~NEW BEGINNINGS~

~Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight~

- Proverbs 3:5-6

Song - ANTI-HERO by Taylor Swift

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A month later, Aubrey stepped out of the sleek black sedan, his eyes fixed on the sprawling college before him.

Stanford University.

His mother, leaned over from the driver's seat, her voice low and urgent.

"Aubrey, remember what I told you. You need to keep your head down and focus on your studies. No more partying, no more basketball, no more fighting. You're here to get an education and make something of yourself."

Aubrey nodded, his jaw clenched in annoyance. He knew his mother's lecture was coming from a place of concern, but he couldn't help feeling suffocated by her constant interference.

"I got it," he said, his tone curt. "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

Emily's eyes narrowed, her expression skeptical. "I can't believe my baby will be all alone now."

Aubrey rolled his eyes with a loud groan escaping his lips. Just as he feared his mom quietly sniffled, blowing snot into a tissue.

Aubrey reluctantly slid back into his seat and wrapped his arms around Emily. "C'mon momma, please don't cry for the umpteenth time again today. You should be happy, it's your dream for me to go to college, innit?"

"I know baby, but I can't help it. The house will feel so empty." She sniffled again, blowing more snot into the tissue and wiping the back of her hand on her nose.

"I'll be back for Christmas, quit acting like I'm dying," he said, rubbing his mom's arm.

After sitting down there for about thirty minutes, trying to console his mom, Emily finally got a grip on herself.

"Remember to focus okay? And I'll be calling you from time to time, to check in."

Aubrey slammed the car door shut, his mother's words still echoing in his ears. He took a deep breath, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside him. Excitement, nervousness, and a hint of rebellion all battled for dominance as he gazed out at the unfamiliar campus.

Emily opened the car booth so Aubrey could get his suitcases. She helped him get some out, then Aubrey carried the rest.

Before trundling his suitcases, Aubrey faced Emily with a sigh. This was the first time he'd be staying away from his mom, so he couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.

He embraced his mom, wrapping his arms around her shoulder. Emily who was trying so hard to compose herself, wrapped her arms around Aubrey's waist and she settled her head in the crook of his neck.

"No, I'm not gonna cry again," Emily mumbled, pulling out of the hug. "Just get going already." She sniffled.

Aubrey smiled, feeling a mix of emotions himself. He knew this was a big step for both of them, but he was ready to spread his wings and start this new chapter of his life.

"A'ight, Momma," Aubrey said, using the nickname he reserved just for her. "I'll get going. But promise me you'll be okay?"

Emily nodded, forcing a smile onto her face. "I'll be fine, baby. Just focus on your studies and make me proud."

"I will, Ma. I promise."

With one last hug, Aubrey picked up his suitcases and began to trundle them towards the dorm building. Emily watched him go, her eyes welling up with tears once again.

As Aubrey disappeared into the crowd of students, Emily took a deep breath and let the tears flow. She knew this was a big milestone for Aubrey, and she was proud of the young man he was becoming. But it was hard to let go, even if it was just for a little while.

With a shrug, Aubrey slung his backpack over his shoulder and set off towards the student union building. He had a map of the campus tucked away in his pocket, but he was determined to explore and get a feel for the place on his own.

As he walked, Aubrey couldn't help but notice the curious glances from his fellow students. He was used to being the center of attention, but there was something different about the way people looked at him here. Maybe it was the fact that he was no longer the star player, or maybe it was the fact that he was starting fresh in a new place.

Aubrey's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter and music drifting from the student union building. He followed the noise, his curiosity piqued.

As he stepped inside, Aubrey was immediately struck by the vibrant atmosphere. Students of all shapes and sizes milled about, chatting and laughing with one another. There were tables set up with flyers and brochures, and a live band played in the corner, their music infectious and energetic.

As he made his way through the throngs of people, Aubrey couldn't help but notice the girls. They were everywhere, laughing and smiling and looking like they were having the time of their lives.

Aubrey's eyes landed on a petite blonde with a bright smile and sparkling blue eyes. She was standing by the coffee machine, chatting with a group of friends.

Aubrey felt a sudden jolt of attraction, and he found himself walking towards the blonde, a charming smile spreading across his face.

But just as he was about to reach her side, Aubrey's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a text from his mother.

"Hey, baby. Just checking in to make sure you're doing okay. Don't forget to attend your classes and stay out of trouble."

Aubrey rolled his eyes, feeling a surge of frustration. Could his mother not just leave him alone for one day? It wasn't even up to thirty minutes yet!

He mouthed his response while typing, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "Hey, Momma. I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Aubrey hit send, then turned his attention back to the blonde. But she was gone, vanished into the crowd.

Aubrey brushed that off and sauntered to the office to get his room number and some other requirements needed.

As he walked into the office, he was greeted by a friendly face. "Hi there! Welcome to Stanford. I'm ResLife Coordinator, Ms. Patel. How can I help you?"

Aubrey flashed a charming smile. "Wassup, Ms. Patel. I'm Aubrey. I'm a freshman here. I need to get my room assignment and some other stuff."

Ms. Patel nodded, typing away on her computer. "Alright, Aubrey. Let me just check a few things. Okay, it looks like you're assigned to room 304 in the Lagunita Court dorm. You don't have a roommate yet, but you will, soon. Because your room is the last vacant room for the semester."

Aubrey nodded, taking the printed sheet of paper and key from Ms. Patel. "Cool, thanks."

Ms. Patel smiled. "If you're finding anything difficult, I'm right here to help."

Aubrey grinned, tucking the paper into his pocket. "Thanks, Ms. Patel. I appreciate it."

Ms. Patel handed him a thick packet of papers. "Here's some more information about campus life, academic policies, and emergency procedures. Take some time to read through it, okay?"

Aubrey nodded, taking the packet. "Will do, thanks."

With his room assignment and other requirements taken care of, Aubrey left the office, feeling more settled and ready to start his college journey.

              ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Sophie stepped out of the car and onto the sun-kissed pavement, her eyes widening in awe. The Stanford University campus stretched out before her, a tapestry of sandstone buildings, emerald lawns, and towering palm trees.

"Wow," she breathed, her shoulders relaxing in excitement. This was it - her new home for the next four years.

Perhaps.

"Here's the last one," Julian Saint announced, getting Sophie's last suitcase out of the car booth.

"Thanks for the ride," Sophie said, dragging her suitcases to her side. "I really appreciate."

Julian smiled, giving Sophie a warm handshake. "You're going to do great things here, Sophie."

Sophie smiled back, feeling a mix of emotions: excitement for the new adventure ahead, but also a pang of gratitude towards Julian for being a supportive boss. "Thanks, Mr Saint. I really appreciate everything you've done for me. Including paying my tuition fee."

"Don't embarrass me, Sophie. We're family now, remember? And family's do stuffs for each other, right?"

Sophie flashed a small smile, staring at Julian in perplexion. His kindness just seems a little bit. . . off. Sophie's eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to read Julian's expression. His words were laced with a warmth and familiarity that made her feel like she was part of something special, but at the same time, it felt. . . calculated. Like he was trying to make her feel a certain way.

"Right," Sophie said slowly. She felt a shiver run down her spine as Julian's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze intense and unnerving.

Julian's smile faltered for a moment, before he recovered and clapped Sophie on the back. "Alright, kiddo. I'll let you get settled. You've got my number if you need anything, okay?"

Sophie nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as Julian turned to leave. She watched him walk back to his car, her mind racing with questions. What did Julian mean by "family"? And why did his kindness feel so. . . conditional?

As Julian drove away, Sophie shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She had more important things to worry about, like getting settled into her dorm and starting classes. She took a deep breath, shouldering her backpack and grabbing her suitcases. Time to start this new chapter of her life.

She knocked on the office door, and a warm voice called out, "Come in!"

Sophie pushed open the door and stepped inside. A friendly-looking woman with a kind smile looked up from behind the desk.

"Hi there! Welcome to Stanford. I'm Ms. Patel, the ResLife Coordinator. How can I help you?"

Sophie smiled. "Hi, Ms. Patel. I'm Sophie. I'm a freshman here. I just arrived and I'm not sure what to do next."

"Well, Sophie, you're in the right place. Let me just check a few things..."

She typed away on her computer, then smiled at Sophie. "Okay, I've got you all set. You're assigned to room 304 in the Lagunita Court dorm. You'll be sharing with a. . . roommate."

Sophie's eyes widened in surprise, but she smiled politely. "That sounds great, thank you."

Ms. Patel handed Sophie a thick packet of papers. "Here's some information about campus life, academic policies, and emergency procedures. Take some time to read through it, okay?"

Sophie nodded, taking the packet. "Okay, thanks."

Ms. Patel smiled, handing Sophie her keys. "You're welcome, Sophie. If you have any questions or need any help, don't hesitate to reach out. We're always here to support you."

Sophie smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Ms. Patel. "Thanks again, Ms. Patel. I really appreciate it."
She took the keys from Ms Patel and walked out of the office.

As she made her way through the bustling campus, Sophie couldn't help but wonder what the next few months had in store for her. She had worked hard to get here, and it felt amazing to have it all pay off.

After a few minutes of wandering, Sophie arrived at the Student Affairs office. She had scheduled a meeting with the Dean of Students to discuss her plans to work part-time off-campus.

Inside the office, Sophie was greeted by the friendly face of Dean Thompson. "Sophie, congratulations on your admission to Stanford. We're thrilled to have you on board."

Sophie smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr Dean. I'm really excited to be here."

Dean Thompson nodded, gesturing for Sophie to take a seat. "I understand you're planning to work part-time off-campus. Can you tell me a bit more about that?"

Sophie nodded, telling him all about her part time jobs. Dean Thompson nodded thoughtfully, listening to her.

"I see. Well, we do allow students to work off-campus, but we do require that you maintain a minimum GPA and prioritize your academic responsibilities."

Sophie nodded eagerly. "Absolutely, Mr Dean. I completely understand. I'm committed to my studies, and I'm confident I can balance my work and academic responsibilities."

Dean Thompson smiled, nodding in approval. "Excellent. Well, in that case, we'll need to fill out some paperwork."

When all that was done, Sophie trundled her suitcases to room 304, Lagunita Court dorm.

On her way, she bumped into someone accidentally; a girl. The girl stumbled backwards, and Sophie tried to hold her hand to prevent her from falling, but things got out of hands.

The brunette fell on her behind, causing her luggages fall and open, revealing her clothes. Instead of being helped up, others cachinnated at her misfortune.

Sophie bit her fingernails, stretching her hand to offer the brunette help. "Here, let me help you -"

"Don't touch me!" The brunette growled, flinging Sophie's hand away.

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