Waking up felt like getting punched in the gut. Groans mixed in with this morning's wake up music: a pop ballad who's female lead threatened to shatter my room's lone window. It didn't really matter though, it got me up and stumbling for the bathroom. Having relieved my overworked bladder, I pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and headed into the living room.

It was a relatively spacious affair, not too big or small. My room sat at the far back, squished into a corner by the shared bathroom and laundry combo. My roommates door was firmly shut, somehow conveying that anyone daring to disturb it's occupant had better have a damn good reason. Even then, I didn't fancy my chances. Our schedules were polar opposites, but where I was a denizen of the day, his sunlight was of the artificial variety. He paid his half of the bills on time though, and that was what really mattered in a relationship.

Still though, it had been a while since I'd last seen him. I'd have to try and see if he was still alive in there after my classes. Rent was coming due, and last night's stint had been just enough to pay for my half and another few classes.

The college I was currently attending was one of the hybrid "pay as you go" types made popular in the past two decades. The hybrid part was only a technicality, since hardly anyone went to the husk of a college campus. As far as I knew, it was just the token janitorial staff and those poor souls without an internet connection sharing the single building that the e-versity required for the tax break. Go Wildcats.

It was pretty depressing to think about, but the college experience really took a dive when the degrees started costing more than the salary gains. People started figuring out real quick that learning skills and gaining experience was much more efficient than spending four years partying and trying to squeak by with a C.

Sure college let you meet new people, but so could millions of other apps. The biggest difference was, they were all free. A few enterprising individuals had taken it upon themselves to provide a "cheaper and more enriching" education through the internet, and suddenly the traditional college experience vanished like a nice dream. Aside from a few old money schools that hung on through prestiege alone, it was all e-colleges and hybrid schools trying their damndest to fit as many ads into your favorite programming as possible.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Since I hadn't been given a small loan of a million dollars, I picked the closest college that had given me the most discounted rate. It might seem sad, but they used many of the same videos and assignments and I didn't have the money to be picky.

My parents were currently in deep retirement, which meant they only left their immersion tanks for fires and holidays. Since it was currently the middle of October, I wouldn't see them for about another month if they remembered Thanksgiving. My little sister was living with our dad's brother in the next state over, and I knew she was well taken care of. We shared our father's dark hair, but luckily she hadn't gotten his widow's peak like I had. She was definitely rambunctious, and I knew she ruled her friend group with a tiny iron fist. 

Yawning, I sidled over to the kitchen nook and slapped some bread and meat together with my finest culinary skills. Whoever said that you couldn't survive on meat and cheese alone had obviously neglected to add enough mayo. I grabbed a glass and let the tap run for a few seconds before filling it up. Sighing after the long drink, I took the remains of my sandwhich and collapsed into the lovingly crafted depression of our hideously floral couch. 

I looked out of the window at the rapidly lightening sky and grunted at the glass knowledgeably. Some primal instinct inside of me screamed to get to class, but I quashed it and grabbed for the interface tablet charging wirelessly on the nearby table. It hummed to life with a catchy jingle and the projector it was connected to droned ponderously soon after. I typed my college username and password in (I still didn't trust the safety of the autofill) and settled in for my first lecture of the day. This one couldn't be sped up, so I eased further into the embrace of the couch and watched the professor warm up his vocal chords.