Chapter 4

I was extremely relieved when I saw the time on my clock finally reach seven. I hopped out of bed, grabbed my things, and headed to the bathroom down the hall. Orientation started at nine and a quick shower was exactly what I needed to perk myself up for the day.

The water was cold and didn't seem to want to get hot, but I didn't mind. As I left the bathroom, I was a little surprised not to see anyone else in there. I had expected to have to fight my way in for a shower.

I shrugged to myself as I walked back into my dorm room. I shouldn't question the inner workings of college life. It was my first day after all.

"Morning, Boo," Lilo said as she exited the closet, dressed in a white tank and a long flowered dress, overall looking very Hawaiian. I nodded my own greeting as I sat on the bed, brushing my hair out.

"When does orientation start?" Lilo asked, She had moved to the mirror and was staring herself down as she applied makeup.

"Nine. Want to get some breakfast when you're done?" I finished braiding my hair and grabbed some sandals that would look really nice with my blue dress.

"Okay, give me a second."

I felt so fresh and prepared as we sat in the dining hall, eating cereal, my go-to breakfast food.

"Do you know what you're schedule is like?" I asked Lilo around mouthfuls of Cap'n Crunch.

My roommate dropped a piece of toast straight into Stitch's mouth, earning a dirty look from a professor who sat a few tables away. "I sort of have a rough outline of it. I hear that we get the official ones during orientation. I'm just thankful that we don't start actual classes until tomorrow."

I nodded in agreement. I was definitely not mentally ready for whatever my classes would be.

After finishing breakfast, we dropped Stitch off at the dorm and managed to find our way to the auditorium, where the orientation was located.

The auditorium wasn't very big; the school itself wasn't very large. The seats were old red velvet and matched the curtain lowered on stage. The walls were painted dull gold and even the lights seemed to yellow with age. The auditorium definitely needed to be renovated like the dorms and some classrooms were. Not many students filled the seats. We still had ten minutes before it started. Lilo and I were arguing about where we should sit when I heard someone calling out names.

"Boo! Lilo!" I turned my head to see Andy waving us over to some seats near the front. Lilo rolled her eyes and followed me to him. She had wanted to sit in the back.

"Hey, Andy!" I said brightly as we sat down next to him. He had been alone before we joined him.

"Where is Stitch?" The boy whipped his head around as he searched for the blue dog.

"Couldn't bring him in here. No pets allowed," Lilo replied, lifting an eyebrow at Andy's behavior.

I stopped myself from laughing at my friends. Andy was so obviously was terrified of Stitch. He had a dog at home if I remember correctly. Buster I think his name was, but Stitch definitely looked as though he could tear something apart easily. I don't know how he survived visiting our room last night.

Lilo could see the relief flood his face, too. She did end up laughing at him, probably gaining some stares because she snorted quite a bit when she laughed.

We sat patiently for awhile, quietly watching more students fill the seats around us.

"Hey, Boo," Lilo said, breaking the silence that had surround the three of us for a few minutes. "Who's Mike Wazowski?"

I stiffened. "What?" I whispered.

On my other side, Andy leaned forward with his elbows on his knees so he could watch us.

"Mike Wazowski. You kept mumbling that name in your sleep last night," Lilo continued.

I thought back to the nightmares that kept me up most of the night. What could I possibly tell her? That he was a green, one-eyed monster that was in my closet.

"He's no one," I replied. "Just someone I used to know."

Both my roommate and Andy gave me curious looks, but before either could say anything, someone on stage started the orientation.

As a student ambassador dragged on about how exciting the college experience would be, my mind was elsewhere. Since getting back into Mountainview, I had already seen into the other world and they saw me. It was only a matter of time before our worlds would collide again. There was no way it wouldn't happen before I got out of college.