Swiftly and uninterrupted

The rest of Izzy's morning passed like a blur. She wolfed down some leftovers for breakfast, then spent most of her time running around like a frenzied mouse trying to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

Before she was even fully aware of it, it was nine forty-five, and she was lacing up her shoes. She stood, and looked around the foyer of her home with a rush of melancholy. It was stupid—she’d be back in just a couple months for reading week—but she couldn’t help it. There were memories here. She’d had her first kiss in that doorway there; she’d orgasmed instantly from far too much overexcitement, and her squirt had gotten all over her then-boyfriend’s shoes…

Maybe memories were a little overrated.

After saying goodbye to her brother Ben, Izzy stuffed herself into the front seat of the car, backpack crammed between her feet.

“Absolutely sure you haven’t forgotten anything?”, her mom asked. “I'm not turning around if you have…”

“I’m sure.”, Izzy replied. “I double-triple checked!”

Her mom nodded, then pulled out of the driveway.

The drive was like most three-hour drives across Ontario wilderness: boring and slow. Izzy managed to get some sleep in, finally. They stopped for gas halfway through, during which Izzy’s mom had to pull her away from an older man at the gas station who clearly hadn’t showered for a while—though Izzy’s mom herself obviously felt the effects of his odor as well, and the car smelt like damp pussy for the next half hour of driving.

Finally the exit for Kingston presented itself. After a brief pit stop at a small Greek restaurant, they were on to Queen’s University.

Signs were arrayed directing the move-in day traffic flow. They entered a queue of cars, each similarly packed with varying levels of personal effects. The stream of vehicles flowed quickly, and soon the sounds of chanting and cheering could be heard.

The source was a gaggle of enthusiastic students—mostly girls and femboys—dressed head to toe in Queen’s swag, their necks decorated with lanyards identifying them as residence assistants. They waited just at the entrance to the parking lot, intercepting each car with cheers and a chant of, “First! Years! Out the car! First years out the car!”

One by one, the first year students were pulled from the cars with various amounts of vigor, sent on foot to the residence hall, and the drivers were directed onward to the parking lot. Izzy felt a quick hit of apprehension; she wasn’t exactly the shy and withering type, but this level of outright peppiness didn’t come naturally to her.

Her turn quickly came. A pair of curly-haired femboys with red, blue and gold facepaint cheered as her mom—suppressing a smirk—pulled up. Coming around to the passenger door, they encouraged Izzy out, complimenting her hair in-between rounds of chanting. She did her best to play along, not wanting to look like some sullen spoil-sport, but unable to fully engage in their enthusiasm—though their relentless cheeriness was infectious, and she couldn’t help but smile as she hastily took the path to the building.

Inside, she entered one of several queues behind folding tables. Reaching the front of the line, a smiling upperclassman took her name, checked a clipboard, then handed Izzy a keycard.

“You’re on the second floor”, the RA said. “Whoever drove you will get directions to the room too, so you can wait for them there, and then start bringing your stuff up once everybody’s on the same page! Oh, and there’s an orientation get-together in the big common room behind me in two hours; hope I’ll see you there!”

Izzy murmured a vague promise to attend as she scurried off toward the stairs. Her mind was racing. While waiting for the RA to get her key, she’d glanced at the clipboard. The other name assigned to the same room as her had been crossed off already; her new roommate had already arrived. This was the part Izzy was most nervous about. Whoever was in there, they would have to spend the next year together…

She reached the second floor, and found the door to room 17 already ajar. Apprehensively, she pushed it open.