, shouldn’t you introduce them to your dormmates? We all live here too.” 

“Why does this matter to you?” Kat asks him. “Are you jealous because I’m not sleeping with you?”

“Of course he’s not,” Violet says. “He’s sleeping with me and happy with it.”

 “I just thought it would be good if we all could meet him and see if he’s right for you,” Baine tells Kat. 

She sees Yori walking into the room, now fully dressed and carrying a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich. She stands, ignoring Baine and Violet, and tells him, “Come on, I got a table for us over here.”

“I used to date him,” Kat explains to Yori. “Honestly, I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

 “We all make mistakes at some point,” Yori tells her.

Kat’s heart beats fast, but she laughs as she says, “I hope I’m not one of your mistakes.” 

He smiles wide. “You’re definitely not a mistake.”

“Are you afraid to introduce us?” Baine asks when he looks over at them. 

Kat grits her teeth tight as she says, “This is Yori. Yori, this is Baine. And that’s Violet over there.”

Violet glares at Baine. “Why are so interested in what she’s doing?” 

“Just having some fun before class,” he says with a shrug.

Kat sighs and looks at Yori. “You see what I put up with?” 

The truth is that she didn’t woohoo with Yori last night. But they had stayed out late and so she let him sleep on the floor in her room. It’s been a couple of weeks since their first kiss, and they haven’t woohooed yet at all. She doesn’t want to rush things, but she loves spending time with him and she’s not ruling out that possibility.

“You’re stronger than they are,” Yori tells her. “You can ignore them and move on. At some point they will give up.” 

“You always know what to say to make me feel better,” she says. 

He smiles. “That’s because I like your smile and want to see it all the time.” 

With that, she can’t help smiling back at him.

————

And the spring semester at Pine State University is done! I played this before Discover University, so I made up my own curriculums and grades. They all passedWe move next to the June birthdays and anniversaries, and high school graduation! You’ll get to see the next set of soon to be university students, and they will get to be in real dorms and attending Foxbury and Britechester when the fall semester starts.