A/N: Thanks to drivelikebandits, who review the first chapter! And looking at the script, I have found that I have a major mistake in the first chapter. I wrote 'Scout' instead of 'Puck'. I know slap on the wrist for me.

Disclaimer: No matter how hard I wish for the ownership rights of DPS, they just won't magically appear on my desk.

Chapter 3- Dorm Life

The place was packed, utterly packed. Todd could have compared it easily to swimming through quicksand. He easily lost sight of Neil in the amassing of bodies that were parents, students, and various amounts of baggage. Losing Neil meant he had to look for his room number on the sheet posted on the side of the common room. He had to stand on tip toe to see over the people that looking at the sign that had all of the room postings. Neil had been right He was sharing a room with him. Shifting his luggage, Todd headed to the top floor, to dump his stuff.

If he had thought that the common room was crowed this was even more difficult. Guys were running up and down the hall, and fathers were hassling Dr. Hager, the DA about meds. He stopped one of the guys and asked, "Do you know were Neil Perry's room is?" The boy pointed in the general direction and Todd headed that way.

Walking towards his new room, Todd saw that young man leaned against the door frame.

"Neil, study group tonight," asks the youth.

He couldn't hear Neil's reply. But Todd did hear what the guy had to say next. "Business as usual, huh? Hey, I hear you got the new kid. Looks like a stiff!" Of course by the end on the last comment Todd was trying to get in the door. A stiff, that's new, thought Todd. Of course you looked like a circus clown.

"Oops!" Blushing a little, the kid nodded to Neil, who nodded back and left.

"Listen, don't mind Cameron. He was born with his foot in his mouth. You know what I mean?" Todd nodded. After hitting him playfully with some papers, Neil turned back to unpacking.

A smug looking kid leaned across the door frame. Pointing to Neil he says "Rumor has it, you did summer school." Todd looks up to see that two others are standing behind them.

"Yep. Chemistry. My father thought I should get ahead. How was your summer Slick?"

"Keen." The three guys walked in with the air of good friends. Turning on his heel the leader pointed to the last boy entering the room. "Meeks. Door. Close."

"Yes, sir," said Meeks, and he closed the door. Meeks? Todd mused. What kind of name is that? Plus—who are these people? Must be friends of Neil. I think I might've seen them in the opening ceremony too.

Sitting down on the window sill Neil says, "Gentleman, What are the four pillars?" Charlie flopped on Neil's bed. Todd started to unpack.

"Travesty. Horror. Decadence. Excrement" echoed the boys. What? Todd wondered who were these people? The one boy on the bed, lit up a cigarette. Todd just inwardly rolled his eyes and continued to unpack.

Taking the cigarette out of his mouth Charlie said, "Okay, study group. Meeks aced Latin. I didn't quite flunk English. So, if you want, we've got our study group."

"Sure. Cameron asked me too. Any one mind including him?"

Charlie rolled his eyes expressively. "Hmm, what's his specialty, boot-licking?"

Neil waved his hand at him dismissively and rolled his eyes back. "Come on. He's you're roommate."

"That's not my fault." Todd snorted, he agreed with Charlie. Meeks looked down at Todd.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Steven Meeks." '

"Oh this is Todd Anderson," Neil introducing, coming off the window still. Turning around Todd shoke his hand with Meeks.

"Nice to meet you" Meeks said grinning.

"Nice to meet you," said Todd.

The boy on the bed introduced himself as Charlie Dalton, no brothering to get up though. The third boy shook Todd's hand and introduced himself as Knox Overstreet.

"Todd's brother was Jeffrey Anderson" Neil supplied.

"Yeah, sure. Valedictorian. National Merit scholar." Charlie said blandly.

Meeks flicked his wrist at Charlie, then said "Oh well, welcome to Hell-ton"

"It's every bit as tough as they say, unless you're a genius like Meeks." Supplied Charlie.

"He flatters me. That's why I help him with Latin"

"And English, and Trig," Charlie added. Charlie starts to cough on his cigarette.

Then a knock on the door has the room in an spasm. Charlie stomps on his cigarette to put it out, and Neil tries waving it in the air to diffuse faster. Why not open the window dork? Todd mused.

"It's open," called Neil. Neil's father walked into the room.

"Father, I thought you had gone," said Neil, surprised.

"Mr. Perry," all the boys echoed, except Todd.

"Keep your seats fellows, keep your seats," said Mr. Perry in a friendly manner. "Neil, I've just spoken to Mr. Nolan. I think that you're taking too many extra curricular activities this semester, andI've decided that you should drop the school annual."

"But I'm editor this year!" Neil protested. Todd knew were this was going, and he knew Neil wouldn't like it.

"Well I'm sorry Neil," Mr. Perry said a little colder.

"But Father, I can't. It wouldn't be fair!"

"Fellas, could you excuse us for a moment?" The air in the room had gone from mildly pleasant to freezing cold.

The boys sat in silence, none of them looking at each other. Todd final done with unpacking started to set up his desk. They could all hear Neil's protests and his father's temper rising. Todd crawled under the desk to plug in the clock. Then he sat there and fiddled with it. Neil walked in and shut the door with a heavy sigh. I could have told you that was a losing battle not worth fighting, thought Todd.

"Why doesn't he let you do what you want?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah Neil, tell him off. It couldn't get any worse." Knox supported.

Neil snorted, "Oh, that's rich. Like you guys tell your parents off, Mr. Future Lawyer and Mr. Future Banker."

Charlie shrugged, "Okay, so I don't like it any more than you do."

"Well just don't tell me how to talk to my father. You guys are the same way." Neil retorted.

"All right, all right, Jesus. So what are you going to do?" Said an exasperated Knox.

Neil shrugged and said, "What I have to do. Drop the annual."

"Well I wouldn't lose much sleep over it. It's just a bunch of jerks trying to impress Nolan," said Charlie, flopping back on the bed.

Neil shrugged, "I don't care. I don't give a damn about any of it."

Meeks cleared his throat as if he was trying to clear his throat. "Well, uh, Latin, eight o' clock in my room?" he said.

"Yes," said Neil.

Turning to Todd, Meeks said, "Todd, you're welcome to join us."

"Yeah, come along pal." Supplied Knox.

What? When have been these guys 'pal'? thought Todd. But instead of speaking his feelings outloud, he smiled and said "Thanks"

A/N2: Wow… That was really hard, most of that came straight from the script. NEXT CHAPTER: KEATING! YEAH!

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