The fluorescent yellow arrow under Cythiria’s feet flashed and animated in the direction of one of the workstations. Cythiria stepped towards it. She pulled her backpack off her shoulders and dropped it on the floor. She glanced across the aisle at another workstation, and astride it, a student. Her long, brown hair was pulled to a pair of side ponytails. Wavy tufts flowed down her cheeks from each side of her forehead. She wore bright red lip gloss, and her hazel-colored eyes contrasted with dark, wispy eyelashes. She turned her head towards Cythiria and looked her up and down. The corners of her lips turned to a discriminating frown.

“Hey,” said Cythiria, nodding towards her.

She nodded back.

“I’m Cyth. Crenshaw.”

She turned her eyes and frowned. “Cyth.” She glanced across Cythiria’s forehead. “So, what’s with the bandage?” she said curtly.

Cythiria raised her hand to her head. “Um, I had an accident.”

“Accident?”

“Long time ago.” Cythiria paused. “You got a name?”

“Chelsea. Brimwater.”

“Chelsea. Nice. I’ll call you Chelss.”

Chelss snorted and rolled her eyes. “I wish you wouldn’t.” She gazed out the window.

“You a first year?” said Cythiria.

Chelss scoffed. “Well, obviously.”

Cythiria felt her neck and face grow warm. Why wouldn’t she be a first year? She’s in the same classroom as me. Keep it cool, Cyth. “Yeah, me too.”

Chelss snorted again.

A gentle, ringing chime filled the classroom. The light in the room faded. The generic din of chatting voices settled to silence as the students made their way to their workstations. A projected image, cast upon an otherwise empty slate on the wall, materialized.

“Welcome to class 4a, year 1,” came the gentle, calming voice. “You have been assigned a workstation. If you have not seated yourself yet, please do so now.” The voice paused. The room grew quiet. Cythiria stepped into the workstation. The seat was covered with a thin, soft, rubbery material. The workstation seemed to wrap itself around her, as if she were seated inside the cockpit of a racecar or an airplane. The walls cast a gentle, calming light, and a cool, airy breeze swirled around her. She shivered, and the breeze warmed, as if the workstation itself read her bodily response to it. She sighed, and her eyes started to droop. On each side was a small window. She looked out either side. On one, some student she hadn’t met. On the other, Chelss. She felt her heart thump! inside her chest.