(Sophia's POV)

By the time the doctor let me go, it was getting dark, the sun starting its daily descent. I had woken from my slumber about an hour after it happened; feeling like a truck had hit me. Well, at least what I think being hit by a truck would feel like. My head pounded like a drum, each hit reverberating around my head. My stomach hurt and I was forced to stay on my side in order to not purge my insides. The sudden nausea was puzzling to the school nurse but she gave me some gravol and lemon Gatorade and within an hour the feeling went away. The rest of the time was spent taking my blood pressure, flashing a light in my eyes, checking my mouth and peeing in a cup, for later tests I'd presume. I got a small bottle of pills to take for the headache and a chocolate bar, a chunky monster and with her instructions to eat it was sent out of the infirmary. The wind was cool, not cold or hot but somewhere in-between. It felt colder to me though, the summer nights in Sludge Falls being warmer than this.

Sludge Falls. The place where I was born, where Sulley was born. A small place, not really a town but not large enough to be classified as a city. A friendly place, with decent people. With rows upon rows of houses. Houses as far as the eye could see and everything you needed within walking distance. Maybe that's why it felt colder, in Sludge Falls, the wind was blocked off from the houses. Here in the open space, the air was free to dance around as it pleased. I wrapped my arms around my body, it was a little before supper but the thought of food made my stomach turn. So I walked quickly over to the dorms, thanking whoever that the hospital wasn't too far away. I cut through a side path, a smaller path normally blocked by students and cut the trip in half, finding my way up the dorm steps in no time. My mind travelled back to the doctor's office.

"So you haven't got your key huh?" she chuckles looking at the clock "If you hurry you should be able to catch her before she leaves, if not, come back here."

I step down off the table and readjust my shirt.

"Thanks, for everything."

She nods once

"Oh Sophia?" she says, I turn to look at her, pausing at the doorframe "When you get your key, watch your fingers."

"What?" I ask, she chuckles.

"You'll see."

I shake my head as I walked into the building, holding the envelope in my hands once more, the papers now placed in a plastic bag from the tour guide and walk to the front counter. Thankfully it was still open, just starting to close and I was given my key, one of the few left. Just five lonely little keys hanging on rings. The receptionist was a slug-like creature, a permanent frown on her face and like her body, her words dragged like she was bored out of her mind.

"The elevator is to your right." She points to the right "Your free to use it but it's faster to use the stairs as everyone tries and you stop at each floor." I nod, she turns, slowly grabbing the key "Your room is one of the private rooms huh?" she looks at the key, the bored look still plastered on her features "It's on the fifth floor, take the elevator and walk down the hall; your room should be the fourth door at the end. Your stuff should already be in your room. If you missing stuff or have things damaged take a form from the wall and send it to the university hall for compensation."

"Thank you," I state as she gives me the key

"Don't lose your key!" she yells at me before the metal door comes slamming down, cutting her off from my sights.

"Woah!" I gasp, tugging my fingers back in record speed.

I had to pull my hands away quickly, if not they would have been crushed. I blink once, finally understanding what the doctor was talking about, I chuckle, wondering how many people she's treated for this wound. If I hadn't been warned my fingers would have been crushed too. I turned and headed to the elevator. I glance at the cold key in my hands before tossing it into the air.

University huh? For "new beginnings" I felt like I was doing it all wrong.

..
..

The elevator binged, coming to a stop with such speeds I was forced to take a step back not to land on my ass. I guess it was used to carrying more weight than just me. I stepped into the quiet halls, the hall lit with long lights attached to the ceiling. In case I'd forgotten my room number was printed in large black numbers on my key.

Room 402.

"A private room huh?" her words echoed in my head, her tone almost judgemental.

I wondered what that meant?

I walked down the hall, noticing that there were only two doors on the walls where there should be three or four. I turn to notice the same thing down the whole floor when I'd come to the wrong floor the first time the doors were placed very close together, almost too close for comfort and yet, these ones seemed too far. And unlike the other floor, filled with music and voices travelling under the doors, this floor was quiet. The only noise was a radio playing quietly in one of the doors on the other end of the hall. A few posters and reminders of classes and student activities were placed neatly on the single bulletin board in this hall and not slammed on sideways, backward or upside down, and stapled over older papers like the others littering the hallways. I could only imagine what the male halls looked like. And while the other floor was a bit cramped, each student falling over each other only proved happier times and human interactions. Whereas this floor seemed cold, desiccant even. An odd feeling that had me walking quicker down the hall.

I got to my room quickly and looked inside. The entire room was different than the others that I'd seen, most of the doors still open while students moved the last of their boxes in or waited for a girlfriend to add the finishing touches to her make-up. Glossing her lips in the doorway mirror.

The biggest factor was the lack of anyone else. There was only one bed here. Where the other bed should have been a large open space looked back at me. A space that held a couch, a kitchen sink, a bathroom. An island with two stools mounted to the floor, a fridge and a wall-mount for a TV, a small note saying you could rent one from the Uni. hall for xxx amount of dollars. It had the amount but I ignored it, not really one to watch TV, to begin with.

Sheila never let me, saying a proper lady always had "Something to do" with her time. This also seemed like her doing.

Having Sulley and me in separate rooms from the tender age of three. Not letting Sulley near my room let alone playing inside it. If we wanted to talk or play I'd have to ask mother, and with her permission, we would have one of the maids accompany us, watching us like a hawk while we played. I understood the lack of doors now. It seemed that this floor had been remade, and each room was the size of two rooms knocked down and made into one, a space that should hold four only houses and made this floor seem even more desiccant. One room held my bed, a table, a lamp, a bathroom, while the other held the kitchen, island, fridge, stove, couch, and Tv. Each room still housing a window and with the erry thought of peeping toms, I made a mental note to buy curtain rods from the store as soon as possible.

I absentmindedly wondered if Sulley had a room like this? Had Shiela placed him in his own room or was he allowed to have a roommate? Sheila had never cared with Sulley, letting him bring friends over and do whatever in his room, so the possibility of him having a roommate was higher than mine. I only hoped that person could handle someone as outgoing as my brother. I added a note to check on that later as well, making a 'self-help' book of sorts for the potential sucker.

While adding to my list my hand slid across the smooth linoleum countertop. Like the rest of this room, the stove, oven, fridge and island are hi-tech, brand new and very expensive. My bags were placed beside the island and I reach for my backpack, placing it on the table and unzipping the front pocket. Inside was my list. I laid the large piece of paper on the table.

Unpack clothes.

Change bed sheets, add new ones.Check belongings, report anything broken or stolen.Check door lock, deadbolt, sliding lock and windows.Buy window locks if there are none.Check appliances and the condition of the furniture.Wash the floors and clean the kitchen once more.Check Class scheduleLocate nearest grocery storesLearn school map by heartBuy books for class.

I stopped reading the rest of the list, those tasks weren't needed until class started.

..
..

I paused for a moment, running a hand over my forehead to wipe away some sweat. In forty minutes I'd unpacked all my clothes. Changed the bed, checked my stuff for anything broken, vacuumed the floor, and was checking the door when a noise echoed from my room. I stop fiddling with the handle, sliding the lock to unlock it, making sure it was in good condition and walk back into my room. I reach into my side pocket and take out my earpiece, pushing the green button and watching it sync with my phone, after two more rings I hooked it in my ear and push the button.

"Hello?" I ask, checking the list and walking over to the door to check the inside locks.

"Hey sweetheart how's your day been?" a male voice asks, my smile is instant.

"Daddy!" I say in glee, I hear him chuckle "It's been um..." I trail off looking for the proper word

"Uh oh." He sighs and I assume sits on a chair "Tell, me everything."

I start walking him through my day, telling him about the college, and the sights he's already seen, fainting in the quad and spending the day in the nurses' office as a result.

"Well, when I said make an impression that's not what I meant baby girl." He chuckles, I roll my eye with a smile and check off another box on my list "I'm sorry you had such a hectic day." He sighs "But I'm glad that senior was there for you. Have you thanked him yet?"

I pause. My eyes widened.

"Uh..."

"I'll take that as a no." he chuckles "Well you should thank him, you owe him at least that much."

"But what am I supposed to do, he's in your old fraternity dad." I practically hiss, the dislike clear in my voice.

My father chuckles. My dislike for Roar Omega Roar wasn't old news, I'd heard enough stories from dean Hardscrabble and my father to know that they only cared about their image. Yes, they were good scarer's and anyone in ROR had a one-way ticket to Monsters Inc. or any other scaring school. All the companies fighting to scoop up the members like starving children finding food on the street. But for all their skills they were assholes, through and through and the one thing I couldn't STAND was jerks who picked on others for their own entertainment. So as nice as the senior was I wasn't ready to drop on my knees and thank him for it.

"Hmm, well..." my father trails off, most likely scratching his chin in thought "Oh!" he snaps his fingers "I know! If you don't want to talk much why don't you use your other talents?" I raise my eyebrow at my father's word choice and silently wonder what the hell my old man was talking about. Was the old geezer becoming a pervert? "You should bake something for him! Make him your famous sludge crumble cake. God that things delicious!" He all but moans "that's the closest thing to a "thank you" I can think of."

I pause, sighing once as I thought about my options. Like my father, I find myself absentmindedly scratching my chin. While I wasn't related to my father by blood I had all of his habits, the little finger twirling when I was bored and the chin-scratching. Our tastes in food were also identical, only my father couldn't cook to save his life. Sheila all but beat his ass if he stepped foot in the kitchen for more than a glass of water or a beer.

"Oh please!" I snort "that cake is one of my best, that cake is death and resurrection to heaven! My worst cake, my absolute worst cake is AT LEAST a thank-you on the ground with tears and flowers."

I lean back on one of the stools and shake my head with a smile. If it was anyone other than my father I would be thoroughly insulted but one thing my father excelled at was humour and happiness, shining brighter than the sun on his darkest days.

"Exactly!" my father all but yells. His voice in a sinister tone, like one of those main villains in those cheesy children's movies. "give him a slice of heaven and then run away, locking him out of paradise and make him suffer from all the other mediocre food!"

He lets out an evil chuckle and I snort once more, my laughter real and soon his is too, echoing over the line like he was sitting in this room with me. That was one of the things I loved most about my father, with a few simple words he could take my shittiest day and make it one of my best.

"I miss you," I say quietly.

"Well, I'll always be here and sending a limo to pick you up isn't that hard angel cakes, but don't you want to give Uni. One more chance? I mean you've hardly seen anything yet, I promise." I turn and place my finger on the island, running it across the smooth surface "But the choice is your's kiddo, I can come to get you?"

I look over at my arm, my eyes running up to see the small ball of white cotton taped to my skin, marking the spot for the I.V. There had been a lot of stressful things that happened today. Today was simply a shitty day but it wasn't all bad, the nurse was nice, I didn't die, I had a lovely place to stay and from what I could see the campus was simply breathtaking.

"No," I sigh after a moment "You're right, I'll think I'll give it a chance. It wasn't all bad today."

I said the second half of that statement with a firmer tone, hoping somehow it would convince my doubting mind. If it had or not it sure convinced my father.

"That's my girl." He chuckles, I could picture his smile when I closed my eyes "I have to go but I'm always here if you need me, for anything." I smile at the statement "oh, and say hi to master Cho for me okay? I ordered flowers for him a few blocks from the school; they should be ready in three days."

"Okay."

..
..

I wasn't sure what to make or IF I should make that conceded jerk anything, especially one of my cakes but he had saved my life and I guess it wasn't fair to judge a book by its previous covers. So if anything I could at least make him something. So I walked across the room and shifted through the last bag of packed things, my box for Master Cho's dojo. I was various weapons in the box and I shifted to the bottom grabbing a pair of Escrima sticks, I strap their holder on my back and clip the firm sticks into place. I shift my shoulders to make sure nothing pinched and toss on a light jacket, for the cold and not to arouse suspicion. I grab my keys and my phone, place my earpiece on the counter and leave my room.

A quick trip down and I find myself walking through the cold air. I glance at my phone. Eight o'clock. Which meant I had one hour to get to the store and back, bake something and head over to the 'party of the century' that everyone couldn't shut up about. Even my floor, the quiet floor was buzzing with excitement about the party. ROR always hosted the first party, like it was tradition or something.

Well, it was actually, the winners of last year's scare games would host the first party but seeing as in almost twelve years no one BUT Roar Omega Roar has won the games it's just common to say they host first. They had been hosting for a while before, holding a record-breaking streak of wins until one group got too cocky and underestimated the other group at the final games, breaking the chain for one year until ROR came back to steal the cup once again.

Then again it wasn't like I was invited to the party, so arriving when the doors opened wasn't a priority of mine, so an hour or two late should be acceptable. In fairness, everyone was invited but I had never been to parties like this one, only going to fancy events with Sheila and I doubted anyone would be doing the waltz or two-step in a place like that. It's not like I'm completely lost. I've been to a party like this once before, dragged out of the house by Sulley in the middle of the night. I stood against the wall and watched quietly, my eyes falling on all of the drunken people dancing, grinding provocatively against each other. I watched a couple making out on the couch and another throw up from the window. I didn't get involved until I saw a guy slip something into a girl's cup, then I knocked his ass out and called the cops.

Sulley and I were brought home by the police and that was the last time I'd been invited to anything with him, I guess having a sister that called the cops wasn't a party activity I was supposed to do. This confused me for a while, my mother always said I should call the cops if someone is in trouble and Tracy the nanny warned me about the dangers of drugs. It was only made clear when my father sat me down and explained the 'dos and don'ts' of a party and the bad things you could let slide and the things you couldn't. He was proud of me for saving the girl and softened Sheila's punishment but I was still grounded for a month. Looking back on it now I can understand my brother's anger and embarrassment from the event and I guess I could have handled it better.

I had been so lost in my own thoughts I hadn't noticed the other monster until I ran face-first into him. Both our startled shouts hit the air as we hit the ground, my speed being slightly fast than his and my force sends us to the ground, my body on his as we land in a mess of limbs and confusion. I blink once and look down at the monster I would be crushing has I weighed any more than I do.

"I'm sorry!" we both shout at the same time, I scramble to get up and so does he and one of his many limbs knock out my arms and we both land on the ground again "Okay wait!" I laugh "let me move first."

The reptile-like monster blushes

"O-oh r-right, s-sorry," he mumbles and his movement ceases.

"Please it's my fault too, I wasn't watching where I was walking. it was stupid of me."

By now, I had gotten up and grasped his hand, easily pulling him up off the ground, his face clear with shock as he stumbles into me once more, clearly not expecting me to be that strong.

"S-sorry! Again!" he stutters, the blush increasing.

"It's alright, really." I chuckle

"Uh right, sorry." he says again and smacks himself up the head "I need to stop apologizing, sorry."

My chuckle turns into a full-blown laugh that has the reptile on the verge of hiding under a rock, but I clear my throat, trying to clear away my laughter as I shouldn't be edging on the humiliation any further. After a second, my hand placed on my chest to stop the vibrations, I extend it out to him.

"Hi, my name's Sophia, what's yours?"

The reptile looks at my hand with shock, clearly not used to this treatment, a hand goes up to the back of his neck.

"Oh, u-um, my name's R-Randell. Randell Boggs," he says and after a little jump of realization grasps my hand in a semi-firm grasp.

"Well sorry for running into you Randell, where are you heading?" I ask and start walking forwards.

Randell follows his steps going in the same direction as mine.

"Oh, w-well I'm on my way to the grocery store." he says and takes a few extra steps to fall into time with me, "my mother says baking is a useful skill to make friends, so I need some ingredients. Y-you?"

"Well, kind of the same" I sigh and walk through the main gate to campus "I owe someone a thank-you but I don't want to say it so my father said I should bake something for him, though I'm still not convinced that he's earned my cakes..." I trail off mostly to myself but I'd piqued Randell's curiosity.

"What's so special about your cakes?" the reptile asks, I look at him and smile, half for my legendary cooking skill and I also noticed with some pride that that's the first sentence he's said without stuttering and that means he's hopefully warming up to me.

Read and Review People! Peace out.