"𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧"

-ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥ ̥ ̮ ̥ ⊹ ‧̫‧ ⊹ ̥ ̮ ̥ ‧̥̥‧̥̥͙　⑅ˏ͛-

Life had slowly but surely gone back to the peace and quiet I was used to. Well, it wasn't exactly like it was, but it wasn't the worst.

Transferring colleges wasn't easy. Especially when you didn't really want to bother your parents and ask them for help. The guidance counselors at my old community College were helpful, though. So I guess that's something.

I decided to move colleges for two reasons.
1: I had already taken the classes I could in my college and wanted to take more. I know, it's pretty dumb of me to just take random classes based on what I find interesting, but I have no clue what I want for my future! Plus, I get to go to college free because of my Dad's disability, so why not take advantage of that while I can? Maybe I'll stumble on to the right course and boom! I'll know exactly what I want to do with my life.

Or maybe not.

2: I desperately wanted to move away from my parents. They were alright for parents, sure. I didn't get a dramatic backstory or abuse in my childhood. I was normal. Everything was fine. Middle class life, veteran dad, house-wife mom. Picture-perfect American family.
But I was turning 21. I didn't want to be that kid who lived in their parent's basement for years on end.

I wanted freedom.

So I applied to the first well-known college I could, one pristine enough to where my parents had no trouble allowing me to move into the dorms there. Windsor college.

There I was starting out with some psychology classes, film theory, and a music appreciation course. They had so much more variety than my town's community College had.
The real problem was figuring out the campus. Every class I had was in a different building, so I had to ask several students on my first day where the heck I was going. At least I ended up making a few friends that way...I think. Maybe they're irritated with me. Eh. Who cares.

And a week or so after I had started at Windsor, I had managed to get a feel of the campus. I knew where I was going. At least half the time. I knew where to go for my classes, at the very least. I still had some trouble finding other areas- the areas that didn't matter much. Like the cafeteria. Or the library.

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I was in the office, running some errands for one of my professors for extra points. It wasn't like I had anything particularly important to do, so I accepted the task with a smile and eagerness befitting a suck-up teacher's pet.

"Is this all Prof. Harwell needs?" I asked the receptionist at the counter, holding a thick manila folder in my hands "I could have sworn he said there was more..."

"Ah, Grayson is dramatic, and thinks he's more important than he is." The receptionist said with a roll of her eyes. Who let this woman have so much sass? She was in her 60's... "That's all you need, sweetie."

"Alright..." I said slowly "If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Get going."

I nodded my head and tucked the folder into the crook of my arm, double-checking every now and then to make sure that the papers inside weren't falling out. That would suck. Harwell for sure wouldn't like that. He might even take away some of my points. Bring me down a whole letter grade. Eesh...

Opening the door to the office, I began to walk down the hallway of the main building, heading for the exit.

"Hey!" Someone yelled out behind me, their voice echoing down the hallway. Were they talking to me?

I turned my head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever it was, but they were juuuuuust out of my eyesight. I didn't want to look like a complete idiot if it turns out they were talking to someone else, so I continued walking.

"Yo! You with the (h/c) hair!" the voice was closer

Okay, that was a little more specific. After a glance to make sure no one else in the hallway had the same color hair as me, I stopped walking, turning to face whoever this stranger was with a polite expression on my face. Model student behavior.

A sturdy guy with a questionable hairline and wide eyes was staring directly at me. When our eyes met, he held up a hand, pointing at me, getting closer.

"Don't you move," He said loudly, his voice still carrying down the hall.

"Or what?" I questioned "Are you going to mug me or something?"

The guy jogged a bit to make up for the distance between us, narrowing his eyes at me and stuffing a hand in his pocket "No, idiot. I can't mug you, there are cameras in here."

"Oh-ho-ho, that's rich." I deadpanned "What do you want?"

He stuck out a hand, offering a handshake. A handheld video camera dangled off of his wrist, the small piece of technology swaying in the air "I'm Mickey Altieri. You're (Y/N) (L/N), aren't you?"

I grabbed his hand, wincing inwardly at the strong grip he had paired with the slightly sweaty palm "Yeah?"

Mickey took his hand back, starting to fiddle with the camera on his wrist without looking at it "I'm your campus buddy...thing." He paused before giving a tense smile, seeing the confused look on my face "It's this program- they select a student to show the new student around when they come to campus for the first time...buddy."

I looked at him for a minute. Was he being serious? Oh, yeah. He was. Despite the slightly psychotic look in his expression, Mickey did look intensely serious. I snorted, raising a brow "You're a little too late for that, bud. Where were you last week?"

Mickey shrugged "Out and about. I got busy, forgot the date you were coming. My bad." He didn't seem too sorry about it.

"Alright, well," I started slowly, nodding my head "It was great to meet you, but I have to get going. I got to give this to one of my teachers," I tapped on the folder with a finger "So bye."

I turned around and started walking off, but Mickey appeared beside me, his gait quick. Weirdly enough, he barely made any sound when he walked. It was like he was a ghost. Or a ninja.

"Hey hey hey, you can't just walk off like that, I signed up to help you."

"Too little too late," I retorted "I already know my way around."

Mickey seemed unconcerned by this "Well, there's bound to be some places you don't know where to get to. It's a big campus, after all. No one can learn it in a week. Come on, any classes you're confused on, places you can't recall?"

I shook my head. Well, there was the film theory class I haven't been to yet. The professor wanted me to finish off a packet of work so I could catch up before I went to the class in-person. And there was the library. And the cafeteria.

"Why are you gung-ho on helping me?" I asked, pushing open the doors to the main building and walking out onto the front lawn.

"Like I said, I have a duty." He said, frowning as the door almost closed on him, pushing it open with his shoulder and running to catch up with me "So what if I was a little late?"

"Mm. You don't get points unless I sign off that you helped me, don't you?" I guessed.

He winced. I guessed correct.

"Fine, then." I stopped, running a hand through my hair "Look, I have a class to get to after I get this to Professor Harwell. If you can help me get there, then we'll call it even. You get your points, I get to not wander around like a lost dog. Sound good?"

Mickey scratched his chin, the stubble on it making a soft scratchy sound as he did so "Yeah, sure, sounds good to me. What's your class?"

"I dunno, some film class..." I dug in my back pocket and pulled out the small copy of my schedule, handing it to him as I started walking off again.

Mickey hummed to himself as he unfolded the paper, keeping up with my walk.

"Psychology 101....Music Appreciation....Intro the Early Childhood development, what the fuck even are you majoring in?" He asked with a snort.

I shrugged "I'll figure it out sometime. Also, none of your business."

"Meh-meh-meh," Mickey mocked, rolling his eyes "Oh! You said film, right? I'm in that class." He folded my schedule up and put it in his pocket.

"Oh goody," I said, not completely enthused "Can I have that paper back?"

"No."

I frowned "Mickey. Give it to me."

He only grinned, almost looking shark-like "Maybe later. When we get to class."