**Sang**

When I walk into my dorm room it looks like a tornado blew through; and judging from the grunts coming from the closet, that tornados name was Kayli. I'd gotten use to Kayli's form of getting dressed from living with her for the last month but this was ridiculous. Her clothes were covering every surface available.

"Um Kayli," I say as I close the door. A grunt is the only response I get. "What are you doing?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing!" she exclaims. "I'm looking for an outfit!"

I walk over the piles of clothes to go sit on my bed. "Anything I can help you with?" I ask her, more like anything I can do to see my bed again.

"Yea! You can start by looking through your closet for something to wear."

"Why's that?"

"Because we my friend," She says coming out of her closet with a smile on her face "are going out tonight."

"What? Why?" I ask, feeling slightly annoyed that I'll have to change my plans.

"We got invited to a party tonight across campus." She answers as she dodges around her clothes to come sit next to me. "Come on it'll be fun."

"Why do I have to go?" I ask slightly exasperated.

"Because I'm not going by myself, and I'll be dammed if I let you miss an invite to an Academy party."

"You know someone in The Academy?"

"Yea, that guy Marc in our Japanese class, he's in a few of my other classes. While you were rushing off to your business class he came up and told me about it. Said it was a requirement for all Academy teams and that it wouldn't be so bad with something to distract him." She gives me a sly wink after she says this. "Anyway, I wouldn't mind being eye candy for a hot guy if that means I get invited to a party thrown by the biggest organization on campus. Thus we are going!" She says, slowing down each word to let me know that there will be no debating this.

"Ok, fine, we're going. But what's wrong with what I have on now?" I ask as I look down at myself. I have on a light pink t-shirt, with dark blue boot cut jeans and my black and white converse.

"Because you look like you're going to be lounging around campus all day, INSTEAD of looking like you're going to what is probably going to be one of THE hottest parties of the year!" she exclaims. "Now! Help me find something to wear."

"Fine, but only if you clean up this mess."

"Deal." She replies with a satisfied look on her face.

After helping her pick an outfit, I tell her that I'm going to go take a shower and expect to be able to see my bed when I return. While I'm washing my hair I think about how my life has changed so much in just one short month. Before arriving here, I wouldn't have dreamed I'd be invited to a party, much less a party by the biggest social group to ever walk the earth. Everyone knows that The Academy has a far reach, it's said that once you're a member the possibilities are endless. That's one of the reason's I chose to come here, only the biggest universities have an Academy chapter in most states. I figured I'd try and get on their radar somehow after my first year but this never even occurred as a possibility. The Academy doesn't just let anyone into their circle, and it's so top secret that you don't even know you're up for consideration until you're practically in. To even be invited to one of their parties you have to know someone on the inside. I never even knew Marc was a member; not that I've actually talked to him or anything, but he's usually an active participant in our Japanese class. I suppose super smart would be on the list of Academy requirements.

I turn off the water after I've gotten all the conditioner out and wrap my towel around my body while leaving my hair dripping down my back, I'll just dry it when I get back to the room. I pick up my clothes and shower pack from the bench and walk out the door. I have my head down while I walk, trying to secure my towel while keeping my clothes from getting wet, and bump right into a hard frame. Taking a deep breath getting ready to apologize, I recognize the scent of sweet spice and look up into his gorgeous green eyes.

"Oh! Kota I am so so sorry." I apologize while taking a step back.

"Hey Sang, it's ok really. I should've been paying attention." He responds while gently grabbing my arm to stead me.

Somehow, I highly doubt he wasn't paying attention. More like trying to save me from further embarrassment. I know Kota from a few of my classes and he's always paying attention, he's like the smartest kid in all three of the classes we share. Kota is definitely what Kayli would call nerd hot, he has light brown hair and a slim frame. I suppose the black frame glasses he wears would make people assume that he's just an ordinary nerd; I don't know many nerds who have rippling muscles hiding beneath their clothes, which I can tell he does from our collision.

"No big." I reply, "Probably my fault for thinking too hard." I say with a laugh.

He smiles at this and asks, "What exactly has you thinking so hard?"

I wave my hand in dismissal and say "Just this party Kayli's making me go to tonight across campus." I have no idea if he's in The Academy or if he's even invited so I try and play it safe. Although with his killer grades and drop dead looks it would surprise me if he wasn't. I mean it seriously seems like another requirement, no wonder Kayli was invited.

"You mean The Academy party?" See I think to myself. "I was actually going to invite you myself after class this morning but you always zoom out." He says with a laugh.

I giggle, "Yeah, sorry about that. I have a class right after across campus and I always try to get a good seat." I reply with a shy smile.

"No harm done." He says with a smile; he has an amazing smile. "I guess I'll see you there?"

"Yeah, definitely." I say with a smile of my own.

"Great, until then."

"Bye." I say as he continues walking to what I assume is his dorm room. I shake my head of my musing and continue my walk to my own room. This whole party thing has definitely gotten better in my opinion.

After my shower Kayli helped me pick out an outfit that would be, and I quote "Academy hotness worthy", her words not mine. While Kayli might not be boy crazy, she does know how to attract one, which is more than I can say about myself. Never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, so that answers your next question. Yup, still a virgin. Between my step-mother's hateful words and her even worse punishment, making friends wasn't really on my agenda, much less dating. With the outfit Kayli picked out for me, I think she's trying to change that.

After endless critiques on my wardrobe, along with the promise of another shopping trip once we get some cash, we finally settled on an outfit and went down to the café for a quick bite before having to get ready. It's 5:30 when we get to the café, the party starts at 9. Kayli says that we should start getting ready by 7 so that we can leave at 9, she doesn't want to be the first ones there, which I suppose makes sense. Kayli orders a bacon cheese burger with the works and a side of fries with a coke, for someone as slim as she is you wouldn't think that she eats as much as she does. You'd be wrong. I order a grilled chicken Caesar salad with a sprite. Now let me stop your train of thought there, no I am not one of those girls who constantly watches her weight and only has salad for every meal of the day, I've just never had much of an appetite. Probably a side effect from not eating much for fear of my mother complaining about eating all of the food in the house, but I digress.

As soon as we get our food we find an open table by the windows and start discussing options for hair and make-up. Neither one of us has ever really obsessed about how we look, but Kayli says that we need to make a good impression so that we can get invited to more events. Something about breaking up the monotony of classes and homework. As she's trying to decide whether she would prefer her hair up or down a throat clearing catches our attention.

Victor and Corey are standing by our table with slightly amused looks on their faces. Victor and Corey are also in our Japanese class, along with Marc who invited Kayli to the party. They both have slim builds but Victor is a little slimmer in the hips, and slightly taller than Kayli. He has wavy brown hair and beautiful brown eyes that look like they contain a raging fire. I now understand the term 'fire eyes', because that's exactly what Victor has. Corey is about a head taller than I am, give or take, with short dirty blond hair and beautiful cerulean blue eyes.

"Hello Sang, Kayli." Victor says while nodding his head in our direction.

"Kayli, Sang." Corey says in greeting.

"Hey guys." Kayli says with a smile towards Corey.

"Hi." I say while smiling at Victor.

"Marc told me he invited you to the party tonight." Says Corey, "I'll assume since we caught you girls talking about hair options you've decided to go?"

"Yeah, I'll be there." Kayli says while flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"What about you Sang?" Victor asks me.

"Oh, yeah, I'm coming." I say to him with a smile. Victor's fire eyes go from a low simmer to a blazing fire at my response, I'll assume that's a good thing.

He confirms my beliefs by responding with a smile saying "Good, I guess we'll see you ladies there then."

"K, see ya." Kayli says.

As they start to walk away Corey turns to Kayli and says "Oh, and by the way Kayli, I think you should wear your hair down." With that he turns back to Victor and they walk out of the café.

"Ohmygod did you see that? He was totally flirting with you!" Kayli exclaims.

"What!? Who? Victor? No way he was just being polite." I deny her claims.

"No way girly, he was so flirting with you. Trust me I know these things."

"Doubt it, not possible."

"Yes possible, and that outfit tonight will definitely turn more heads than just pretty boy Victor."

"Why would he possibly be flirting with me? I'm just me, plain old Sang."

"No, you were plain old Sang, now you're hot college Sang and don't ever forget it!"

"Sir yes sir." I say playfully while giving her a mock solute.

"Damn straight solider." She replies, which makes us both die laughing, earning us some evil looks coming from those around us for the noise. Seriously though, what do you expect from college kids?

We finish up our lunch with more hair and make-up talk, centered on me now and then clean up to head back to our dorm. I still highly doubt that Victor was flirting with me, but I am a little excited at the thought of possibly seeing him at the party. Thoughts of tonight just keeps getting better and better.