Samus Mallory believes the right kind of fantasy can change someone's life. Which is why she started to teach fantasy literature at her university, and why Jackie Vasquez, a cute cosplayer who always cross-plays, catches her eye.
As the two connect over their favourite novels and a cyberpunk game called Hack the Planet, Samus thinks she's found the perfect person to be herself around -- until their busy schedules and Jackie's upcoming graduation ceremony puts a strain on their relationship, and Samus fears she's to blame.
But as Jackie spends more and more hours on a new cosplay, she starts to realize her fantasy life -- and future -- might not be what she and everyone else has always envisioned.
"Professor Mallory?" the woman asked.
"No, just call me Samus. Or Sam. Both work."
"Good to know. I'm Jacqueline, but everyone calls me Jackie." She extended her hand and Samus shook it right away.
"Nice to meet you."
"I ... I actually think I've met you before," Jackie confessed. Her eyes were on the syllabus, her words almost a whisper. "I'm pretty sure you taught my introduction to English class years and years ago."
"Oh?" Samus froze for a moment, praying that she had never had a face-to-face class with Jackie. "When would that be?"
"Um, 2011? No, later than that. Maybe 2013? I can't remember; my time at Waterloo all blends together. But it was an online course."
Samus let out a relieved sigh. "Oh. That was when I first started my PhD here. So yes, 2013 is right, and in that case, you were probably one of my first online students."
"Really?" Jackie smiled again. "Neat. It was certainly over my head. English is already hard enough, but I thought it'd be so much easier online. So wrong."
"Same here, actually. I thought teaching it would be much easier. Turns out, I almost got carpel tunnel from so much grading." Samus held her wrist to emphasize her point. Jackie made a few noises of sympathy before looking back to the syllabus in front of her. She seemed to be completely in awe with the texts chosen, squealing over the fact that Samus had put the recent issue of Ms. Marvel on.
"Comic books? You're really allowed to study that in university?"
"Oh, yeah! Of course. The higher you get in English, the more you can get away with. I'm actually doing my dissertation on video games."
"No way! That's amazing. Maybe I should have stuck with it. Especially if I didn't have to do an online course. A bit late now, though. Since I graduate in a few months."
"Never too late," Samus insisted. "Bram Stoker didn't start writing until he was in his forties and his first novel flopped. If he hadn't kept going, we would never have gotten Dracula. So there's always time to go back and do what you want, especially if you suddenly find something new to capture your attention."
Jackie shrugged. She tried to push the conversation onto The Left Hand of Darkness, since Le Guin's Earthsea Trilogy was on the syllabus; Samus went willingly into the conversation, asking Jackie about her favourite Le Guin book, then about the awful adaptation of the Earthsea Trilogy. Samus wasn't usually this cheery and open. She hated being disturbed, especially when it was her first day back after a short winter vacation. But this class already has me beyond excited. For the first time in a long, long time. And this new girl was another added bonus.
Even while sitting, Jackie was tall; standing she would probably be at least a few inches above Samus's almost 5’10” frame -- maybe even as much as six feet. Jackie hunched a lot, as if trying to undermine her own height. Her wrists, when they peaked out of her gray hoodie, were thin and delicate. The rest of her, outside of her baggy clothing, was probably just as thin, too. Her hair was dark and straight, falling against her tanned cheeks and skin.
Jackie also really knew fantasy, and as some of Samus's actual registered students began to show up, Samus realized just how much she wanted Jackie to stay.
"I think I should go now," Jackie said when the fourth student came in. She closed her binder, sighing a bit. "I've gotta get the bus before the snow storm hits us anyway."
"Oh. Okay. Do me a favour, though? Keep the syllabus."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. Just in case a spot opens up. And if one doesn't, maybe you can study this stuff on your own time."
Jackie laughed a bit at the suggestion.
Did you really just tell a girl you find cute to go and study more? Ridiculous. But Samus recovered quickly. "Or maybe you can come in during the D&D day. You seem to know what you're talking about there, so we may need more experienced DMs."
"Hmm. Maybe. Thank you." Jackie tucked the syllabus into her binder then swung her messenger bag over her chest. "Good luck with your class."
"Thanks. Good luck with your bus." The words felt weird and stilted from Samus's mouth, but she didn't care. She really hoped the students in her classroom didn't see that she was totally flirting, but if they did, so what? If they realize you're trans, they may as well realize you're also really gay, too.
After Jackie waved, Samus went back to her desk. More students came inside and took their seats and Samus went over the syllabus again, readjusting the D&D day for the week just after they talked about Dragons. By the time she was done her new reconfiguring, it was already 2:32 P.M.
Ah well. Late again. But so, so worth it.
