Rosethorn stood in the doorway, taking in her shoebox of a room. This would be her home for the year, which she would be sharing with a complete stranger. With a deep breath, she walked in, her stomach churning. The girl she found, or was matched with, on the website looked nice enough, and there was an algorithm… so it couldn't be so bad.

She carefully started the trips to and from the room and outside, bringing in her boxes and possessions. She waved off offers of help and soon all the boxes where neatly stacked around the room. With her hair up, she looked around, trying to decide what to unpack first.

Clothes were folded and hung, the bed was no longer a bare mattress, her books and backpack along with other necessities were neatly organized on the desk. She made sure to carefully keep her stuff to her side of the room, and quickly glanced at the empty twin bed. She checked her watch before setting to decorating the walls. Posters and pictures were up, and she carefully adjusted the picture of her family on her desk.

An ear splitting shriek almost made her knock over the picture frame. She turned around just in time for a girl to practically lift her off the floor.

"OHMYGOSH- IT'SSONICETOFIIIIINALLYMEETYOU-" The girl squealed, hugging her a little too tightly. The girl quickly let go, only to grab her face.

"You're even cuter than you were in the photo, this is gonna be so much fun!" She smiled, pulling out her lipstick. Rosethorn took in the girl's appearance. Crop top mixed with tiny jean shorts and huge summer wedges, large sunglasses perched on her head, which contrasted against her own modest shorts, flip-flops, and t-shirt.

"I know, I'm a total mess" The girl announced to her new roommate's quick inspection, though Rosethorn hadn't seen her even look away from her hand mirror.

"It's much hotter here than I thought it would be." Rosethorn replied sheepishly, trying to change the subject. The girl almost immediately stopped what she was doing and fumbled with her lipstick and hand mirror, quickly throwing them into her bag before flinging it to the side.

"Say something else."

"… I'm Rosethorn Bardson, it's nice to meet you." Rosethorn said, sticking out her hand, which was met enthusiastically.

"Where are you from? What are you doing in school all the way over here? Grimhilda Bergstrom, once we're better friends you can call me whatever you want." Grimhilda said, bending down while practically shaking Rosethorn's whole arm. "Good handshake, firm grip, daddy always says you need a firm handshake to seal the deal in business, but that seems a little old fashioned."

"England, and because I wanted to… and you?" Rosethorn enquired.

"Sin City… Las Vegas, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I sure as hell didn't." Grimhilda smirked.

Rosethorn nodded, giving her a polite smile before Grimhilda made a face like she was remembering something.

"Oh right! Boys, come in!" She called, opening the door and boys with boxes placed them on her side of the room. Rosethorn watched with confusion until Grimhilda walked over to her.

"I wasn't about to move all that by myself, I had to enlist in some help." She said, leaning into her short roommate.

"That's… a lot of stuff." Rosethorn breathed, trying to shake off the eccentrics of what she was watching.

"Oh honey, I brought only the essential." Grimhilda explained before she sharply turned to look at Rosethorn's side of the room. The boys stood awkwardly around until they quietly shuffled out, realizing they weren't needed anymore.

"Sorry, I just wanted to finish unpacking so-" Rosethorn said quickly, hoping it wasn't rude of her to just claim her area.

"No no! It's very cute. Ooh- very cute" Grimhilda said, examining a picture of her roommate's family and pointing her brother.

Rosethorn awkwardly watched her walk around the room, as if her mind was going a mile a minute, taking everything in.

"well… it's small… but it's college so! Hm, I'm thinking… pink curtains, we can just put these back up at the end of the year. Also, I can give you some of my pillows to put on your bed so it'll match, quilts are coming back in anyway." Grimhilda put a hand on Rosethorn's bed, examining her posters before turning around and clapping her hands together. "By the time I'm through, this place will be livable and waaaaay more better-"

"More better?"

"Oh, you know what I meant! I'm too tired to think straight! All this moving can exhaust you." Grimhilda began unpacking, and soon enough Rosethorn was giving a hand.

Unlike Rosethorn, Grimhilda didn't seem to know where she wanted everything. She immediately chided Rosethorn for trying to put her books on her desks, and instead just made piles around her side of the room.

"I have to see what I'm working with." Grimhilda emphasized, putting a finger to her lips as she took a look at her belongings. She began walking around the room, until she noticed Rosethorn not moving.

"You don't have to stay because of me, really! I don't want to kick you out, but I can be hard to work with when it comes to things like this." The taller girl stated with a shrug.

"It's fine- actually… I might go get a coffee, would you like something?" Rosethorn asked, picking up her keys and phone.

"You're perfect already. Let me think- honestly I have such a complicated order, I might as well just text it to you, what's your number?" Grimhilda asked. After they exchanged numbers, Grimhilda smiled happily at her roommate. "That's how you get someone's number."

"What?"

"From your pictures, it doesn't look like you have boyfriend- or girlfriend. I am literally the best matchmaker you'll ever meet- you know what- I think my brother would like you." Grimhilda's fingers flew as she looked through her phone, and Rosethorn took this moment to slip out of the room, already feeling a bit overwhelmed.

~(+)~(+)~(+)~

Astrid sighed as looked at her fingers pruning. Her favorite thing was a good shower, especially after a long day. She quickly turned off the water and got out, wrapping the towel around herself. She wasn't paying attention as she reached for the door, and she quickly frowned as she looked at a girl moving everything around in her room.

"What are you doing?" Astrid asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Unpacking" The girl replied, not seeming phased that there was a stranger standing in her bathroom doorway.

"This isn't you room- I think you're confused" Her tone had a bit more of a bite than she meant which brought the girl out of her slow decorating. The girl gave her a look that almost said 'take it back'. Astrid replied with a sneer. She was not about to be intimidated.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Telling me what I am when you're in a towel getting my floor wet! This is my room; I think you're confused." The girl spat back, the sweetness leaving her face as she walked over to Astrid, towering over her.

Astrid opened her mouth to argue, only to be interrupted.

"You better clean this up before you leave." The girl demanded, pointing to puddle forming.

"You better get out of my face-" Astrid wasn't used to having people stand up to her.

"You better apologize, beach Barbie. If you don't get out now, I'll be throwing you back out through your door." The girl pointed through the bathroom. Astrid turned to see the door she had come through, the door which was to her dorm. Her face flushed, never in her life had she been more embarrassed. Picking a fight with her neighbor before the first day of classes… typical of her.

Astrid put her hands to her face, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Sorry- sorry- wrong door- I'm so sorry- I thought this was my room-" She said sheepishly, slowly backing out. The girl glared at her before a smile spread across her face.

"I know what you thought… Everyone makes mistakes but you got some kind of nerve. I like that." The tall girl laughed, inspecting her neighbor. "Those are some shoulders, girl. What do you do? Not just soccer but…"

"Volleyball." Astrid replied, still trying to recover.

"Nice… Good to see I have a strong girl next door. You keep up that attitude, but try not to pick more fights, especially with me." The girl sang, turning on her dangerous wedges and closing the door so she could return to decorating.

Astrid stood in the middle of the bathroom for another moment, still trying to get over the embarrassment.

There was one thing for certain.

She liked that girl. No one had stood up to her like that in a long time and it was good to know there was someone who could stand their own.

She quietly returned to her dorm to unwind, taking slow breathes.

~(+)~(+)~(+)~

Fishlegs sat quietly in the sun, happy to be outside and to be able to relax. With a deep breath, he sunk into the bench, his hands folded in his lap only to be pulled out of his meditative state by the pang of his heart.

This was the first time he'd be away from his parents, and his Meatlug, that poor little dog. Fishlegs took another deep breath, trying to dispel the negativity.

He opened his eyes and groaned as Tuffnut and Snotlout ran past him, both covered in even more bottle cap sized marks. Except now, there was another one with them. She resembled Tuffnut enough that you could tell they were related, same tan skin, same blonde hair, same physique.

He caught her eye, until he watched her try to shove the bottle cap up the downed Snotlout's nose. Beauty with cruelty.

Fishlegs grimaced before he felt a pinch. The bottle cap rolled away as he felt his arm where it had hit him, and he glared at the three as they wildly cackled.

He got up, disdainfully looking at the three, and left the scene, the boys calling his name while the girl began calculating. She had always been the planner out of herself and her brother. What prank would really hit this guy?

Fishlegs didn't pay any attention to her stare, instead letting himself wonder. He had taken a look around the campus, gotten a feel for where his classes would be, and soon found himself outside the school's coffee shop. Tea would be nice.

He held the door open for a couple before quickly entering. It was pretty busy with new students frantically trying to get caffeinated so they could continue moving in. People tended to get out of his way, the plus side of being his size, so getting into line was easy.

Before he knew it, he was waiting for his tea and taking a look around. His eyes traveled to the girl waiting next to him, her bright sunflower shirt catching his attention.

He didn't realize he was staring until she looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry- they're one of my favorites" He mumbled, looking away. "The flowers"

"Oh- me too." She replied with a smile. Again silence until a concoction was being called by the barista and the girl looked to be thinking if it was hers or not. She already had a coffee in her hand, and hesitantly reached for the drink.

"That's some kind of order." He nodded to the drink.

"Honestly, I have no idea what it is." She replied, examining the drink.

"Hm, well it looks good."

"I prefer drinks I can pronounce."

That got a bit of a laugh from him, and she smiled to herself, before bidding him goodbye. He barely heard what she said and by the time he processed her farewell, she was gone.

Fishlegs smiled to himself, thinking of sunflowers still and how the yellow complimented her red hair. He wondered who the drink was for, and almost missed the barista call his order.

Cup in hand, he slowly continued his walk, wondering if he would see her again.

~(+)~(+)~(+)~

Rosethorn returned with the coffees, balancing them like a pro while she opened the door. She almost dropped them upon seeing the room.

Furry pillows, a desk had been turned into a vanity, the curtains were replaced, complete with a fluffy rug. Some of her things had been changed as well.

"What did you…" She mumbled, walking over to her nightstand. A chic lamp was placed on it. Her bed had matching furry pillows to match Grimhilda's bed. A throw was placed on her bed and her things had been moved around.

"I'm so sorry! I got a little ahead of myself! I just wanted everything to go together…" Grimhilda apologized, looking incredibly sincere.

"It's uh… it's alright- did you go through my clothes?" Rosethorn asked, noticing the open closet and drawers.

"…I'm sorry, I just love knowing everyone's fashion sense. If I wasn't here for Business, I'd be going to school somewhere for fashion- I'm sorry- really! Let me make it up to you! Let's go shopping! I heard there's a great mall nearby." Grimhilda grinned, holding her hands together like she was praying.

"I don't know if I can do that-" Rosethorn began, only for Grimhilda to start pulling her by the arm.

"It's ok! You can just pay me back later, besides, this is supposed to be me making it up for going through your clothes by getting you new ones!" Grimhilda exclaimed.

Before she knew it, Rosethorn was being pulled out the door while Grimhilda used her phone to get a car.