The move to America was quite the shock to the senses to say the least and Anya wasn't sure she liked it. Her few friends in Russia were too far away to write regularly too and email seemed so impersonal; besides, she had always felt like the third wheel on their get-togethers, so they probably weren't missing her too much. The time differences were too great even with the Internet and she soon gave up to try and find friends here. It was hard with her poor English to effectively communicate and the other girls seemed to think she was scary, though she wasn't sure why or how. Sure she had accidentally knocked down what's-her-name Łukasiewicz when the smaller girl and her sidekick the cute brunette ran into her. She couldn't help that she was tall and….. very broad…. With a large chest and broad shoulders, Anya came across as more broad than curvy when she wore her usual loose sweaters and the more people teased her about her size, the more she wore even on hot days.

Thankfully her parents had managed to find her a working car so she didn't have to take the bus or walk which would have been worse. In an effort to get away from her obtuse parents, she fled to New York for college, managing to get in on a decent scholarship and promise of more help.

This country seems determined to wear down the children with debt before they're even adults, she mused as she moved in, greeting her new roommate who's a perky, loud blonde who's wearing a very short skirt and crop-top. They somehow manage to push their parents out – both the roommate's fathers leaving after fussing over their little girl and making them both highly uncomfortable in the face of their new adult life.

"Sorry about them," the girl says once she shuts the door on them clamouring about getting plenty of rest and not partying. "I'm Amelia. Nice to meet you!"

"… I'm Anya…" she manages, looking around their room. Strange to think that they'll be living here for a year. The thought of the other woman seeing her in any state of partial undress is unnerving and she reaches for her things to start unpacking.

Amelia had already picked her bed by the time Anya arrived so she's left with the other one, the one closest to the window which is nice, since she likes to be in the breeze. They unpack to the sounds of Amelia chattering on and on about how excited she is about her astronomy classes and Anya nods and hums with her, not really listening. They had requested to room with each other when the student in charge of deciding room placement emailed them both saying there was another astronomy student, and Anya figured it would be better to have someone else with the same passions, right? That way she could get help with her English as well.

Amelia was still chattering on, even when they were helping each other make the beds and move the heavy furniture to suit their tastes.

Well, her roommate was excitable and that was better than a grumpy roommate, right?

Then Amelia pulled out a rather large vodka bottle with a grin. "Wanna split a pie?"

Anya gaped at her. "We're not allowed to have that!"

"So? Are ya gonna tell on me?" she challenged. Anya shook her head. Sensing victory, Amelia pulled out her computer, cursing when she remembered it wasn't automatically hooked up to the Internet. After a few minutes, she managed to get connected and on the pizza website. They ordered what they wanted and started drinking. Thankfully Amelia's dads had set up her tv and dvd player so they could watch movies until they were too tired to stay up anymore.

The next morning brings a dry mouth and shame from how much she told the other girl – about the move from Russia, the girls who didn't like her, her loneliness even around her family…. Shit, she had even blabbed about how much her clothes sucked. Groaning, she rolled off the bed hto get a drink of water, wondering where the showers were. A quick check verified that Amelia was asleep so she quickly pulled off her pyjamas and wrapped a robe around her. Amelia was still asleep. Good. It took her awhile to find the bathroom, but the stalls are big enough to dress in so she has plenty of room and the place to herself. Another girl comes in as she's dressing and Anya waits with bated breath, hoping she's not going to the bathroom. That would be so awkward. Thankfully the other girl picks a stall and there's the sound of clothes being removed. Anya finishes dressing quickly and hurries back to her room where Amelia is slowly getting her things together.

"Hey, did you shower?"

A nod.

"Where is it?"

She gives her directions and when Amelia leaves, she's able to toss her dirty things in the hamper and hang up her towel. Her hair's still wet but she lays down on her bed anyway. The pillow will dry before nightfall. Breakfast would have to be cold pizza or out in the city since the dining hall wouldn't be open until the start of classes. Amelia comes back after a long while and Anya listens to her drying her hair and messing with her make-up, the shorter woman shaking her shoulder when she was done.

"Hey, are you asleep?"

She grunts at her and swats the hand away.

"I might as well be with how long it took you to get ready."

"I don't go out unless I'm looking my best!" Amelia declares and Anya rolls her closed eyes.

Breakfast is figured out and they wander around the city until lunch, at which point they return to their room after the meal to finish the last bits of unpacking. School starts and they find a good routine that satisfies them both, keeping them both friendly with each other while still maintaining a healthy distance of privacy in such cramped quarters.

It's during one of Anya's classes that she spots an older man who's sitting in the back and looking bored. He can't be more than twenty-five, but it's enough to separate him from the other younger students. When she asks her neighbour quietly, the guy tells her he's someone's "baby-daddy" a term that Anya just nods at in pretend understanding. Later that night Amelia gives her a full definition, explaining that it referred to a guy who knocked up a girl and may or may not pay her child support and who may or may not be with her. The idea is fascinating to Anya whose family has always been the type to condemn any sort of sex outside of marriage. Besides, it's not like any guy wanted to date her. Amelia's still chattering and something she says catches Anya's attention.

"Wait, what was that?"

"Huh?"

"You said guys pay girls to spend time with them?"

"Yeah. Hell, I'd want a guy like that. Buys me nice things and takes me wherever I want, but I wouldn't want to put out. Ew. They'd all be old and wrinkly anyway." She shivers and tosses her shirt in the hamper, clearly more comfortable in her skin than Anya is, even as the taller looks away.