Note: Sorry for the backwards time jump, but you'll appreciate the backstory, trust me!

Two Years Earlier…

From: Culver University Registration Department [reg at culver-u dot edu]
To: Miss Darcy Lewis [darce4prez at hotmail dot com]
Subj: Re: Missing Three Credits

Dear Miss Lewis,

We have received your queries and have looked into the matter. It seems that there was possibly a system glitch and your three credits are not registering on your transcript. This could be due to several things: a deeper system error that our Administrators have yet to track down, failure to fulfil the requirements as stipulated by your last course's syllabus, or too many missed class days that registered as a passive Withdrawal. In any of these cases, our office suggests that you consult with your Advisor regarding possible errors on your side, while we escalate this issue to the Dean of Political Science.

Thank you for contacting our office. If you have further questions, reply to this e-mail or dial x3324 from any campus telephone.

Have a wonderful day,

Janet Weiss
Registration Clerk
Main Campus, Bowen Building, Room 1A

A wisp of dark hair blew forward on a forceful exhale as Darcy dropped her head onto her arms.

"This is just my fucking luck," she muttered into the desk.

From across the dorm room, Jane piped up in a distracted tone, "Maybe you should just do an internship abroad so you don't have to worry about those credits anymore."

She really wanted to reply in a snarky tone, but the words died on the tip of her tongue. Well. It was an idea. If she ever hoped to graduate in May, she just had to take things into her own hands. Sure, it'd rack up another 15G; sure, the only trip left was probably on some weird island in the middle of the Arctic; and sure, that meant leaving the comforts of her dorm, and Pop-Tarts, and maybe, gasp, her iPod. Still. Looking at it from an adult point of view, it was probably the only way she could hope to graduate. Registration took as much time as a turtle trying to take a speed shit between commercial breaks.

"Ugh." Dropping her forehead back to the desk, there was a dull thud this time. "Fuck my life."

"But Mr Bronzo!"

The man shook his head and raised a hand. "Save it, Lewis. I already told you it's the best I could do. The next semester is starting in Four. Weeks. I'm good, but I'm not that good."

Sighing and banging her head on things seemed to be turning into a habit lately.

"Fine," came the muttered word after a beat. Lifting her drawn face to look back at her advisor, Darcy sucked it up and glanced from the man to the paperwork on his desk. "After this, I swear if I don't get the best damn senior review, I'm gonna flip like a hormonal chick on the rag. Blood will be spilt."

Mr Bronzo suppressed a smile at that. "I'm sure. Now fill this stuff out and bring it to my office by tomorrow at noon. Not 3pm or 11:59:59pm. Noon. Or you're stuck here until next Winter semester."

With that, Darcy gathered everything she needed and headed back towards the campus dorms. Taking the long way back seemed like a good idea. It was cold as Jack Frost's asscrack out that day, but she needed to get out of her own head for a bit.

Walking around in the middle of December weather made a whole lot of sense at the time.

Ah-ah —

Veronica brought Darcy a cup of chicken soup between sneezes —

CHOO!

And wiped her hand off on the cool towel hanging from her arm seconds later.

"Darcy dear, you really need to lie down after drinking that." She went back to cleaning up the remnants of soup as Darcy muttered something about 'too tired to sleep' and 'just lemme die'.

Winter break was definitely maintaining her streak of shit luck this year. Pneumonia and clogged up sinuses? Yeah, that was the life.

Groaning as she suppressed another cough, she leaned back into the thick cushions and let her head dangle over the couch's arm. Hazy blue eyes roamed the little specks on the spackle ceiling, counting the larger shapes in her head and forming little pictures as though they were clouds.

"You got your internship letter!" echoed Veronica's voice. Her aunt had a surprisingly loud voice.

When she heard steps approaching, Darcy quickly lifted the cup of soup to her mouth and proceeded to burn her lower lip with a muffled fuck! as she nearly dropped the stupid thing.

"Darcy?" Her aunt shook her head and came over with some paper towels, sopping up the small mess. "Here," she said breathlessly as she thrust the envelope into Darcy's lap.

Curiously, the envelope was turned over and over in her hands, a combination of nerves and reluctance delaying its opening.

Veronica was about to reach over and open it for her, when Darcy shot her an annoyed look and tore open the flap herself.

"Private, y'know, federal offence? Yeah, that's a thing with mail," she quipped as she pulled the letter out. The greying brunette rolled her eyes and took the soiled towels back into the kitchen, leaving her niece alone to scan the letter in peace.

"'Once we secure your deposit'… blah blah… 'two bags in-flight'… only two? Pff. 'Warm clothing is a must'… well duh. 'Congratulations, and welcome to the Jötnar Junior Ambassador Programme'."

She set the letter on her leg and dropped her head back to stare at the ceiling. "God, this is gonna suck so much."