It Ain't Easy

March 2030 - Foxbury Institute, Britechester, Illinois
University student - Ethan Smith is 19

Ethan’s second semester of college is starting off with new things to keep him interested. His roommate dresses in a suit every day, with sunglasses and a hat as if he’s trying to keep his identity secret.

 

And then there’s the dormmate who dresses in a lot of gold and likes to dance in the living room. College life has certainly introduced him to people not like the ones he grew up around back home.

But not everyone is a bit out of the ordinary.

Denise is also one of his dormmates and she acts like a normal person. She plays cards with Ethan in between classes.

Adam comes over to meet up with Ethan one afternoon and Ethan is so focused in the game with Denise that he almost doesn’t see his brother smirking at him as he takes in the scene before him. At least having one normal person in the dorm makes the days easier!

***

“You spend a lot of time with that girl in your dorm, don’t you?” Adam asks his brother.

“She’s just a friend,” Ethan tells him.

“Sure she is,” Adam says with a smirk. “I’m sure she’s ‘just a friend’ in the public eye. But what you two doing behind closed doors?”

“Nothing! We play card games together, we don’t feel each other up.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Lily would be happy about this new relationship.”

Ethan buries his face in his hand. “Friends, nothing more! And don’t give Lily any reason to be suspicious.”

It is just a friendship, Ethan assures himself that night.

So what if they study and talk and laugh together? It’s what friends do, nothing more to worry about despite what Adam thinks.

***

The Bot Savants hold their event for the spring semester on the quad. Ethan heads out there to talk with his friends in the club and check out the creations from other students.

And then Denise shows up, even though she’s studying drama and not computer science or physics.

Ethan doesn’t know why she’s there, but it is nice to have a friend to check out the robotic innovations with.

But Adam’s words about his time with Denise stay in his head. Maybe they are spending too much time together. So Ethan tries to put some focus into his classes.

But that doesn’t always work out.

***

Ethan tries to be happy when he talks to Lily on the phone, but she’s always so busy and so they never can talk long. 

When is this college life going to end?

Ethan tries to stay busy with classes and assignments. 

He manages some food between class by hitting up the food carts around campus.

College life is too exhausting sometimes. He’s not sure he’ll make it through the next few years.

————

Apparently I didn’t get a picture of his grades, but Ethan failed both classes. Sigh. So he’ll repeat another year of college.

Yes, Ethan died! I just couldn’t go on with that so I quit without saving and then went back in, avoiding the robotics station for a while, lol!