A/N: Whoo! I'm on a roll with College AU's I guess! This one is dedicated to my discord friends who first found my stories on wattpad all those years ago and took my under their wings.

Get in losers, we're going to Empire University 🩷🤙🏾

"Did you charge your phone?"

"Not that you're allowed to use it during school unless it's an emergency," My mother reminded me.

"I can't believe it's here, your first day of school. Are you nervous?"

I stood up, slightly dwarfing my parents and smiled. "No, not really. It's not like I was the kind of homeschooled where I didn't know other people."

Dad chuckled and pulled me in for a hug. "I know, but college is different."

I sighed and let them hug for me as long as I could allow before it started to irritate me. "Okay, I'm going now!"

"Did you bring your inhaler? And what about all of your notebooks? You have all of your emergency numbers right? Did I already ask that?" My mother of course had to ask me eight million questions, so I spun around and headed for my car. They were going to make me more nervous than I already was.

"Mom! It's not that far away! I'm going to be fine!" I started it and pulled down the driveway, making sure I checked both mirrors. "I love you guys! Bye!"

My mom tried to say something else but I drove off. If I kept letting her get in another word, she wouldn't ever let me go and I'd end up late.

I grew up in the small town of Beach City. We moved around a lot until I turned 12 and my dad got a stable job as a security guard. Life was average, boring even, but now all of that was going to change. I was going to make friends, I was going to learn at a higher level than they could teach me.

I had opted to take my generals and basic poly-sci since I didn't quite know if that was exactly what I wanted to do yet. It was going to be easy, and that's what I needed right now. I needed time away from my smothering parents, in my very own brand new apartment near campus. I needed my independence and I was finally getting that.

A car had me slam on the breaks as it cut past a red light, narrowly missing being T-boned by me. My mom would've killed me, and as my heartbeat slowed I grumbled under my breath, "Freaking idiots."

As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed buses dropping off other students at the front doors. I didn't know school buses went to colleges too, and I watched them all get off.

They were joking around, walking in groups, smiling at each other. I wanted that: that sense of belonging and sureness that for now, this was my place.

I parked the car and walked inside, surprised by how perfectly TV had gotten schools for the most part. Red lockers and shiny marble floors as far as the eye could see. Trophy cases to my left and a sad looking janitor passing to my right.

I felt awkward as people started to look my way, clearly not recognizing me. Surely I wasn't the only new student here but their stares made it feel that way.

A group of tall, muscular guys were goofing off and bumped into me. I expected them to say sorry, but they didn't even acknowledge me. Squeezing past them, I looked down at the paper taped to my folder.

First class of the day: Mrs. Larson.

"You've got this, Connie." I murmured to myself.

"Excuse me?" A tall girl swiveled around sharply to glare at me.

"Oh, hi, I'm Connie. I'll be joining this semester. Is there–," The girl got in my face so fast I flinched.

"I'm not the fucking teacher," She sneered. "And I don't give a shit."

Okay, then. I backed away quickly and moved to a seat that was open.

"You don't wanna sit there. Joshua has really bad B.O."

"I'm pretty sure he's never taken a shower."

Two students sitting with each other were talking to me. And they weren't being mean, at least they weren't being mean yet.

The girl had platinum blonde hair, almost white really, and striking green eyes. She wore all chains and all black, except her lipgloss. On her forehead, she wore proudly a green triangular gem.

I'd heard of these people, gemkind. I'd even met a few, and for the most part they seemed friendly. But this was college so I couldn't help but be wary. Most gens didn't self ID with age unless you asked, but I guessed idly that new gems could be hypothetically made.

The guy next her looked similar, but no gemstone. His hair was more blonde, but he looked like the average choir boy as he shook his head at the next seat I chose. "Nuh uh, sweetie. That's behind where Barney sits. He can't keep his ass shut, bless his heart."

I blushed and nodded, finding a seat directly next to them. "Is this okay?"

They shrugged and exchanged a look, seemingly having a quiet conversation between themselves.

"You're new, aren't you?" The girl asked. "Peridot, but my friends call me Peri."

"Nice to meet you, Peri." I smiled and reached out my hand for her to shake but she glared at it in distain.

"I said friends." She pushed my hand down with a finger.

So much for friendly.

"Alex. I'm head of Photography and hopefully someday Drama, and the champion of our Speech team." Alex actually extended his own and I shook it, a bit off put by how long and vigorous it was.

"How did you guys know I was new?" I could guess it was because they'd gone here before, but I didn't know what else to say. I mostly hung out with homeschooled kids, not actually socialized ones.

Peridot snickered. "You came in here looking like a baby deer, that's how."

"I love your hair, it's so cute." Alex grabbed a lock and tugged me toward them. I kept my hair pretty long, so the sharp pull didn't come but it was still shocking. "See how dark it is? You think I could pull it off, right?"

"No, I really, really don't," Peridot replied dryly. "You were made to be a twink, Alexander."

"Do you guys know where uhm," I leaned in to whisper nervously, "Sex Ed is?"

Peridot gave me a weird look before motioning for my folder and reading through it. "Hm. We had to start doing Sex Ed because last year we had the highest abortion rate in the state. We know where it is, we'll take you. It's in the back building."

Alex furrowed his brow for a moment. "Didn't–," Peridot smacked his chest and he brightened in realization. "Oh! Yeah, no, we'll totally take you there."

I smiled, relieved to have someone to show me around. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"Hello class, welcome to Remedial English. My name is Mrs. Larson." She wrote it on the board. She was about to turn back around but faltered and smeared the 'r' off of Mrs.

"Ms. Larson, how are you doing this fine morning?" Headmaster Shaun waltzed in and smiled at her, but her expression stayed deadpan.

"Just great," She said with faux brightness. "Just thinking about how my husband ran off with your wife. And you?"

He blinked a few times awkwardly. "Yes well, y-you look beautiful."

"Thanks." Her outfit today was horrendous, a woolen green and blue vest over a white button up paired with black slacks. She knew that.

I looked down at my own outfit, realizing I looked just as bad. I'd thrown on a baggy, bright blue turtleneck dress with long sleeves. My hair was in two twin braids with star clips at the end. Shiva, I probably looked like a kindergartner headed to picture day.

Headmaster stared at her for a few more seconds before addressing the class. "Today we have a new student, Connie Ma..." He trailed to a stop. "Momswarenson?"

My face burned. "Maheswaren. It's Indian-American."

"Right. Care to introduce yourself?"

No, that was the last thing I wanted to do. "Hi, I'm Connie Mahaswaren. I'm 18. I've been homeschooled for my whole life... until just now I guess." I laughed a little but it died in my throat at all of the judgmental and bored looks. I sat back down and stared off into the distance until the bell rang.

After our first class, which was relatively normal, Peridot and Alex led me out the back door and onto a grassy field.

I glanced around, trying to find the other building. "Do they hold class outside?"

"Nope! We straight up lied to you," Alex chirped.

Peridot patted the grass in front of us. "Take a seat, fresh meat."

My parents would murder me if they found out I was skipping class. There was no way I could do this, and yet there I was sitting down obediently like a dog. The words peer pressure briefly passed through my mind but I shooed them away. I just wanted to fit in.

'That's exactly what peer pressure is.'

'Shut up.'

"What do you think so far? Empire University isn't so bad once you get used to being around a bunch of jungle animals all the time." Peridot took off her ring and sat it in the palm of her hand. She lifted a finger and it started to float in midair.

The Sci-Fy nerd deep inside me roared to life and I tried not to have a nosebleed. I'd always wanted magic powers, but I was just an average girl with zero social skills. If anything, that was my superpower.

"You're like, adorable." Alex tilted his head and me and I blushed heavily.

"A-aren't you guys dating? That's kind of rude isn't it?"

They looked at each other and laughed for so long I wanted the ground to swallow me alive. "Oh honey, no. I'm asexual. And gay," Alex corrected.

"And I don't like people, I'm as close to aromantic as you can get," Peridot muttered and Alex laughed.

"We're just best friends."

Again, I felt like a complete idiot. "I'm so sorry for making assumptions I just–,"

Alex's eyes widened and he held up a hand, shushing me violently. "Here they come."

Confused, I followed his gaze to the football field.

"That there," Peridot pointed out a bubbly girl with hot pink hair wearing a crop top and shorts, talking to a group of girls who seemed both annoyed and excited. "That's Spinel. She's a gem, too. She's possibly the dumbest, happiest girl you'll ever meet, but a total slut."

"She once asked me for a kiss completely unprompted. And she thinks she's everyone's best friend." Alex grinned a little. "She's sweet, but overbearing."

"That pale, tall one? That's Pearl, she's also a gem. She's Stevens right hand woman, but he's totally uninterested in her past a fuckbuddy apparently. She knows everything about everyone, and does whatever he says. Also a total slut."

She was slender and graceful looking, and she walked like a ballerina. She joined Spinel and dragged her away, tossing something over her shoulder that made the girls start primping and fixing their hair. "She seems like a typical dance team girl."

"Right on the nose. She's head of our dance team, and she's incredible. She's really only adjacent mean." Peridot shuddered. "She's mostly nice... just... suspiciously nice, you know?"

I nodded. She was pretty cute. She glanced our way and I waved. Pearl recoiled, but after a hesitant moment waved back with a prim smile. She didn't come off as mean at all, in fact she might be the only other person that's bothered to be some kind of nice to me today. I decide right then that I like her.

"And the main character of our school takes form in the shape of a 6'11 mountain of a man, Steven Universe. The first half gem, half human hybrid. His dad's a has been rockstar, and Steven inherited 4 million dollars before the age of 20."

I swear my eyes widened so much I was sure they would fall out of my head and roll across the grass.

"He's one of our male cheerleaders, and head of the Drama team," Alex grumbled to that, "And the most popular person in school."

Alex sighed wistfully, "What would it be like to be Steven Universe?"

"Gross, don't say that."

There were different levels of attractiveness in my logical, organization driven mind. There was precious and adorable, saved for babies and puppies. There was cute and hot, saved for boys that didn't give me a second glance and the ones on TV.

And then, apparently, there was Steven Universe. I'd always thought the ripped, dark, brooding "picture perfect" men of Hollywood the media was always showing was the extent of what a "picture perfect" guy would look like in the real world.

Steven fit none of those descriptions, and yet he had a crowd of people following him like he was the sun and they were his planets and stars.

He did kind of fit tall, dark and handsome, save for the creamy skin.

He was certainly tall, the tallest person I've ever seen. His hair was long and and dark and curly as all hell, far surpassing my own semi curls that never sat right. The broad shoulders, soft physique, and bright cheerful face that made my mind go blank were awfully contradicting to how Peridot had spat out his name. When he gathered up his hair to put it up and someone handed him a ponytail, I could finally see the hidden muscle as his arm threw shadows across his face.

Steven Universe wasn't a snack, or even just a meal. He was the entire restaurant.

Alex snapped his fingers in front of my face and I startled. "Earth to Connie."

"S-sorry. I was just..." I tore my eyes away to look over at Peridot.

"Don't let him fool you, he's a player and a total asshole," Peridot warned lowly.

"Ask her how she knows," Alex teased. "One time back in high school—,"

"Alex!"

I couldn't help myself from looking at him again. He wasn't chiseled or anything, in fact his cheeks still held a bit of baby fat to them, just the slightest bit. I heard his voice call for Pearl and she dipped like she was curtsying him. He threw his head back, seemingly annoyed but pulled her close.

A light was trickling over them and I strained to see. Was this a gem thing?

"Oh good stars," Peridot said in disgust. "I forgot the fusions."

"Fusion?"

"Pearls fully gem, and since Steven is half gem, he can do that." 

"What's–," I stopped short as I started to understand. Or maybe understand wasn't the right word. More like gawk. "Holy shit..."

They fazed into each other and my jaw dropped as an entirely new entity took their place. Neither one were nowhere to be found.

Alex shook his head in awe. "Ugh, I know. If I wasn't gay I'd be all over that."

"Their fusion is Rainbow, though it should be Glitter because they are so sparkly I go blind if I look at them too long." Peridot crossed her arms and leaned back against Alex. "They don't fuse for any purpose unless it's to show off. It's stupid."

"Don't forget Stevinel." Alex blew out a breath. "She's a little monster."

Peridot shrugged as the bell rang. "They don't fuse anymore, remember? After that party last year when they ended up having that giant orgy and six people ended up so obsessed with them they ended up getting kicked out of the school."

An orgy? What was an orgy? I decided not to ask, guessing the answer would freak me out to no end.

"I mean can you blame them? She's like, the coolest fusion ever!"

We stood and I brushed the grass off of my dress, suddenly starting to worry even more about my appearance. If people like that existed, there was absolutely no way I could come to school wearing this ever again.

"You wanna meet us at lunch?" Peridot asked begrudgingly.

I lit up. "Yes!"

"Reel it in," She muttered.

"Yeah, got it."