Jon walked from his class, through the quad, and then up the hill to the admin building to get his mail, for once a package wait for him. As he got to the quad it was the usual mix of people he knew and didn't know all bound together avoiding the seemingly endless games of Frisbee. Jon had hoped that college was going to be better than high school but it seemed to be more of the same, maybe with higher stakes and fewer parents around. He passed the Freshman dorm, where his sister glared at him from a third story window, and then made his way passed the cafeteria, and around the science building where Jay and Kayla were setting up the "Catapult vs. Trebuchet for Charity" event, another in a long line of "Community"esqe college hijinks, this he would of course be checking out later.
This wasn't the direct rout, he could have cut through the library but that would have taken him passed sorority row, and Karyn, who he was activity avoiding seeing now. Not because she wasn't doing well, she was by all accounts doing great, she had really come into her own, made a lot of friends, anytime Jon would see her she seemed to be very happy. She had joined Kappa Nu because of a summer internship opportunity that came with it in the middle of sophomore year, she didn't really intend on making it a home, but something about that life clicked with her she dove right into it, which was fine until it wasn't. Of course things changed, the largest change being Sarah McMillan went from being an adversary to a sister, she even started inviting Karyn out with her and her friends, which Karyn discovered was actually lots of fun, even if she still didn't trust Sarah. What happened since was the slow dying of a friendship, longer pauses between conversations and less to talk about when they did speak. Jon didn't know what to do about it, so he was avoiding it.
Jon reached the admin building and checked out his package from the mail room. It was from Mom, but it wasn't a care package. In fact it was more bad news. Grandpa had died, this was of course upsetting, and he would have to tell Zoe if she didn't already know. There was also box with his name on it. In the box was a note and a red and brown colored stone. The note read.
Jon if you are reading this then I've finally died. I leave to you this stone. Hold it in your hand and make a wish. Be Careful. Love Grandpa.
And so, standing outside the admin building Jon made his first wish.
