It was a new year. Normally that spoke of fresh starts, clean slates, and renewed resolve, but all the baggage accumulated over the holidays had been especially persistent this year. None of Vinnie's problems or fears had gone away - if anything, they'd only become more pronounced over time.

In the face of such conflicts, academia seemed so trivial, somehow. Every time he tried to focus back on school, his mind protested by wandering off instead. He'd been lying on the bed with a research paper, but by the time Bulba looked over at him, the paper was resting lazily on his chest and he'd gone back to staring blankly at the ceiling.