She didn’t break her gaze away from the hot tub. “Yeah, why?”

“Well, I need to go get dressed and get to campus so I can lament my freedom of choice in my life with my advisor.” I set my cup down on the counter and threw my robe off and onto the couch. “I am going to need some serious ice cream therapy after today.”

Kelly mimicked my movements dutifully, “I am coming with you. Homework be damned!”

––––––––

The student center was one of the largest buildings on campus, making one of those warehouse stores look like a boutique experience—minus the warehouse vibe. It spanned into more wings than I cared to keep track of, and the map for this place was so large you’d need a guided tour each time you came in. The wealthy loved two things: their architecture and their unnecessarily large buildings.

It was built to look elegant to impress the parents paying for it and the scholarship kids that attended here. The rest of us probably didn’t care as much. The neutrally bland color scheme said I have money and no personality. With an entrance that looked like Grand Central Station, I could have easily mistaken this place for an actual train station.

My stop?

Academic advising.

I smiled awkwardly at the receptionist who looked like she didn’t care about her job. She was half scrolling through social media and half looking at me expecting an answer. “I have an appointment with my advisor, Mrs. Matthews.”

She flipped out a tablet. “Name?”

“Fallon Montgomery.”

“Student key card?” She still hadn’t really given me proper eye contact.

I handed it over the counter and wondered what made her feel so lifeless at work. Would I turn into someone who didn’t even give someone a second glance? Or even a first? With how much respect my mother instilled in me, I also wondered if she embodied that at her company.

Sarah, or so it said on her name tag, pointed to a door as she went back to scrolling on her phone.

The hallway was thin and long, holding office after office. It felt too much like a conveyer belt in here, transporting the students from idealistic young adults to whatever got spat out on the other end. My room came up when I saw the sign for my advisor.

“What can I help you with today, Miss Montgomery?” At least there was a smile on the other side of the door.

I itched my arm and fidgeted with my bracelet. “I’m here to see about changing my major.”