Chapter 0 - The Old College Try

Zoe excitedly walked up the steps of her dorm at the premier Ivy League school, Académie Le Tour.  It was expensive, but she received a full scholarship because of her grades.  Everything about the campus spoke of wealth, influence and prestige! 

She picked a room far from everyone else.  She didn't want to share a wall with anyone that might distract her from her studying!

It didn't take long to have her room set up just the way she wanted it.  Alarm clock, bookshelf, desk, and a task board.

Zoe's first order of business was to visit the Library D'Livre.  It's high column arches and architectural details dated back to almost a century ago when the campus was first founded.  She'd read that in the university's brochure!

Quietly, and awestruck, she grabbed a book and sat down at the nearby table.  She lost track of the time while she read about proper procedures for cleaning lab utensils.

So absorbed by her studying, she was quite surprised when another took a seat right next to her.  A glance around the room revealed any number of other seats he could've used!

 "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, somewhat belatedly.

Flustered, Zoe snapped her book closed, mumbled apologies about needing to get to class.

Stupid, stupid! she thought as she hurried away.  Although, a quick glance of her watch revealed it actually was class time! 

Zoe met a really nice girl in a few of her classes that also happened to live at her dorm.  They hit it off discussing their Intro to Bio class. 

It was difficult for Zoe to put herself out there. She was very shy & serious.  But Sadie didn't seem to mind her intellectual commentary.

Eager to get her term paper finished, Zoe excused herself to make use of the computer lab right away.

While other students played darts or used the pinball machine, Zoe was content to watch the cooking channel for fun.  Her mother had always said that learning was the true spice of life!

She slid into bed, satisfied with the work she had completed her first day.  She would do even better tomorrow!

Zoe groggily slammed her hand down on the alarm clock that wouldn't stop ringing.  Perhaps setting it to go off in the morning was not the wisest recourse!  She had been up after midnight studying, after all!

 But she was up anyways, she might as well get some reading done. 

 Wait a minute, that wasn't a school book! That's a romance novel!  *guilty pleasures*

So. much. studying!  Zoe hit the books as though her life might depend on it.  She was always pleased when Luc would quietly join her, reminding her that she wasn't the only one that took university seriously!

No more, I beg of you! Zoe put her book away, her sharp mind slightly fuzzed from the amount of information she'd absorbed.  She needed a small mental break and a good nights rest!

She checked her task board and wondered how she could more efficiently display the items that needed her attention. 

While Zoe had started a cordial relationship with a few of her dorm-mates, the vast majority seemed to go out of their way to avoid her.

It didn't bother her that much as she was usually focused intently on her studies.

The rare times that she wanted to have some fun, she would head to play chess, watch the cooking channel or watch the evening news.

She, on occasion, stopped to smell the flowers, too!   I wonder what genus these flowers are? she wondered. 

"Why should I have to take electives?" Zoe complained to Gretchen, a friend from the library.  "When am I going to use Body, Charisma and Creativity skills? I don't want to be a Rock God! I want to be a doctor for heavens sake!"

Gretchen tsked consoling.  "Maybe they just want us to have a well-rounded education," she suggested.

Zoe made a face.  "This is such a waste of time!" she groused sullenly.

But, she dutifully headed to the King's Music Hall in search of an instrument she could play.  On stage, she saw the band practicing while the instructor shouted, "No, no no! With FEELING this time!" 

The noise was quite deafening and she headed upstairs to a quiet practice room, settling on the piano. She had read once that there were many benefits to playing the piano.  Her fingers slid across the keys and within a short time, she was actually enjoying herself as she pecked out Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!

Time flew by, Zoe and Sadie crammed for finals together.

When Zoe needed to be alone, she liked to go upstairs to the top floor of the library.  Students rarely came up here and she never had her thoughts interrupted while she was working.

Elixir of Life.  She believed it was just a green smoothie, but her mother had loved using it.  "I swear it's why I've stayed so young for so long.  I don't look a day over 40, do I?"  Zoe had always steadfastly agreed, although she suspected her mother's wrinkle-free complexion had more to do with good genetics than some magical green drink.

 Zoe paused a moment during her studies, struck by an uncanny sense of deja vu...

 Oy, nope! Not her!

Zoe proudly shut the book after maxing the mechanical skill.  All those long nights and cramming sessions had really paid off!

Although, there were some unpleasant side effects, such as falling asleep in her breakfast.

Obviously the Moo Mascot prankster had come for a visit.  Zoe had intended to play chess, but couldn't concentrate with all that mess nearby!

While some might consider it a chore, Zoe was slightly OCD & absolutely loved cleaning! (Her fist pump of joy at mopping the carpets caught me off guard!)

Rather than eat the cafeteria food, Zoe had also taken to preparing her own food.  (No offense cafeteria lady!)

It was easy to get tired of the same food every day!  Macaroni or spaghetti.  She wasn't more of a variety of foods!

 Late in her senior year, Zoe turned to coffee. 

It helped her cram in time for studying all the information she felt like she needed before she graduated.   If she slightly shook afterwards, she was sure no one could tell.

It was thanks to her multiple cups a day addiction that she was able to successfully max the cleaning skill!

Rarely did Zoe speak up, but she felt like a toast was called for after successfully graduating with honors!  "“May you live long enough to see your hair grayed, your grandchildren grown, and your student loans paid off!”

Zoe enjoyed what most University students called the "9th Semester"  It was the time most students threw parties and tied up loose ends.  She had other more important matters to complete, like maxing out her logic skill!

With only hours to go before it was time for her to leave, Zoe called up the meager few friends she'd met at the library and went to her room to pack.

She sadly said goodbye to her phone friends, Gretchen and Joe.  They'd bumped into each other at the library and they would usually call her every so often and make sure she wasn't buried in her studies

She said goodbye to her dorm friends, Luc and Sadie.  They had often been study partners and shared many deep, intellectual conversations.  She was going to miss them so much!

 It was odd to see her room so empty.  But, when one chapter closes, the next is ready to begin!

"Where to?" the taxi driver asked when all her boxes were shoved in the back and he settled behind the drivers seat.

"Calamity Canyon," she told him.  Over the last course of her semester, she'd set up an internship at the local hospital in the small desert town.