Kate woke up to the glorious sound of a cabinet being open and a bunch of pans falling on the ground, accompanied by a blood curling scream, probably from the person that just received several pans in their face. College life was truly amazing.

Kate peeped out of her bedroom's door to see who exactly died via pan that morning, just to see Zarya laying on the floor, seemingly dead, surrounded by pans and various other kitchen utensils. Yup, it was monday. And being monday it was also the first day of lectures, and Kate had been up all night trying to memorize her schedule and the position of the halls on campus. She remembered nothing, and that pretty much summed up her entire school experience. 

Lou's bedroom door flung open as they made their grand entrance into the room, started zooming across the living room to get something, and noticed Zarya just in time to get distracted and slam their pinky toe on the coffe table. A second blood curling scream was heard that morning. Happy came out from the bathroom with a towel over her shoulders: "Ah yes, the typical mating call of this rare species, so gorgeous".

Kate made her way to the fridge ignoring the two dead bodies on the floor and grabbed some eggs and bacon, and started preparing some breakfast, being careful not to step on Zarya's foaming corpse, and taking one of the pans that laid next to her. She managed to cook herself a decent amount of food, despite Happy snatching most of it from the pan. In the meanwhile the corpses were revived and were now sitting at the table whining about how much pain they were in. Those lucky bastards clearly didn't have class at 8.

After getting dressed Kate ran out of the dorms, already being extremely late to her first ever lecture, and after running in circles for several minutes she finally recognized the building where classes for english majors were held. She bust into the hall twenty minutes late, sweating like a soccer player after two seconds of game (sweaty motherfuckers), and managed to spot a free seat in the middle of the class. She sat down and quickly put her things on the desk, and then she looked around. Everyone in the room looked extremely refined and professional, and everyone was already chatting with someone else. Kate quaked in her hoodie and loneliness. 

Then she looked to her right and she saw... a child? She stared at the boy right next to her wide eyed. He had black messy hair and round big blue eyes. He was very tiny and looked squishy.

"The fuck are you looking at?" He was a rude child.

"WOAH LANGUAGE, AREN'T YOU LIKE TEN OR SOMETHING" Kate almost jumped from her chair.

"EX-FUCKING-CUSE ME, WHAT?!" For the second time since she got in town; Kate got grabbed by her collar by a person with murderous intentions. "DO I LOOK LIKE A FUCKING CHILD TO YOU?!"

Kate nodded. Kate made a mistake.

The self proclaimed "not-child" kneed her in the stomach and started yelling at her for a good twenty minutes, until he let her go and slumped on his chair, crossing his arms and pouting. Kate was till trying to process what had happened, but decided that having that small guy as an enemy wasn't a good idea. 

"So your name is...?" She asked, ready to run if the "not-child" decided to destroy her.

He looked at her, still pouting, but then he answered: "I'm Brian, and i'm not a child, i'm 20" 

"O-oh..." Kate started questioning her life. "Well, i'm Kate... Hi, sorry for calling you a child... I guess" she managed to say.

"Oh whatever, it happens. Once me and my boyfriend got he police called on us because a lady thought he was a pedo. That was one hell of an afternoon."

Kate blinked slowly: "Huh?!"

Brian kept going: "Yea! I had to show them my driver's license and they still didn't believe me, we had to call my parents."

And before Kate could think of an answer, Brian started rambling about everything that came to mind. Kate spent the rest of the lecture trying to follow the small guy's incessant monologue and nodding along to what he said. He overshared quite a lot, and now Kate knew exactly where he was born, everything about his parents, his childhood cat's name, his size in clothing, his favourite food, how he fell from a tree at six years old and broke his arm, the fact that his boyfriend was allergic to shrimp, the fact that said boyfriend went to the ER for eating shrimp on their first date...

Despite how weird he was, Kate decided that the angry fella wasn't that bad.

Suddenly the lecture was over.

"OH CRAP!" Brian snapped out of his endless monologue "I didn't realize i spent so much time talking, uuuhhh..." He looked at her for a moment: "...Kate, right?"

"Last time i checked that was my name." She smiled as she picked up her things.

"Sorry for snapping at you and for hitting you, that was rude," He said, and he looked genuinely sorry: "You're not that bad, and sorry for talking your ears off"

"Oh it's ok, that happens sometimes" She shrugged, putting her bag over her shoulder.

Brian suddenly got closer to her face, standing on the tip of his toes: "You know... You smell kinda weird" He then stepped right back.

"Wh-what?! Do i stink?" Kate panicked, her face flushing red in embarrassment at the thought of people smelling her stinkiness.

"Oh no, don't worry, forget i said anything" Brian waved it off as he made his way to the hall's door "Do you want a sandwich from the caffeteria? I have to make it up to you for kneeing you"

Everything Kate had learned in her life advised her to not follow an unknown man somewhere, no matter how innocent he looked, but the thought of food threw all her doubts out of the window and burned them, because FUCK YEA, FOOD!

She tailed Brian across a few hallways, his pace was really fast considering his short legs, and Kate kinda struggled to keep up.

"So, how old are you Kate? You don't look the same age as me" Brian raised an eyebrow at her while tutning around a corner.

Kate became red in embarrassment: "I'm 22, i had to start a bit late for..." She hesitated "... family reasons.".

Brian nodded, slowing down a tiny bit, much to Kate's relief: "There's nothing wrong with that, i'm glad you managed to pull trough," then he suddenly stopped "we are here!"

Kate hadn't noticed they had arrived, and found herself in the middle of the caffetteria. Around her there were several tables where small groups of students chatted and studied. On one side there was a serving line with a wide selection of foods to choose from, with a small sign listing the prices. There were almost no people in line, and Brian walked over to see what they had to offer.

Kate went straight for the sandwich section,  looking at the various kinds of sandwiches avalaible. In the end she chose a turkey sandwich and got it from the young waitress on the other side of the counter.

"Did you choose?" Brian popped up from next to her, holding an egg and cheese sandwich. "Oooh, nice choice there" he said, pointing at Kate's sandwich, as he paid for both of them.

"Thanks, it's my favourite" Kate smiled as she bit into her sandwich.

Brian was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a man running up fron behind him and covering his eyes with his hands.

"Guess who?!" The man said playfully, while giggling like a small child.

"TIM YOU DORK I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE!" Brian quickly turned around and hugged the newcomer.

"Tim" had wild short light brown hair, and hazel eyes. He had a bright smile and he was moderately tall. He hugged Brian back.

Brian sighed as he pushed Tim back: "Oh well, guess it's introduction time: Tim, meet Kate, Kate, this is Tim, my boyfriend."

Kate waved awkwardly as Tim looked at her sandwich and smirked.

"Did he hit you because you mistook him for a child?" Kate stopped mid-bite.

"TIM NOOO!!" Brian squealed as he lightly slapped Tim's arm. "It doesn't happen THAT  often! Plus, I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A CHILD, i am just a short guy with rounder features!!"

"I know hun" Tim ran his hand trough Brian's hair: "And i love you just as you are"
He then turned to Kate again: "I hope he didn't startle you too much, he just flips off very easily if you point out his height"

"Oh no it's ok, we talked it out... I think?" Kate shrugged, taking another bite from her sandwich.

"Shall we go sit somewhere? To continue our conversation?" Suggested Tim.

"Yea! My legs are hurting from standing uo so much!" Brian proclaimed, walking towatds the nearest free table.

"That sounds like a good idea." Kate and Tim followed him right after. Tim and Brian sat next to eachother, while Kate sat in front of them. She suddenly felt a wave of Me, You and Steve energy coming over her as she watched the couple in front of her pull eachoter closer. The thirdwheeling had apparently begun. Now she knew how Happy felt while being around Lou and Zarya all the time

They ate in silence for a couple minutes, then Kate broke the silence: "So, Tim, what are you majoring in?"

"I am going for engineering, this is my last year. I suppose you are an english major like Brian?"

Kate nodded as she swallowed the last bite of her sandwich: "You got that right man, nice deduction skills you got there."

Tim giggled: "I also suppose you chose it for reasons that are a bit more... Academic than Brian's."

Brian scooted away from Tim, clutching an hand on his shirt, in a dramatically offended way: "There is nothing more 'academic' than wanting to be able tu curse at people in fancy ancient ways."

Both Kate and Tim erupted in laughter as Brian pouted. The shortie looked away for a moment, and his expression became confused: "Kate, do you know those people?".

Kate turned around to see her room mates waving at them from the serving line. Lou was going especially hard, making it look like they were trying to disarticulate their arms. The trio looked so silly, Kate couldn't help but smile. "Yea, they are my room mates, they are pretty cool".

Tim rested his chin on his hand: "They can sit with us if they want"

Brian nodded: "Yea, they seem nice!".

In the meanwhile the trio had approached, but Happy and Zarya stopped a couple steps away from the table, while Lou hopped in front of them and sat next to Kate.

Brian and Tim had their eyes locked with Happy and Zarya. The atmosphere felt tense, Kate couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Happy narrowed her eyes at the couple: "So, who the hell are you two?". The way she pronounced thise words almost made them sound like a threat. Lou and Kate exchanged confused looks, as Brian hugged Tim's arm and pulled him closer.

"I am one of Kate's classmates, this is my boyfriend." Tim just nodded, altough he didn't look as tense as the other three. There was a long moment of silence.

"Are you guys going to sit?" Kate smiled, gesturing at the empty seats.

"Sure" Zarya mumbled, and both her and Happy finally set down.

The tense atmosphere lasted for the whole meal, and only few words were exchanged. Kate felt pretty bummed, she tought her newfound friends would get along easily with her room mates, but guess she was wrong.

Once everyone was done with their meal Happy stood up: "Well, i think we should go now".

Zarya stood up right after her: "Yea, you're right. Kate, Lou, are you guys coming?" She smiled warmly.

Kate grabbed her bag as Lou got up: "Oh yea, i'm coming.". Before following the group, that already started heading back to the dorms, she turned to Tim and Brian one last time: "It was great meeting you guys! See you around!" She said as she started walking away.

Brian waved at her: "Same, see you in our next lecture!". Tim just threw up a peace sign. What a weird duo.

As she walked away she heard Brian mumble something: "Well... That explains the smell...".

She managed to catch up to her friends rather quickly, and apparently Happy and Zarya were in the middle of a serious whispering session. Lou shrugged at her and they kept walking until they reached the dorm room.

Zarya started unlocking the door, and then looked at Happy: "So... Who do you think was the- she shot a quick glance at Lou and Kate -...you know...?"

"I don't know" sighed Happy as she walked in.

Lou butted in their conversation: "Sooo,are you gals going to the party tomorrow?"

Kate raised her eyebrows as she dropped herself on the couch: "What party?".

Happy sat on the floor, looking bored: "That rich brat, Joshua Mörder, is throwing a party tomorrow at his mansion."

Kate perked up: "Mansion?! Sign me up! That sounds epic!" Her eyes glimmered in excitement.

Lou put an hand on her soulder: "Yea, except that this Joshua guy is a missed psychopath, he's a total nutcase. He wrecks havoc around campus and then uses his daddy's money and influence to get out of it, his family basically owns half the town.".

"Oh" Kate sat back down: "Well, it's still a party tho, it would be fun... Plus it's in a mansion"

Zarya pointed at her: "See?! She agrees with me! They have three pools in that goddamn place, there's like FIFTY ROOMS! The risk of running into mr. Nutcase is almost non-existent. Also THINK OF THE FANCY LIQUORS GUYS! THE FANCY LIQUORS!!"

"Fuck, it's alcohol, my only weakness!" Happy lightly punched the table in a defeated way. "Fine, I'm coming, but i expect vodka".

Kate was still trying to comprehend the reality of a mansion with THREE POOLS existing, while Lou gave in as well: "Ugh, fiiine, everyone's going anyway, I don't want to be alone all night".

Happy beamed: "Ayeee, guess we're partying hard tomorrow night!".

Kate was extremely excited, that was her first party! She was more than sure that was going to be amazing!!