Let's start at the beginning

It was 10 AM on a thursday. I was in a rush to leave my home. I had my backpack filled with important personal possessions, and a small suitcase packed with clothes and such. I was looking all around my spacious apartment for a certain item. It took me several minutes to find it but I finally located it and quickly shoved it into the most secure pocket of my backpack.

Before leaving, I looked around. Had I forgotten anything? Did I remember to take everything I needed?

I was in too much of a hurry to answer these questions. I walked out of the apartment and locked the door, before getting into the elevator and going down four floors, to the ground level.

The elevator dinged and opened it's doors. I walked out to the building's lobby.

"Good morning, miss Marie", said a cheerful voice to my right. It was the building's concierge, Wendy. She was a tall, curvaceous futa from the southern African peninsula. She knew everyone's name and was always kind to the inhabitants of our building. Wendy spoke with a slight accent, since she wasn't raised here in North America. "Going on a trip somewhere?" she asked.

I looked at her and smiled. "'Morning, Wendy", I said, "I'm going on a road-trip with my friends." I gave her a farewell wave. "I should be back in a week or so."

"You have fun, dear", Wendy said, before going back to her crossword puzzle.

I walked out the door and looked for my friends.