I have been dreaming of starting my new life and going off to college for what feels like forever. Yet, now that the moment was practically here, I felt terrified.

That is why when I was scrolling through my emails, and saw one from student life about a freshman retreat before the official start of school, I couldn't have signed up faster. What better way to meet new friends and get a little more comfortable with going off to school, then a mini version before the real thing. That is what I thought anyways.

But as my parents pulled up the mountain to drop me off it didn't feel quite so comforting.

"Are you sure you want to go to this sweetie, this is your last chance to spend time with Larry and your friends at home?" carol rambled as she stared out the window

"its too late to change my mind now mom, besides, were here" I say as we pull up

I grab my bags out of the back and give my parents a quick hug and send them on their way, I don't want to be the kid hanging with her parents

"What's your name dear" the lady at the check in table mumbles

"Piper Chapman"

"Alright piper, here's a nametag and a schedule for the day, we'll take your bags for now and everyone will pick there things up later when room assignments are given out, try to have some fun"

"Ok sounds good thank you"

I glance over the schedule, and I'm a little disappointed. Honestly I wanted it to be very structured so that I wouldn't have to wander around aimlessly, awkwardly trying to find some people to hangout with. But, aside from the first few cheesy introduction games, it seems like a free for all. Great.

I'm probably standing there looking like a lost puppy when I hear someone say something in my direction

"hey Blondie you need some help" I hear

I look up and see a girl with wild hair, chuckling with a group of girls, and then she begins to approach me

"You look a little lost, luckily for you I've been here before" she says

"How have you been here before, isn't this all freshman?" I ask

"Well I drove in with my friends last night, and then came back today, so one could say I have been around the block" she laughs

"ah I see, well do you know where we are supposed to meet up with everyone else?"

"I do, but what do you say we skip that, and me and you go have some fun?" she says with a smug grin

I don't know if she is just some rebel who was forced by her parents to come to this retreat and doesn't want to actually meet anyone or do anything they have planned, or if she's hitting on me, but either way I'm not interested.

Me and Larry decided at the beginning of the summer that when I went off to school, we weren't going to be together, but we still hung out all summer. I wanted the chance to meet other people and find someone who really made my heart drop, and that wasn't Larry. That didn't mean that I was going to go off to college and sleep with the first person who hit on me, especially a girl.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm just going to go find everyone else, see you later _" I pause as I realize I don't even know her name

"Nicky" She fills in "but okay piper, guess you like pipe, as your name suggests, if you change your mind, don't hesitate to find me" she winks

I scoff and walk towards the group of people that is forming. After standing around for what feels like forever I finally hear an overly cheery voice that must be someone in charge. Finally.

"Alright everyone, time to get the fun started, we're going to break up into groups of 15 and sit in circles and introduce yourself" She shouts "count off 1-15 and then find your group"

I knew we were going to be doing cheesy icebreaker games, but I thought they would be a little more creative then this

Once everyone broke up into circles, I looked around to see who was in my group. There's a couple girls that I could see myself being friends with, and even a couple guys that catch my eye, but then I see her.

Nicky was sitting on the opposite side of the circle waving at me. I rolled my eyes and looked elsewhere and that's when I saw her friend whisper something in her ear and laugh.

She had long black hair and glasses and was wearing a tight black v neck and ripped jeans that fit her perfectly and just oozed confidence. Before I realized that I was staring I looked up to her face and realized she was looking right at me.

I quickly looked away before she could say or do anything, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks
Why was I blushing, I was just looking at her outfit that's all.

Everyone went around saying their name, where they were from, and what there major would be.

I was sort of listening, knowing full well I wasn't going to remember any of these names. When the girl next to me says something

"This is so boring and pointless" she mumbles

"Yeah, I'm not going to remember any of these" I laugh

"I'm Polly, think you can remember that, I need to leave here with at least knowing one person for campus"

Polly looks exactly like the type of girl I'd be friends with. A little WASPY but nice at the same time. I'm open to anyone at this point.

I smile and shake my head yes, then I look back up at the group and see who is next.

"Hi i'm Alex, I'm from New York, and I haven't decided what I'm majoring in" says the girl with the black hair from before

Her and Nicky must have already known each other, they have been talking this entire time and definitely not in the awkward way when you just meet someone

We finally make it around the circle and then the group leader tells us what we are going to do next. Balancing Egg race with our legs tied with a partners. It really was elementary school all over again.

"Piper want to be my partner" Polly says

"Sure, hope you're fast, I hate losing"

We tie our legs together and walk over to the starting line.

"Better watch your back chapman, Vause here plays dirty" I look over to see nicky and alex tied together staring at me and Polly

"Relax, I'm not going to hit you or anything" Alex jokes "unless you want me to" she says under her breath

Did I hear that right? Why would I want her to hit me?

"Right" I say "you wont be close enough to mess with us anyways" I add

Polly laughs "I know you said you were competitive, but maybe relax a little"

"I just don't like them, they rub me the wrong way for some reason"

"Oh well in that case, Lets kick some ass" Polly whispers

They blow the whistle and we take off, we both have one hand on the wooden spoon holding the egg and are legs are tied together. Alex and nicky are on my right. When I look over halfway to the finish line its us and them in the lead. Everyone else has either dropped their egg or is going way too slow.

That's when I feel somebody getting closer to me, and I turn and Alex has a huge grin on her face. Suddenly I feel her left arm bump me and I lose my balance. Me and Polly try to save it but our egg goes flying. Alex and Nicky rush over the finish line.

I hear them laughing and as they walk up to us.

"Better luck next time" Alex says "you have to move your bodies in sync with your partner, or those balance problems happen, ya know"

"the only reason you won is because you shoved me" I say

"Piper, how could you accuse me of such a thing, I would never" she fakes hurt

"mhm, whatever you say" I look down to untie me and polly's leg

"maybe we should have been partners, I have a feeling our bodies would move pretty well together" Alex stares at me trying to get a reaction

"Sorry Vause, piper here likes boys, don't waste your time" Nicky jumps in

"You sure about that?" she looks at nicky and then directs her gaze to me "I could have sworn she was checking me out earlier"

"I was not" I say defensively, my face turning red

Polly looks between all of us before turning to me "do you want to go eat lunch, Every one is heading that way?"

"Yes, lets go" I say and start turning to walk away

"save us a seat!" Nicky shouts and I turn to see her laughing and Alex just staring at me with smile on her face

Who do they think they are? Who do they think I am? I think to myself. Do I have some I like girls sticker on my back that I'm unaware of.

Me and Polly are sitting next to each other at a table with a couple other people getting to know who they are. I finally feel a little more comfortable. I like Polly and she's more outgoing then I am, so she is helping me meet some of the other people here. I'm glad I decided to come.

I head up to the buffet to get some dessert

"So you really weren't checking me out"

I look over and see alex

"Are you stalking me?" I say back, of course I was checking her out, but I'm never going to admit that

"lol, no, I'm not stalking you, I just really like chocolate cake" then she adds "you being up here was just a cherry on top"

"Why do you keep doing that"

"Doing what" Alex looks at me confused

"Flirting with me, I don't know, You don't even know me" I say

"I know that I think your cute" she pauses and I don't respond so she goes on "I also know you were checking me out, whether you admit it or not"

Damn her. I'm straight. That's all I keep telling myself. So that's all I can say to her

"I'm straight Alex" I finally respond

She chuckles and then looks down at her food "We'll See"
She turns to walk off but not before adding over her shoulder "we have all weekend"

We'll see what? That im straight? I've never been with a girl, and I don't want to be. Yes I think Alex is pretty but that's it. Girls can think other girls are pretty.

I walk back to my table and Polly asks if everything is alright, Apparently my face said otherwise.

"Yeah I'm fine, do you know what we're doing next?" I ask

"Everyone is going to their rooms for a little and then people are going to the lake I think" The boy across from me says

"Oh piper, this is pete!" Polly adds

"Nice to meet you I'm piper" I say "okay well I'm going to go find out who I'm roomed with and go grab my stuff, here put your number in my phone so you can text me when your headed down to the lake!" I hand my phone to Polly

"Ok piper see you later!" Polly enters her number and hands the phone back to me

I walk down towards the building where we checked in, and see all of the bags, I quickly find mine amongst everyone else searching for their bags, before asking about rooms

"excuse me how do we know what room were in?"

"we posted some lists on the front of the building, just find your name and your roommate will be in the column next to yours" the older women responds

I walk outside and start searching for my name on the papers posted on the wall

"Piper Chapman, Room 318" I finally read. I drag my finger over on the line to see if I recognize my roommates name. You have got to be kidding me.

"Alex Vause, Room 318"

This was going to be a long weekend.