Survival

It started the summer before college. The thrill of graduation faded faster than they both expected when they realized there were still months before leaving for actual, tangible university. They ended up spending more time together than usual, or at least, more constructive time together than usual, because Derek realized that some amount of planning was necessary so he doesn't bomb his first arrival at university. Some days he was still irritated that they would both be at Queens, not because of how it would be but because of how it would look to other people. Most days he knew that it made the whole planning/preparation process easier.

This was also when he realized just how far they've both come. Casey didn't turn "being prepared for university" into a competition and it made the time and lists (and excessively categorized favorites folders on his laptop) bearable. Derek could tell she was excited about uni (but not in the same way he was) and it wasn't an issue. In reality, her energy took the process and leveled it up to almost enjoyable.

Ultimately, this was about survival. He knew that he would have to build his reputation from the ground up at Queens, there weren't many people from their high school going that year, maybe a few who were older. The least he could do was make sure the Prince didn't get towed the first week because he didn't get a parking tag. Although he didn't order one, Casey did. That was how he knew they'd changed. Casey wasn't the walking anxiety disaster anymore, at least not on a day-to-day basis. He could trust her with things like a parking tag and it's another level of planning, of "experience with the student services website" so it made her happy and he got a legal car.

Casey searched amazon for textbooks and highlighted different ways to get from class to class on campus maps. Derek let her put books from his syllabi into the virtual shopping cart but he wasn't interested in actually buying them until the school year started…less to pack he said. And packing is something they both worked on, not that Derek would admit it. Casey tried to weed through her expansive closet and Derek debated which team related shirts labeled him an athlete and which looked like he's clinging to the past. He refused to be a peak in high school kind of guy.

They received residence assignments in August. Casey was excited to stay in Ban Righ with its female centered history and all woman atmosphere but she glossed over her single room assignment. Only Derek and Nora knew how much she wanted a roommate to coordinate decorations with and study with and become sister-friends with etc. Single rooms were not rated high on her preference list. Derek ended up down the street in Leonard Hall, on a mixed gender floor. He had a roommate but he focused on the fact that there's a communal bathroom for girls on his floor and he might get to see some towel clad co-eds with relative ease. Derek was surprised to learn that there are academic clusters in residences. More specifically, that Casey did not sign up for that option since it sounded like the insta-study group that she would love. He resolved not to worry about her but he kinda already is because she helped him get this far and already it wasn't what he expected.