It's My Life • Shawn Hunter

116| Ain't College Great?

The University of Pennbrook. That was the newest chapter in Zoey Francis life.

While Zoey was excited about this new experience she was equally as scared. But she pretended she wasn't scared, pretended that nothing fazed her and that she was calm, cool, and collected all the time.

Zoey and Topanga were going to be roommates, that was good. It was familiar in a sense, like a safety blanket. It helped Zoey deal with all the changes happening in her life.

The two walked out of their shared room and out into the hall with the other new students.

"Hey, look, Zo." Topanga said with a smile as they walked into the boys' room. "I found us some college guys."

"She means us." Cory said proudly to Shawn. "Well, the four of us are here at Pennbrook."

"Well, let's check it out." Zoey insisted.

The four of them made their way into the main corridor to take a look around.

"Okay, look we got hallways, rooms and a co'ed bathroom. Oh, see, Shawnie? In college girls are not called girls. They're called 'co-eds'." Cory said before he paused when a man pushed the door open. "Boy, is she butch."

"Cory, the bathroom is for men and women." Zoey pointed out.

"Both?" Cory asked in confusion.

"Yes, Cor. Co-ed, as in co-educational. At the same time. Just like on Ally McBeal." She explained.

"'Just like on Ally McBeal'." He repeated mockingly. "Let her go in there!"

"Cory, it's no big deal." Topanga assured.

"I'm going in." Shawn decided without hesitation, walking into the bathroom, followed by Topanga and Zoey.

••••

Zoey felt a bit uncomfortable as her and the group stepped into the registration room. The atmosphere was hectic and compressing in a sense that reminded her too much of elementary-school lunches.

Zoey's hand instantly searched for Shawn's and she grasped his fingers tightly, half-afraid she's get lost in the crowd.

"Are you okay, Zo?" Shawn asked, concerningly.

"I'm fine... just not a fan of big crowds." Zoey replied truthfully.

"You want me to sign you for classes?" He wondered.

Zoey shook her head. "Nah. We're in college now, dammit. You shouldn't have to stand in line for me."

"Registration. Here is where we make the decisions that will determine who we are and what we know for the rest of our lives." Cory said excitedly.

"Oh, shut up." Shawn retorted.

"Cor, we're freshman. There's really no big decision to make here." Zoey told her best friend.

"It's anything that says '101' or 'Intro to'." Topanga added.

Cory scoffed. "Sure, if you wanna go the safe way."

"Here we go." Shawn muttered.

"You see, I was studying my course guide last night. Now, the old Cory would've gone down the road of safe and easy courses, but I refuse to be trampled by the masses registering for a little course I like to call 'Introduction to mediocrity'." Cory ranted

Zoey raised her eyebrows. "You done?"

"Yeah." Cory replied.

"Good." She responded.

Shawn squeezed his hand tighter around Zoey's as they made their way towards the course stations.

••••

Registering for classes went much better than Zoey had anticipated but it was mostly because she didn't stand in line alone.

After purchasing their books, Topanga, Zoey and Shawn went to the common area to find their friend. Cory sat at the high-top table with his own books piled next to him. Zoey's eyes widened at the Quantum Physics textbook he was reading.

"You're already done registering?" Topanga asked.

"Yeah." Cory replied. "I registered, I got my books and I bought each of us a Pennbrook sweatshirt. Go penguins!"

"Don't ever do that." Shawn scolded as he took the other seat.

"'Quantum Physics, Theoretical Calculus, Inorganic Chemistry, Forensic Pathology'?" Zoey questioned as she read the titles of his books aloud.

Cory lifted up the sleeve of his new sweatshirt. "Is this your son, Mr. Johnson?"

Zoey sighed. "Oh, Cory, Cory, Cory. How do I put this delicately? Could you be a bigger moron?"

"Why would you ask me that? Why?" He wondered.

"Because your college career is over before it starts." She pointed out.

"Somebody's jealous." Cory taunted, chuckling.

"Cory, you've taken on an impossible load that will eventually crush you to death." Topanga told him.

"I know, but I figure we'll have a good ten or twelve good years together first." Cory responded.

Shawn let out a fake laugh. "That's good... all I wanted you to do is stop with the pudding. What is this? Do you even know what quantum physics is?"

"Um, hi... That's what they're gonna teach me." Cory replied. "If I knew what quantum physics was, I would've taken Quantum Physics two, now wouldn't I?"

"Have you looked at this? It's gibberish." Shawn said as he looked through the book.

"It's not gibberish." Cory grumbled. "You're gibberish. It's new and exciting, just like me. So nuts to you, you jerks." He stood up, collected his books and as he began walking away, he stopped to talk to an older professor for a moment before turning to his friends. "Everything's fine!"

••••

Turned out that Cory went to Wyoming during the weekend, trying to get away from college.

Cory returned on Sunday evening with Mr. Feeny in tow and the group found him sitting on the couch in the common area.

"Yeah, I mean... what I learned from you was mostly about life and how to make friends and how to help and support the people you care about." Cory said.

"That's what you taught all of us." Zoey agreed. "How are you doing, Mr. Feeny?"

"Howdy." Mr. Feeny replied.

"Thank you for bringing my Walter home." Topanga said as she sat on the arm of the couch to kiss Cory's cheek.

"Listen, I'd love to chat, but Mr. Feeny and I, we gotta start studying for Quantum.... whatever it is that I signed up for." Cory said reluctantly.

"Here." Topanga said, handing him a piece of paper.

Cory looked at the paper in confusion. "What's this?"

"It's your schedule. You have two classes with and three with Shawn and Zoey. I figured you'd want it this way." She explained.

Cory stared up at her. "I don't get it. How'd you do this?"

"Well, we each signed up for an extra class...." Topanga trailed off.

"And then we dropped one..." Zoey continued.

"And signed you up instead." Shawn added.

"And then we got your books and returned them for the right ones." Zoey finished.

"You did? How'd you know to do this?" Cory wondered.

"Hey, we had the same teacher you did." Zoey simply replied, gesturing towards Mr. Feeny.

Cory turned to Mr. Feeny. "So I'm ready to start college now?"

"I think you are." Mr. Feeny answered. "I think you all are."

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PUBLISHED: November 6, 2018
WORDS: 1143