(Sophia's POV)

By the time the doctor let me go, it was getting dark. I had woken from my slumber about an hour after it happened; feeling like a truck had hit me. My head pounded so hard I was forced to stay on my side to not purge my insides. The school nurse gave me some gravol and lemon Gatorade. After taking my blood pressure, flashing a light in my eyes and peeing in a cup I got a small bottle of pills to take for the headache and a chocolate bar. The wind felt colder to me, the summer nights in Sludge Falls being warmer than this.

Sludge Falls. The place where Sulley and I were born. A small town with decent people. Houses as far as the eye could see and everything you needed within walking distance. 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 to the dorms, thanking whoever that it wasn't far. I cut through a side path, 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?" I pause at the doorframe "When you get your key, watch your fingers."

"What?"

She chuckles.

"You'll see."

I shake my head as I walked into the building, holding the papers from the tour and walk to the front counter. 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 "but it's faster to use the stairs." I nod, she slowly grabs one of the five lonely keys "A private room huh?" I shuffle awkwardly "It's on the fifth floor. Your stuff should already be in your room. If you having missing or damaged things take a form from the wall 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.

Finally understanding what the doctor was talking about I chuckle, wondering how many people she's treated for this wound.

I glance at the cold key in my hands before tossing it into the air. For "New beginnings" I felt like I was doing it all wrong.

..
..

"A private room huh?"her words echoed in my head.

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. The lower level doors were placed very close together, almost too close for comfort.
Yet this floor was quiet.
The only noise was a radio playing quietly in one of the doors. A few posters and reminders of classes and student activities were placed neatly on the bulletin board, not slammed on sideways, backward or upside down, and stapled over older papers like the others littering the hallways. And while the other floor was a bit cramped, each student falling over each other this floor seemed... cold.

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. If we wanted to talk or play I'd have to ask Shelia 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.

I absentmindedly wondered if Sulley had a room like this. 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,
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 schedule
Locate nearest grocery stores
Learn school map by heart
Buy books for class.

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

..
..

I run 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, 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?"

"Daddy!" I say in glee, I hear him chuckle "It's been..."

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

I walk 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

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 scarers. All the companies fighting over them like starving children. 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.

"Hmm..." 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 why don't you use your other talents?" I raise my eyebrow at my father's word 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."

"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."

If it was anyone other than my father I would be thoroughly insulted but one thing my father excelled at was humor and happiness, shining brighter than the sun on his darkest days.

"Exactly!" He chuckles like one of those villains in a cheesy children's movie "Give him a slice of heaven and make him suffer from all the other mediocre food!"

I snort once more, our laughter real and like he was sitting in this room with me. That was one of the things I loved most about Mr. Sullivan, with a few simple words he could take my shittiest day and make it one of my best.

Before I can stop myself the forbidden words slip from my mouth "I miss you,"

I hear his office door close and the squeak of his old chair.

"Well I'll always be here kiddo, and sending a limo to pick you up isn't hard, 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 yours kiddo, I can come to get you?"

I look over at my arm, 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 orIFI should make that conceded jerk anything, especially one of my cakes but he had helped me and I guess it wasn't fair to judge a book by its previous covers. So I walked across the room and shifted through my box for Master Cho's dojo. Grabbing my 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. With my keys and my phone I leave my room.

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, the winners of last year's scare games would host the first party but seeing as in almost twelve years no one else has won the games it's just common to say they host first. I think there had been one group fifteen years ago, 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. Also I doubted anyone would be doing the waltz or two-step in a place like that, so I would be more than a little lost. I've been to a party 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.

Sulley and I were brought home by the police and that was the last time I'd been invited to anything with him. This confused me, 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 when my father sat me down and explained the 'dos and don'ts' of a party. He was proud of me for saving the girl and softened Sheila's punishment but I was still grounded for a month.

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'm still not convinced that he's earned my cakes..."

"What's so special about your cakes?" the reptile asks, I look at him and smirk.

That's the first sentence he's said without stuttering.

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