Chapter 1: Introduction
"Hey, bro!" Gambit strained to hear his roommate's voice over the loud hum of students dashing to their classes. School had just started, and the college campus in the center of bustling Manhattan throbbed with youthful enthusiasm.
He had been called many things before. But 'bro'? Gambit sighed. They could only get away with that if they didn't know him well.
Gambit looked around the campus, with its weathered red bricks and ivy-covered walls.
It seemed much more imposing now than it had during orientation. As students brushed past him, it became clear how easy it was to get lost in the crowd.
Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Gambit tucked in his thin shirt and entered his first class of the day. The room buzzed with chatter and energy as he slipped into a corner desk, trying to be inconspicuous.
Just as Professor Baxter entered the room, the chatter settled to a murmur.
"Nice to meet you, Prof. I'm Gambit."
"Interesting name you got there, son. Alright, let's meet at my office tomorrow afternoon - say, 2 PM?" Professor Baxter smiled warmly.
Gambit nodded, almost overwhelmed by the professor's continued encouragement.
Over the next couple of days, Gambit felt more and more at ease around Professor Baxter. He actually started looking forward to their little meetings.
As the days passed, the walls of the campus seemed friendlier, and even the peculiar smell of old books and coffee in the air wasn't that bad.
One sunny afternoon, a few moments before their scheduled meeting, Gambit arrived at Professor Baxter's office. For once, he wasn't early.
"Ah, Gambit, right on time!" Opening the door with a grin, Professor Baxter was standing next to an imposing wooden desk, covered in books on self-improvement and mental wellbeing.
Seizing the moment, Gambit blurted out his frustrations.
"Sometimes, Professor, I just feel like I don't fit in. Like I'm wasted in this crowd, like I should be... more."
Professor Baxter leaned in, intently studying Gambit's expressions.
"We all feel that way at times, Gambit.
Life is about growth and transformation, after all. But it's essential to start by focusing on self-acceptance."
Gambit shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the weight of the words settling heavily upon him.
Professor Baxter circled around his desk and placed a gentle hand on Gambit's shoulder, startling him slightly. "Let's start by setting some realistic goals for you.
I sense an intense desire to become bigger and stronger."
Gambit's face flushed at the frankness of the professor's words, but he felt something strange stir within him, and that hunger, that desire to be stronger, roared to life.
"Yeah, I guess I do feel that way." Gambit tried to sound cooler than he felt, swallowing harder than necessary.
"Alright, we'll work with that.