𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃.
ϟ
Aurora glared at her sister and best friend. Quinn was awake but was putting some contraption on Cindy's head who was knocked out cold. She had called Cindy's name about ten times in the last hour trying to wake her up so she could get ready, they had a 10 minute walk and only 25 minutes until class started.
"Quinn could you stop trying to experiment on her and just wake her up? She only has 15 minutes to get ready," Aurora said, clearly annoyed.
"How am I supposed to complete this study if I only have your data," Quinn asked, standing up.
"Why do the study at all? You're not publishing it or anything," Aurora raised her voice louder.
"Why do you even care? Cindy said I could do experiments all I wanted!"
"She only said that beca-"
"Oh my god, Penskys shut up," Cindy groaned as she sat up in her bed, "Quinn what data did you get?"
"Close to none because Aurora wouldn't let me continue," this caused the two girls to glare at Aurora.
"Why would you not let her? You know I don't mind," Cindy asked raising an eyebrow.
"Because you're letting Quinn take advantage of you all beca-"
Cindy hopped down from her top bunk and got close to Aurora, "aye you better watch it Sleeping Beauty, she's on a need to know basis."
"I need to know what it is! How can you guys keep valuable information from me?"
"You don't need to know this Qu-"
Cindy was interrupted by Nicole's screaming, the three stopped arguing as Aurora stepped out to see what was going on, she could hear Dana and Nicole arguing through the door. Just as she was going to go back into her own room, Zoey walked past her, "morning Zoey."
"Morning Rory," Zoey sighed.
"Roommate trouble?"
"Always, you?"
"You know it."
Aurora closed her door as she heard Zoey yell, "open up!"
ϟ
Aurora took a grape off of Logan's plate as she complained, "I can't tell you."
"What do you mean you can't tell me," Logan raised an eyebrow before smirking, "I thought we were best friends?"
Aurora rolled her eyes, "it's Cindy's secret to share, not mine."
"Whatever," Logan rolled his eyes back as the two ate. Cindy and Quinn were on their way over to the table, getting their food in line.
dgSince the two had talked things out Logan and Aurora had spent more time together, they ate lunch together and would be sent together all the time on campus, although that didn't stop Logan from flirting with every girl and almost every girl flirting back. They didn't have a label on what they were other than being friends.
"You don't have problems with Chase and Michael?"
"No, we're guys."
"Whatever the hell that means," Cindy said as she and Quinn sat down. The four ate in silence before Zoey and Chase sat down too.
"Hi," Zoey and Chase said.
The table spoke back saying, "hi," before Quinn interrupting the conversation, "can I touch your food," she asked Zoey. Zoey raised an eyebrow and moved her food over so Quinn could reach, "no."
"Oh sorry, I'm doing a study on food," she looked away shyly. Logan groaned before getting up and walking away causing Aurora to look at him in concern.
"What's the study on," Chase asked, making Aurora come back to the conversation, "she believes each different food has its own unique energy."
"So it might be easier to identify food by touch," Quinn spoke fixing her glasses.
"So you wanna feel if my food is happy?" Zoey asked.
"Yeah, or sad or mad or frightened."
"I'm frightened," Chase said before spitting out his grape causing Cindy to laugh, "you can touch my food all you want Quinny."
"Thanks Cind," Quinn said before feeling Cindy's food.
"Why're you letting her touch your food," Zoey asked raising an eyebrow. Cindy smiled at Quinn before looking back at Zoey, "none of business that's why."
Zoey looked taken aback before talking again, "if you guys ever want more company both of our dorms should get together," she suggested.
"Aren't your roommates the ones always yelling at each other," Cindy asked.
"Well, yeah but no more than you guys," Zoey laughed, "maybe it should be just me that hangs out with you guys."
"I'd like that," Quinn and Aurora both said smiling, Cindy giving Zoey a sarcastic smile.
Finishing her food Aurora decided to look for Logan before her next set of classes, "I'll see you guys later," she waved to them before taking off.
ϟ
Later that day, Aurora was on her bed with a face mask on bumping her foot to the music playing out of the radio as she did her English homework. On the other side of her room was Quinn writing about the data she collected in her computer. Cindy was currently at track practice.
Aurora felt at peace, it felt the first moment of peace and quiet since they had moved into the dorms, everyday they had argued about possibly everything. Aurora wasn't sure why though, they shared a room at home and never argued this much and Cindy was there almost everyday so why would they not get along, they always had at home. Right as she flipped to next page of her homework she heard a knock on her door.
She got up and opened it and smiled as she saw Zoey, "hey Zo! What's up?"
"Me and my roommates got into another argument.. want an extra roommate?"
"It might get a little crampy but luckily Cindy sleeps on the top bunk of the bunk bed," Aurora smiled and let Zoey in.
ϟ
"Thanks for letting me crash here guys," Zoey said as she snuggled into the bottom bunk bed.
"No problem," Aurora said with a smile.
"We're glad to have the company," Quinn said taking off her glasses. Cindy just grunted in response, already halfway asleep.
They all said good night and fell asleep in their own time.
Aurora was in dreamland when she shot awake at the sound of a scream. She shot up and looked over to Zoey who was in one of Quinn's quinventions.
"Quinn!" Zoey yelled at the quirky girl.
"Yeah," Quinn asked as Cindy turned on the lights, "what the hell is going on?"
"What're you doing," Zoey and Aurora both yelled.
"I was monitoring Zoey's dreams," she shrugged and looked at Zoey, "I think you're having a nightmare."
"I am now!"
"Quinn you can't experiment on our new friends in their sleep without consent," Aurora yelled.
"Why didn't you just experiment on me," Cindy asked calmly.
"I got your data yesterday, I needed a bigger pool."
"Quinn," Zoey and Aurora both yelled. Aurora felt tears muster in her eyes and her feet moved faster than she could think. As she made her way outside her tears started to fall.
She found herself just continuing to run as she cried hard. She couldn't take it anymore, she only ever had Cindy and Quinn in her life and here Quinn was ruining another friendship of hers. If it wasn't for the fact that Cindy was in love with Quinn, Aurora wouldn't have a friend in the world.
She knew her sister was quirky but she couldn't understand why she would do something like this to her.
She kept running until she ran right into someone, the person catching her before she could actually fall.
"Logan," she asked softly as he helped her stand up.
"The one and only," he said smiling as rubbed her shoulder, "what's up sunshine?"
Aurora sighed as she wiped her eyes, "my sister is the bain of my existence."
"What do you mean," Logan rubbed her back as the two sat down on a bench nearby.
"Growing up," Aurora sighed, "I only had Cindy and Quinn. Quinn because she's my sister and Cindy because she actually doesn't mind Quinn's quirkiness.. I never got to have any other friends, she scared them all off," they both laughed, "and I thought coming here things would change but they aren't."
"How? I thought I was your best friend," he pretended to be hurt covering his heart.
Aurora laughed back, "you definitely are.. but Zoey crashed with us and.. she used one of her inventions on her in her sleep. I don't think Zoey is going to want to come around after that."
Logan wasn't sure what to say, he had never been in this kind of situation, before he could say something Aurora did for him, "anyways.. what're you doing up? It's almost 5 am?"
Logan smiled, "oh I always get up at 4 to work out."
"4 am?! I like to get up early too but that's.. brutal."
"How else am I supposed to stay looking this hot," he flexed his muscles and Aurora laughed before sighing, "I don't want to go back there."
"Well then don't," he said, "come back to my dorm and get the rest of your sleep. I was done with my jog anyways."
"Really," Aurora smiled, "isn't that like against the rules? And what about Chase and Michael, I don't want to make them uncomfortable."
"Who cares," he said laughing before guiding her to the boys dorms.
ϟ
As he helped Aurora get comfortable on the couch in his shared dorm he thought to himself.
Logan wasn't sure exactly what it was about Aurora but he liked having her around, she always had a cute bright smile on her face that made him want to smile too. But as much as he liked having her around, he hated having her friends around. He wouldn't ever say it to her but hanging out with her and her friends were putting a damper on his reputation. He couldn't continue to hang out with her like this, especially if her sister was there.
How could someone so cute have such a nerdy sister, he thought to himself. Girls coming to PCA was supposed to be his time to become a big player, not become a cute girl's boyfriend. He couldn't find himself being a boyfriend, not when there were so many cute girls on campus.
"Have a nice nap," he said chuckling as Aurora has already almost drifted off, exhausted from her crying. Aurora turned the other way and his way to the showers, not being able to stop thinking about the predicament he was in.
ϟ
Michael and Chase stood over Aurora's sleeping body, both confused out of their minds. Neither of them had ever been around a girl in their own bedroom, let alone a sleeping one.
"What's going on," Chase whispered. Michael looked back at him just as confused, "how would I kno- Do you think her and Logan d-"
Chase scoffed, "with us here? No Logan wo- we'll he would but Aurora wouldn't.. plus isn't it a little early for that?"
Michael shrugged, "I wouldn't know."
"Do we wake her?"
"How many times do I have to say I don't kno-"
Aurora blinked her eyes opened to see the two boys standing over her, forgetting where she was she screamed to the top of her lungs causing the two boys to also scream and grab each other in fear.
She stopped when remembering where she was and what happened, she sat up and laughed, "sorry guys, I didn't mean to scare you."
"What're you doing here," Chase asked. Aurora raised an eyebrow confused which made Michael elaborate, "he means what're you doing in our room?"
"Oh," Aurora giggled as she stood up, the boys stepping aside, she suddenly became shy and embarrassed realizing what had actually happened. They hadn't don't anything other than her sleeping but this still felt incredibly intimate, she couldn't pin point why.
"Um.. I got into a fight with my sister, ran into Logan, and he kinda let me crash here for a few hours," she said as her face grew hot and red.
"Is that all you did," Michael asked wiggling his eyebrows causing her face to turn more red, "y-yes. I gotta go!"
ϟ
Aurora walked into the student lounge to see Zoey and Chase playing foosball. She walked up to them interrupting their conversation to talk to Zoey, "hey Zoey can we talk?"
"Uh sure," Zoey smiled and stopped playing to let Aurora talk, "hey where'd you go this morning? I got worried."
"Oh I wa-"
"She was in my dorm on our couch," Chase said causing Aurora to blush again.
"What," Zoey asked raising an eyebrow, Aurora ran a hand through her hair, "I ran into Logan and he let me sleep on their couch to let off some steam."
"Hmm," Chase and Zoey both said teasing her, her face getting more red, "you two are jerks."
"Anyways.. Zoey I wanted to apologize for Quinn this morning, she has boundary issues. I know she meant well," Aurora stated, "I hope you're not mad at me."
"No of course not, but honestly living in your dorm with your sister is weird."
"I get it."
"Maybe you should just move back in with Nicole and Dana, I bet they miss you," Chase suggested. Zoey shook her head, "they're happier without me.. guess I'm stuck with Quinn and her quinventions."
"Quinvention?"
"Oh that's the name of my sisters inventions," Aurora piped in, "she combined her name with the word inventions, cute huh?"
"That's quinsane," Chase said causing Aurora to push him playfully, "oh hush, leave her be."
"Also Chase I'm sorry for screaming this morning, you guys scared me," Aurora said smiling and he shook his head, "it's no problem."
"What happened this morning," Zoey asked. Aurora was about to respond but then she saw Michael walking behind Zoey in the hallway.
"I'll see you guys later," she said as she ran towards Michael.
"Hey Michael wait up," she called out as she caught up to him.
"Oh hey Rory!"
"Hi, I wanted to apologize for scaring you this morning, I kinda get amnesia when I first wake up," she giggled as they walked. Michael laughed, "no problem Rory, you sleep in our dorm all you want."
"Thanks."
"Talking about our dorm, I'm on my way there now to study with Logan," he said in a girl voice, "wanna come along?"
"Sure why not?"
ϟ
"Other than Hawaii and California, name three states that border an ocean," Aurora asked the two boys as she sat crisscross applesauce on a desk chair next to Logan. Logan thought for a second before saying, "Uh let's see, don't know, not sure, and just don't care," he said causing the other two to laugh.
"Do you want to study or watch tv," Michael asked Logan. Logan scoffed, "watch tv."
"Eh me too," Michael said putting his own book down. Aurora rolled her eyes and put her own book down, "be right back," Michael said getting up and heading out to the bathroom, leaving the two in the room alone.
Aurora looked over at Logan who looked upset, she furrowed her eyebrows before talking, "are you okay Logan?"
"Yeah," he nodded, "um.. what're you doing here though?"
"Oh.. I was just hanging out, do you not want me here?"
"No no, it's not that.. I thought you were gonna make up with your sister?"
"Ah," Aurora fully turned towards him, "I don't know.. we've never really fought like this before."
"It wasn't really a fight, you just left without talking," he pointed out making Aurora groan, "you're right.."
"Of course I am.. Look I don't have siblings so I never have had something like this happen to me but what I do know is that being an only child can get really lonely."
Aurora's face softened at that, she had never seen Logan be this vulnerable, even on the night they shared pizza.
"I think you should go and talk to her.. make up you know? It's important to keep something like that.. strong I guess."
Aurora smiled, "you're right, once again," she smiled softly, "I'll go to her now."
She got up, "thanks Logan," and with that she was on her way to her own dorm.
ϟ
Aurora took a deep breath before opening the door to her dorm to see Quinn playing with acid and Zoey trying to study and stared at Quinn in fear, Cindy was clapping as Quinn nodded in pleasure. Aurora groaned making the three girls shoot their gazes towards her, "Ror, I was so worried," Quinn said as she ran towards her.
Aurora backed up not wanting to get hit with the acid, "woah don't kill me," she laughed softly.
"Anyways I think we all should talk."
"About what," Cindy asked defensively. Zoey sighed getting up and leaving. Aurora sat on her bed, "I think we should lay down some ground rules."
"But everything is fine the way it is," Quinn said with a large smile as she disposed off the rotted steak.
"You're terrifying my only friend that isn't Cindy," Aurora said sharply. She sighed before regaining her usual cheeriness.
"I think we should decide that you only do experiments when you get permission from that person."
"But people don't always say yes."
"Then leave those people alone. Cindy doesn't mind you doing them so I can come to terms with that fact."
Cindy nodded, "I am your test subject, Quinny."
Quinn still looked upset, "one test subject is not enough."
"Well stop scaring Zoey so much, if she doesn't want to be experimented on there's no reason she should be, Quinn. You know what consent is so stop acting so dumb."
"Ugh dumb?"
"You're the smartest person I know but you have to read the social cues, Zoey screaming because she's scared? Not okay. Cindy smiling as you probe and poke her? That's fine."
"Okay I guess," Quinn sighed, "all that matters is that you're back," she smiled which made the other two girls smile and hug her.
ϟ
"And apparently things are going really well for them," Aurora exclaimed. The next day had came and almost gone, and Aurora was in a lot better mood. She was walking with Logan on their way to get dinner and telling him how the day before had gone.
Zoey and Quinn came to an understanding and the group as a whole decided Zoey should move out. Zoey had told Aurora how well things went this morning by getting some quinventions from Quinn.
"Well that's really good, what exactly are you thinking about for dinner? Sushi?"
"Eww.." Aurora pretended to throw up, "Logan one thing you gotta learn about me if we're gonna be best friends is that I absolutely hate sushi."
･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: END OF CHAPTER :･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
hey readers! i hope you enjoyed this chapter! before we go on to the next chapter here's some end of chapter questions:
1. did you like this chapter?
2. favorite part of chapter?
3. how do you feel about michael and rory's friendship? i really want to have them be platonically close.
4. how do you feel about aurora and logan's relationship so far? and what are your expectations for it now?
5. extra comments and critiques!
please don't forget to vote, comment, share, & follow me!! see you in the next chapter!