Arthur's parents stood at the barrier, watching him walk into the security line alone. He looked back one last time and waved. They waved back.
When he got to the front, a TSA officer gave him instructions.
"Sir, you'll need to take off your shoes and belt. Any electronics, like phones or laptops, need to come out of your bag and go into a bin."
Arthur did as he was told, putting his shoes, belt, phone, laptop, and charger into a couple of grey plastic bins. He pushed them onto the conveyor belt and then walked through the body scanner with his hands raised.
On the other side, he grabbed his belongings, put his shoes back on, and found himself in the main concourse of the terminal, the sterile area, with all the shops, restaurants, and gates.
He checked his boarding pass for his gate number, followed the signs through the loud, bright terminal, and found his gate. He sat down and waited.
A few minutes later.
"We will now begin boarding." The gate agent made an announcement.
The agent called First Class, then Group 1 and Group 2. Arthur looked at his boarding pass. Because he had the cheapest possible ticket, he was in Group 9.
Fuck… If I had just hacked into the airport's server, I would be on this plane already, sleeping in first class.
He had to sit and watch as almost everyone else got on the plane ahead of him. When the agent finally called Group 9, he walked down the jet bridge and stepped onto the plane.
A flight attendant gave him a fast, fake smile. He walked down the narrow lane, trying not to hit people with his backpack. When he found his seat, his bag into the overhead bin and sat in the chair.
Since he only slept for three and a half hours last night, he was exhausted. So he was asleep before the plane even finished boarding.
After the plane landed, Arthur took his bag from the overhead bin and joined the crowd heading off the plane. After that he followed the sign for Baggage Claim and found a huge, rotating conveyor belt. He waited for a few minutes and saw his suitcase come around the carousel. After carrying his suitcase, he looked for the signs for Ground Transportation. He walked toward it and called the taxi.
During the ride, he took out his phone from his pocket and sold He sold all 816585 of his USDT, converting it into $816585, and transferred the cash to his E-wallet.
It took almost an hour to get to the university. Arthur's excitement grew as the taxi finally pulled up to the main entrance, and he saw the large sign, Southern State Institute of Technology.
He got out of the taxi, grabbed his suitcase from the trunk, and tipped the driver a few extra dollars using his e-wallet
He immediately noticed other freshmen arriving with their families, pulling up in Teslas, Audis, and huge SUVs. The campus was massive, filled with hundreds of students and parents. He watched them unload giant, curved computer monitors, mini-fridges, microwaves, and even electric guitars.
Arthur ignored the expensive cars and looked for the check-in. He found the student center, a massive, bright hall buzzing with activity. Inside, cheerful upperclassmen in matching t-shirts were directing new students to a row of self-service kiosks.
Arthur scanned a QR code from his phone. The kiosk instantly verified his identity and printed his new Student ID card, which had a visible smart-chip and a holographic logo.
"This ID is your room key, your meal pass, your library access, and your key to all the labs. Don't lose it." A volunteer handed him his welcome packet and said to Arthur. On the kiosk screen, his new dorm information and location were showing.
He soon reached his dorm, a modern building that stood apart from the others. He noticed it was co-ed, with both male and female students heading inside.
The lobby didn't feel like a dorm at all. It looked like a high-end hotel, complete with modern art and stylish couches. There was even a professionally staffed concierge desk to handle packages and check in guests.
As he walked through, he saw signs for the resident-only features: a high-tech gym on the first floor, a private gourmet dining hall, the building's own dedicated high-speed internet, and even soundproof music rooms.
Arthur found his room. Instead of a keyhole, there was just a black electronic panel. He tapped his new ID card against it. The light flashed green, and the door clicked open.
He stepped inside and was amazed by looking at his room. The room was huge, much bigger than his bedroom back home. It was large enough to have separate areas for his bed, a desk, and a small lounge. It came fully furnished with a full-size bed, a large modern laminate desk, an office chair, and a built-in closet with modern shelving. It also had its own attached bathroom and a private thermostat for the central air conditioning.
Best of all, there was a small kitchenette built into the wall, complete with a microwave, a mini-fridge, and its own sink.
Thank God I hacked the server. I can't imagine how awful it would have been to be crammed into that six-person room. This place is insane… a private bathroom, a kitchenette... it's like a dream. I had no idea it would be this luxurious when I was just looking for a single.
He put his suitcase on the floor and looked at the time. It was already 6:00PM.
No wonder I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. I'll eat something first, then come back and unpack.
Arthur put his backpack on his bed and headed out the door, which clicked shut and auto-locked behind him.
He was on his way to the private dining hall when he saw a girl struggling with the door to the room right next to his. She was trying to tap her ID card while balancing a handful of boxes.
She had pale skin, silky long black hair, dark eyeliner, and deep red lipstick. Black tattoos ran down her arms, and silver piercings were in her ears, nose, and eyebrow. She was wearing a black corset top, a short pleated skirt, torn fishnets, and heavy, knee-high black boots, with a few chains and chokers as accessories.
"Hey, need a hand with that?" Arthur asked.
"Oh, please." She said with a relieved tone.
Arthur took the boxes from her, freeing up her hand to tap her ID card. The light flashed green, and she kicked the door open. Arthur followed her inside and set the boxes down.
"I'm Arthur Johnson, by the way." He said.
"Clara Jackson. Thanks a lot for the help." She replied.
A small smirk came to his face.
Clara.