Lowell College: Fall 2042

Fall 2042 - Juniors: Nate Centowski, Theo Centowski, Opal Raymond; Sophomores: Christian Andrews, Ellie Fairchild, Justin Kim, Meg Stanton, Aimee Wheeler; Freshmen: Isaiah Gavigan, George Smith, Tina Traveller, Riley Wilder, Curtis Wren.

Lowell College finished construction on the townhouses this summer, and Nate, Theo, and Opal are some of their first residents. They share a three bedroom unit laid out on two floors; Opal and Theo share a room, and they use the empty room which would have been Matt's as a study. Nate has the downstairs bedroom and his own bathroom.

They throw a party to celebrate the beginning of the school year, and Opal invites the freshmen from her orientation group. Nate tries inviting his ex-girlfriend Tosha, but she blows him off.

Everyone has a good time at the party. Opal teaches the freshmen how to play kicky bag and introduces them to Providence's famous pizza. (Is it just me, or is it a requirement that every college town has some kind of "famous" pizza. At my undergrad, the pizza place was owned by a Greek family, and they sold gyro pizza that came with a side of tzatziki sauce. It was delicious, and I've never seen pizza like it anywhere else.)

George was a little worried about having Riley's friend Curtis Wren living in their dorm. Riley always said he was just a friend, but George worried there was something going on between them. But almost immediately Curtis and Tina Traveller hit it off, and at the first party of the year they hook up.

Some freshmen just avoid the college romance drama altogether. Gabriella Newson is already engaged to her boyfriend from Bridgeport; he drives in from the city to visit her at least once a week.

*****

Ellie got really into exercising last year, and this year she's teaching a yoga class at the gym on Sunday mornings.

All of that yoga pays off. She's gotten really fit!

Meg has been having a tough time with Matt's death.

"I feel so guilty," she says. "I saw him the night he died. We had a fight. Maybe if we hadn't he wouldn't have been drinking, maybe he wouldn't have crashed."

"It's not your fault, baby."

To take her mind off it, he takes her out to dinner at that Hotel Ampersand.

After dinner, she impulsively throws her arms around him. "Thank you. Thank you for just being here."

"Of course, baby."

While Meg and Christian are getting closer, Ellie is feeling more left out. She starts hanging out at her father's bar, The Burren.

"Aren't you a little young to be hanging out at a bar?"

"My dad owns it. And I'm not drinking. I just like bars."

"Me too. And this is a good one - not empty, but not so loud that you can't talk to the person sitting next to you."

"You mean not so loud you can't hit on the girl sitting next to you?" Ellie smirks.

"Exactly."

So while Meg and Christian are off on their elegant evening, Ellie winds up having a great date of her own.

*****

Fall Term Grades
Nate Centowski: A+, GPA 4.0
Theo Centowski: C+, GPA 2.5
Opal Raymond: B+, GPA 2.9
Christian Andrews: B, GPA 3.6
Ellie Fairchild: B, GPA 3.3
Justin Kim: B, GPA 3.0
Meg Stanton: A+, GPA 4.0
Aimee Wheeler: A+, GPA 4.0
Isaiah Gavigan: A+, GPA 4.0
Gabriella Newson: A+, GPA 4.0
George Smith: B, GPA 3.0
Tina Traveller: B, GPA
Riley Wilder: B, GPA 3.0
Curtis Wren: B, GPA 3.0