College season arrived and Penny had been able to pay her admission fees with Maybelle and her Father's help. She and Seaweed had taken to eating lunch at her Father's house every saturday. She looked forward to it all week. The food was good and the laughter was flowing and she loved to see Seaweed there, bonding with her father.

He was all she had left in the way of blood family. Her mother was gone, good riddance and she had been an only child. So, apart from her Father, the family she had now was the chosen kind.

Maybelle had insisted on throwing a party the weekend before Penny started her classes at the local college. They ate and danced and sang and everything felt right in the world. The diamond glinted on her finger and her arms were around the man she loved and she was about to begin a career that she knew would do some good.

They laid together in bed that night, shrouded in moonlight. Seaweed laid on his side, looking down at Penny.
"I am so proud of you, baby. My girl, off to college!" He beamed down at her and she smiled back at him.
"I want to do all the things my mother said I never could. I want to be educated and teach children about all the things they can do in life." She explained and he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"You're doing the same." She told him. "Every time you go on the TV and dance, you're showing kids all across the city that they can do anything, even things that seem impossible." She explained and he had never really seen it that way. Sure, he was dancing with the others and making his family proud. But when Penny spoke of the children, the ones who would be inspired by him, he felt like more than a dancer.

The morning came and Penny smoothed her hair and pulled her shoe laces another time. Seaweed had insisted on driving her to class, in the new car that he had bought with his new contract money. It was a beautiful baby blue number, with brown leather interior. Penny was never one for cars, but even she could appreciate the ride.

Maybelle stuffed her full of eggs and pancakes.
"Now, you have everything you need?" She asked and Penny nodded assuringly.
"I got all my books and my pencils." She told her and Maybelle sent her a beaming smile.
"You go show 'em, baby." She told her, before Seaweed dragged her along, fearing they would be late.

She tapped her foot as they drove along. Seaweed could feel her nerves. It was natural, she was the first in her family, the first he knew to go to college. It had to be pretty daunting. But he knew that she could do it.

At the stop light, he pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and unwrapped it.
"Open up." He told her, placing the candy in her mouth. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Did I tell you how proud of you I am?" He asked and she chuckled around the candy.
"Only a hundred times." She replied and he smiled, placing his hand in her lap.
"It's true, baby. You're gonna do great!" He promised her as he pulled up to the college.

It was a square building. It looked more like a DMV than a college. But Penny didn't care. Inside that building she was going to earn her career, and she couldn't wait. She placed a hand on the door, but was stopped when Seaweed hopped out and rounded the car. He opened her door for her and stood with her for a moment.
"Don't let them say anything to you, Penny. You have every right to be here." He told her and she took his hand in hers.
"I love you." She thanked him and he placed a hand behind the nape of her neck, kissing her quickly, before hopping back in the car.

Penny felt her hands shake as she walked into class. It seemed exactly the same as her high school, just without the lockers. The classroom was the same. She looked down at her schedule and found herself early, which was a relief.

She found a seat in the back corner of the class and sat by herself. She had never really planned on making friends in college. She was there to learn. It seemed a good thing that she had no hopes of friendship, when the first slew of girls walked into the room.
"I saw her kissing a coloured boy out front." One of the girls, with voluminous ginger hair, whispered in horror and the girls gasped in unison.

Penny shook her head to herself. She was no stranger to such gossip. It followed her everywhere she went. It didn't sting so much now, she had grown used to it and she resigned herself to sitting alone.

The classes were fascinating. Penny loved the teacher, who embodied all of the values that she wished she would represent when she was a teacher. She was kind and patient and explained concepts in great detail.

At lunch, Penny sat in the cafeteria. Some of the girls had gone outside, but the autumn winds were picking up in Baltimore and she preferred to be away from as many of the girls as possible.

She sat and looked down at her cheese sandwich. She could do this. She looked down at her notes and revised her thoughts and feelings to the techniques in her mind, until a girl with very short hair and big brown doe eyes sat down in front of her.
"Hi, I'm Amy." She extended a cute little hand and Penny took it. She introduced herself and decided she liked the girl's face. She was kind and sweet. She was wearing slacks and a sweater vest that made her seem smart and cool.

Amy opened her lunch and began eating.
"I heard the girls this morning." She told her and Penny looked up at her with a nervous expression.
"I can't understand how they can think exactly like their mothers." She shook her head and Penny felt a wide smile grow on her face.

The girl rustled around in her bag and pulled out a purse. She took out a picture and pushed it towards Penny. The picture was of a black man and white woman, his arm was slung over her shoulder and she was beaming with a wide smile.
"That's my sister with her husband." Amy told her and Penny looked up with a shocked glance.
"They got married?" She asked and Amy nodded.
"They had to travel to another state. But I think he would have carried her on his back all the way there if he had to." She chuckled and Penny felt a warmth pool in her stomach.
"Love chooses us. Who are we to deny it?" She asked and Penny felt as if she had actually made a friend in class and was very grateful for it.

Seaweed came to pick her up, after he finished the show. He stood by the car and ignored the stares from the girls. He smiled when he spotted her. She was walking with a cool looking girl, in slacks and loafers. He felt an ease wash over him as he watched them laugh together. Penny waved goodbye to her friend and then sent him the warmest of smiles as she got into the car.

They drove for a while.
"How was it?" He asked and she sighed.
"It was wonderful!" She told him and he was glad to hear it.
"I made a friend." She added and he nodded.
"Yeah, she looks real cool." He told her and Penny nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't wait to return tomorrow and the day after and everyday until she became the teacher she wanted to be.