"So, you're all ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Kenzi put the last bag in the trunk.
"This is it then. Kenzi, I am so going to miss you. But I am so happy that you decided to do this."
"Between you and Lauren nagging my eardrums about applying… I had to unless you wanted me to go all Russian mobster on yo' asses!"
Bo let out a laugh and gave her a big bear hug. "Nah. You love us too much."
Kenzi half squirmed. "Hey no mushy stuff! Besides, I'll visit, you know that."
"I know." Bo replied as they broke their embrace. "C'mon. Let's get yo' ass in MA before you go all nay nay."
"Eager much to have me out of the crib?"
Bo just laughed. "Get in loser. We're going techin'!"
"Pete, for the last time, I am driving Claudia! You have work to do at the Warehouse!"
"Mykes, I got this! There is no way I'm gonna miss this! My baby Claudia got into MIT! The first in the family!"
"Pete, what the hell are you even talking about? You are not her father."
"Hey, just because I didn't give birth to her doesn't mean our bond is less deep. Right baby girl?" Pete addressed the petite redhead affectionately.
"Oh yeah! Just my lucky day! Listen Pete, I really appreciate it, but I asked Myka in the first place." She let that information sink in.
"Oh I get it… Oh ok. No problem, I'l stay here, cleaning the dust bunnies off the shelves. Uncle Pete is not gonna cramp your style up in fancy MIT. You just take the pre-Med, pre-Law, pre-nerd with you."
Claudia's heart sunk a bit and Myka stepped aside. "Pete, it's nothing like that. I would love for you to come. It's just… the less people there, the less hard it'll be to say goodbye to you all…"
Pete looked at her. "I understand, Claude. C'mere then." He opened his arms wide open for her and when she came close, he lifted her effortlessly. Claudia yelped, but laughed. Myka watched those two with a smirk on her face.
"You go there and do your magic, kid."
"I will, if I get there. Alive. Need… Oxygen." She mockingly stuttered.
"Oh right!" Pete immediately put her down.
"Ready?" Myka said, by the B&B threshold.
"As I'll ever be." Claudia replied.
"Frack!" Claudia's eleventh attempt to open her dorm room door was unsuccessful. "Either I got the wrong key or I got the wrong room… But there is no way I am going drag myself back to the reception with the bags." Then her face lit instantly. She took out a few clips and pins from her vest and produced a handmade lockpick, with which she now attempted to open up the lock.
"Need a help with that?" Claudia jumped in her shoes. She looked behind her and a curious raven haired girl, with dark clothes and heavy make up, but with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen was standing there, with a backpack on her shoulder.
"Oh hi! Um… this is not what it looks like. I.. um…"
"May I?" The other girl offered as she stepped into Claudia's space and in front of the lock. Claudia merely had time to take a step back and watch as the other girl had a go at the lock as well, with far more professional tools. The door clicked and a smile was upon the newcomer.
"Never leave home without them." She put her lockpicks in her back pocket.
"Good advice!" Claudia replied. The other girl smiled and entered the room, placing her luggage on one of the beds.
"Oh hey! I'm sorry, what are you doing?" Claudia asked, confused.
"I'm choosing my bed, roomie."
Claudia's mouth dropped. "We're roomies?"
"Looks like you're stuck with me, Lupin."
The redhead clearly got the reference. "It's Claudia, actually."
"Claudia?" Kenzi repeated the name, with a grin. "Kenzi." She introduced herself. "Nice to meet you." Kenzi turned to start unpacking her stuff. Claudia was still standing behind her.
"So, Kenzi… Do you go on lockpicking doors for every stranger you meet?" Claudia teasingly asked.
Kenzi appeared to give some thought to that question.
"Not really. Only the occasional cute, seemingly in distress redheads, with some passable fashion taste."
Claudia's cheeks flustered at that. "I… I better go get my stuff." She said, while hurriedly leaving the room. Kenzi grinned and put her 'Nightmare before Christmas' Jack Skellington bobble head on her night stand.