A.N.: Thank you all for the respond and the reviews. It's really encouraging. And I'm glad I have bunnyearsberry's blessing. I'll try to write a thousand words every other day, at least for the duration of the strike (don't worry, doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon...).

Quinn threw herself face first on her bed, already exhausted from the day. And it was only 5. Her mother had just left, after helping her get her suitcase and bags to her room. She wanted to help her get settled but Quinn encouraged her to get back on the road since she had a few hours to go before being back in Lima. Their goodbyes went surprisingly well, considering how her mother acted earlier in the day. Quinn, ever the good daughter, promise to write everything that happened in school. After a reminder that Judy was only a phone call (and a 4 hour drive) away, mother and daughter separated with a simple hug.

So she was now completely alone. Quinn hadn't met her roommate yet, nor anybody else except the receptionist anyway (her name turned out to be Linda). She had seen a couple of girls in the halls and common room but wasn't given the occasion to speak to them. With her mother and her bag in tow, she couldn't very well settle down for a conversation with anyone. She was excited to start anew with people who didn't know anything about her and couldn't judge her. She had received a couple of looks, but only in the intrigued-by-the-new-girl way.

She was beginning to second-guess her decision to register on a Sunday. She couldn't believe she had to be in class the next morning already. She had wanted to have a last weekend with her mom, but now, being here, she only wished she had a few more hours to familiarized herself with school grounds. She had the whole evening but she didn't feel comfortable going out in the dark yet. She didn't know the place after all. Anything could be lurking out there.

Quinn closed her eyes in an attempt to rest a little before dinner. It started at 6:30 every night, as it said in the rulebook. She had read part of it with her mom, before she left, both intrigued at what it contained. Nothing outrageous came out of it and they were both glad to learn about the zero tolerance policy towards bullying. She could only hoped it got respected.

When she opened her eyes, she was faced with a wall. It took her a second to remember where she was. Once she did, she looked at her watch quickly. 6 o'clock. Well at least she hadn't missed dinner. Her stomach growled telling her how bad that would have been.

"So you are alive! They told me I was getting a roommate, not a corpse!"

Quinn jumped up from her bed. Too fast, she had just woken up after all. She sat back down facing the girl who was in the bed next to her. She had short hair, almost like a boy's but the haircut was stylishly feminine. It was light brown, just like her eyes that were alight with mirth and framed with glasses. She was sitting against the wall her bed was pushed upon with a book in her hand. Before Quinn could see what it was, she was brought out of her observation.

"Hey there, are you still sleeping?"

"No, no, sorry." Quinn said, still trying to shake out the sleep fog that had taken control of her brain.

"No worries."

The girl scooted on her bed and sat at the edge of it, closer to where Quinn was. "You got a little something here." She pointed to the corner of her mouth. Quinn mirrored her, and touched something wet. Crunching her nose, she used the edge of her sleeve to wipe the drool.

"Sorry 'bout that. I just lied down for a second and than, you know, sleep happened."

The girl laughed. Quinn rolled her eyes inwardly. Fantastic, not only do I look like an idiot, but now I sound like one too.

"You are going to be tons of fun, I bet."

Quinn smiled sheepishly, not really knowing what to say. The girl threw her book next to her pillow and offered her hand.

"I'm Kyle. You're roommate. In case that fact wasn't clear by me inhabiting the bed next to yours."

Quinn grinned more naturally at that and took the hand to shake it.

"Quinn."

Once they released each other's hand, Kyle settled her head in her palm, resting her elbow on her knee. She was the picture of attentiveness and curiosity.

"Soooo, where are you from?"

"I'm from Ohio. The most boring state in the country."

"Ah, I think we'll get along just fine. I'm from Missouri, the runner up for that title. Luckily I don't ever have to go there anymore."

"Why's that?"

"My parents moved. I am free from any Missourian roots!"

Quinn shook her head in understanding. She was still adjusting to the happy energy that came off her roommate. She seemed so normal and open, no dark secret hunting her past, totally unguarded. It was oddly refreshing and Quinn could feel herself starting to relax with every minute passing.

"You're not the talkative kind, are you?"

"Yeah, sorry, it's just been a long day. Lost of changes and all."

"It's alright, you don't have to excuse yourself. Just, don't blame me for being curious. In fact, better get used to it. I've been asked all day if I had seen my new roommate yet, if I knew where you where from and what you looked like."

"You guys don't get a lot of fresh meat, do you?"

"No, we do, just not usually in the middle of semester."

"Ah."

That was the only thing Quinn answered to that. She could see that Kyle wanted to know more but she wasn't ready to offer it. She wanted that blank slate she came here for and she wouldn't get it if she started to spill everything on her first day. She tried to bring the conversation elsewhere.

"How come you didn't have anyone in the room with you before?"

Kyle took note of the change but went with it. Quinn was relieved she didn't press further.

"Yeah, you're kind of ruining my solo lifestyle here." Kyle got very serious. "But there was someone here before you."

"What happened to her?"

"She died."

The air grew thick, the silence heavy. Kyle was staring at her, almost going to her soul. Quinn became very uncomfortable, trying to speak but her mouth wouldn't let out any sound. She tried to avoid the eyes looking at her but couldn't.

Suddenly, the corner of Kyle's mouth turned up and she was rolling on her bed, exploding in laughter.

"Geez, I'm kidding! This is not a horror movie! Oh my god, you should have seen your face."

Quinn let out the air she didn't know she had been holding and couldn't help but smile at the, now snorting, girl who was vainly trying to regain control of her face.

"I'm sorry! I just couldn't help it. I know it's not funny, sorry."

She was still fighting to get her breath back trough her hysteria. Quinn let out a few chuckle.

"You really had me going."

"I know!"

She was inhaling deeply, having almost recuperated. But she just had to look up to Quinn and than was lost again, bringing the blonde with her.

It took them a few minutes to an almost-normal post-hilarity state. Once they had managed to control themselves, Kyle spoke up again.

"Still scared of the big bad new school now?"

"Nope, now I'm only scared of you. I don't know if that's any better, 'though."

"As if! I'm the most inoffensive person you'll ever meet. You can not be afraid of someone with glasses under five foot three, that's like, impossible."

"You're not that small!" Quinn looked her up and down in surprise.

"Considering we've been sitting ever since we met, I don't think you can judge that."

"Well you don't look small."

Kyle's eyebrows furrowed. "Thanks, I guess. Is that suppose to be a compliment?"

Quinn shrugged and laughed at the same time. She was glad her and Kyle seemed to get along so well, even if it hadn't been a long time since they met. She hoped it would last; it would be so much easier to settle in school with someone on her side. They kept talking for a few minutes until one of them noticed they had to get to the cafeteria if they wanted to eat that night. Quinn got nervous, thinking of all the new faces she would encounter. She didn't want to be the center of attention; she'd had enough of that.

Noticing she seemed unsure, Kyle tried to cheer her up.

"Relax, I won't let you face the wolf alone. You're gonna eat with my friends and I and after, we'll show you around. So you don't have to be alone for the rest of the night."

"Thanks, you don't have to do that, but I appreciate it."

"I want to, you're not so bad once you're properly woken up."

"Haha, funny." Quinn got up from her bed. "Come on, let's go."

Kyle took the lead and headed for the door, Quinn right behind her.

"You really are ridiculously small!"

A.N.: Me again! I just wanted to apologize for Rachel absence. I swear she is part of the story, I'm not leading you on. Depending on if I decide to write the rest of the evening, she will either be in chapter four or five.