When Mallory comes home from school for the first time, she's surprised at how overwhelming it is, even in spite of being used to dorms and cafeterias and endless classes. But everyone has questions to ask and stories she has to repeat for the ninth time, wishing she could just stick them in a book and have it be done just the once.

Vanessa, of course, is the one who asks about what she's reading, and Mallory gratefully walks her through the syllabus late that night, glad to have someone who understands.