A/N: The way I see it, minutia are the lifeblood of the fan fic writer. I don't know about you, but I tend to sit and sift over the objects of my obsession, looking for little tidbits, things I didn't catch on first viewing / reading / whatever. I often find stuff that helps me invent back story, background details, etc.

So… Counting loosely, in the third scene in the movie, Tori is leading Mouse up the stairs. At one point, she asks "What's your name again?" Out of breath, Mouse replies, "Well, most people just call me Mouse." Tori (and here young Jessica Pare's Canadian accent is just adorable) says, "Mawse? How come?" Mouse just shrugs. Tori keeps walking up the stairs. "My Dad used to call me Princess. Made me barf."

How sad is it that I can do whole scenes verbatim from the top of my head? I desperately need a life. Or some unreasonable facsimile.

Anyway. Part two is up, for your enjoyment. Or lack thereof.

Outside, the day is fading. It's still warm out, warmer than normal for the season. The leaves are just beginning to acquire color; sepia red, brown and yellow hues seeping in at the fringes.

They walk briskly through the carefully laid out campus. The girl, Victoria, walks quickly, almost gliding, eating up the distance with long strides. Paulie has to actually exert herself to keep up.

They pass isolated clumps of girls: sitting in the shade of trees, reading, talking, walking, laughing. A few spare them a glance as they pass. Those whose eyes linger end up meeting Paulie's practiced cold look, quickly turn away.

Paulie is conscious of the late summer air, the ambient heat, the weight of her suitcase as it drags at her arm. She can feel Victoria casting sidelong glances at her. The girl is obviously looking for a sign, an opening. Paulie makes sure she doesn't give her any.

It doesn't help. Eventually, the girl simply makes one.

"So," she chirps. "You're, ah transferring in?"

Paulie says nothing. Victoria takes this as confirmation.

"Where did you go last year?"

"Whitman." replies Paulie, coldly, without looking at her.

"Oh. I, I hear that's a good school."

Paulie stays silent, keeps walking, her eyes forward. This is the last thing she wants. Or needs.

"So, umm, why did your parents decide to send you here?"

Paulie stops, meets her eyes, startling her. The girl just can't take a hint.

"They didn't." she says, evenly. "I was expelled."

Victoria blinks in surprise. Paulie switches her suitcase to her other hand, keeps walking, leaving her to catch up.

"What, ummm, why did they expel you?" The girl persists, drawing even.

"Ask them."

They're silent for a while. Not long enough for Paulie.

"Err, well, anyway." Victoria switches tracks. "I'm glad to be getting a roommate again."

Paulie stops again, puts the heavy suitcase down for a moment. She fixes the girl with a stony glare. Victoria tries smiling back, then, when it has no effect, lowers her eyes to her feet, reflexively pushing an unruly strand of curly hair off her face.

"Did you really volunteer to be my roommate?" asks Paulie, point blank.

"Yeah." the girl nods, quietly.

"Why?"

Victoria shrugs. It only annoys Paulie more.

"Seriously," she presses. "What's in this for you? Or are you just doing this to kiss up to that old hag in there?" she takes a calculated step toward the girl. "You getting a gold star on your permanent record for this, princess?" she prods, venomously.

Victoria looks up, startled.

"No." she says, drawing back. "I didn't do it for her."

"Then why?" demands Paulie. The girl hesitates.

"It just… gets kind of… lonely up there, by myself…at night." she says, stumbling over the words. She looks up, fleetingly, into Paulie's unreadable face, then lowers her eyes again.

Paulie stares at her, for a few minutes, gauging.

"Are you for real?" she snorts, finally. She picks the suitcase back up, starts walking again, leaving Victoria to rush after her.

"See," the girl says, in a rush of words. "I've never really been by myself before, you know? At home, there was always my brother, and my sister. Then, when I got here, my first year, I had two roommates. Janie, she was a senior, so she graduated two years ago, and then Linda, she was a junior, so she graduated last year, and now it's just me…"

Paulie turns back, sharply, making her stop in mid-chatter.

"I don't need your whole fucking life story, princess." she spits. Victoria winces, avoids her eyes.

"Paulie, can I ask you a favor?" she says, carefully.

"What?" snaps Paulie. The girl chews her lip.

"Could you… not call me that?"

"Call you what?"

"Princess." Victoria looks down, flushing. "My father calls me that all the time. I hate it."

"Then what should I call you?" asks Paulie, without much interest. The girl smiles shyly.

"My friends call me Tori." she suggests.

Paulie maintains eye contact.

"And what should I call you?" she asks, acidly.

Then something unexpected happens. Victoria's tentative friendliness evaporates. Her jaw sets in palpable anger.

"You can call me whatever you want." she says, with finality, and walks steadily down the tree lined path, leaving Paulie to follow this time.

"What, giving up already?" goads Paulie, once they're side by side. Victoria turns around, looks pointedly at Paulie.

"I'm not going to fight with you, Paulie." she says, calmly. "Especially when I know I can't win."

She resumes walking, leaving Paulie to scramble after her again.

"Well." Paulie admits, impressed in spite of herself. "I guess you do have a backbone. I was starting to wonder."

Victoria looks at her quizzically for a second, checking for sarcasm.

"It's this way." she says, her voice softening again.

They turn toward a row of tall, heavy stone buildings. Paulie guesses these must be dorms. Victoria heads for the second building on the left. It stands at least a story above the others.