"Algebra is a crucial life skill that should be well-understood. It prepares us for statistics and calculus by going beyond fundamental math," the professor proclaimed as gesticulating, making him come across as a very energetic and warm person.

I prefer to sit in the back row of the lecture hall since it allows me to better examine my surroundings. What I didn't realize was that late students preferred to sneak in and grab a rear seat.

In a hurry, a guy crouched halfway as he took his seat. Next to me. The guy was close to fitting in, but not quite. He wore a Hawaiian shirt with kaki brown shorts and a white vest underneath the shirt.

I mean I guess he'd fit in, in Miami.

His brown hair was not short, but not long either, with some kinks, and despite its messiness, it appeared well managed. His eyes were a dark oak colour with a cheerful glimmer to it

This guy would be completed if he had a fucking ukulele.

He looked a bit older than me, around 25 I would guess. His beard was neatly trimmed, leaving his moustache a bit longer than the rest of his beard.

I ignored him as he rummaged through his bag for a book, keeping my gaze fixated on the professor. I quickly moved the book toward him, keeping a good distance between us, as he leaned down to check on whatever page we were on.

"Thanks, I'm Bryan," he said with a cheerful smile as he flipped through his book.

I immediately noticed his American accent, specifically, his Floridian accent. But, there was no Southernness in his dialect...

This guy really is from Miami.

"Very courageous," I nodded in compliment to his name.

"Ah, nah bro, I'm not a very curious person," he said as he let out a chuckle.

Looks like someone lost a few brain cells.

The lecture felt like I'd been sitting there for hours upon hours. I didn't exactly find algebra challenging and often dozed off thinking about much more important things. I didn't intend on thinking about Sam's stalker, but it made me curious as to who it could be.

Is he an outsider? A student? Is he in this class?

The lecturer quickly dismissed us, his powerful voice jolting me out of my reverie. I waited patiently for the students to leave and noticed that Bryan had remained in his seat. I gave him a short glance before swiftly grabbing my backpack. He did the same and followed me out the door.

"So, what's your name?" Bryan asked casually as he walked beside me.

"Wolf."

"Now that's a hardcore name!" he said boastfully as he punched my arm.

"Don't fucking touch me," I snapped as I clenched his wrist in my arm.

"Noted," he obeyed as he nodded his head with a smile on his face.

Bryan came to a halt in front of his door, two rooms away from mine. With a surprised look on his face, he glanced over at me and exclaimed with joy, "hey! You're roommates with Ben, he's my homie!"

"Do you know where he is? He hasn't returned since he went to Arlo last night," I asked as I pushed open my door revealing an empty room.

"Nah, bro. But that Arlo has Ben around that sneaky pinky of his," Bryan said with a grin, but also with a slightly concerned tone of voice as he walked into his room.

Having a lot of money comes with its pros and cons. When the need to spend money comes, my inner penny pincher clutches at my gut. 'Cheapskate', and 'stingy', are some of the terms people use to describe me back in the film industry. But they don't get it; they don't comprehend my anxiety as I watch my money disappear. Money is a form of security, but spending it is a form of insecurity. Frugal is the only term that comes close to sounding reasonable, making it sound like a prudent decision rather than a compulsion that takes the fun out of every purchase. I envy individuals that have nice things because they buy them and enjoy them.

Look, I know when and how to spend my money; believe me, I won't flush my fucking shower water down the toilet, but when it comes to major purchases, such as a car or a home, I consider three factors: Is it feasible? Do I need it? Is it going to cost more money in the long run? All of these factors cross my mind as I look for a vehicle on the internet. I've always wanted a Jeep Wrangler since it's dependable and low-maintenance. The Wrangler Rubicon initially drew my eye. Its large wheels gave it height, which I needed given my tall stature, plus they keep their value better than any other car out there. It is initially costly, but in the long term, it will save you more money.

Because of the perks, it wasn't a difficult decision to make, although my inner self did scream a little as I opened my bank account. By ordering a car online, I can avoid the public nuisance that is referred to as 'car salesmen'. They just rub me the wrong way and talk way too much.

A distant chatter approached my room as I closed up my laptop and placed it under my bed. The door swung open revealing Ben laughing and greeting another person down the hall.

"I heard you met Bryan," he smiled as he threw a pair of trainers next to his bed.

"Yeah, he's in my algebra class," I replied leaning back against the wall on my bed.

"He's cool, I'm glad he's back," Ben boasted as he took out his phone and started texting someone.

"Back? What do you mean?" I asked intriguingly.

"When we were in the first year, he got into a pretty bad accident, he was gone for like two years before returning," Ben responded, still typing away on his phone. "You two will actually get along well, he's also from America," he added.

"I've noticed. What type of accident was he in?" I asked, wanting to know more about this guy.

"He fell off the back of a pickup truck driving around 120 kilometres per hour," he said as he placed his phone on his dresser.

80 miles per hour... It's a damn miracle he's alive.

"He seems much older than us," I noted.

"He's three years older than me, so 25," Ben mentioned. "Anyways, is it okay if Arlo comes off later?"

Is it okay? Of course, it's not okay.

"No, I don't like other people in our room," I sternly let out as I scooted to the edge of the bed.

"But it's Arlo, why can't he come over?" Ben asked with a confused frown on his face.

"I don't trust him, and quite frankly don't want him near you or me," I growled, feeling my stomach turn.

"What? He's my boyfriend! Are you a homophobe or something?" he snapped out of anger.

"Being a homophobe and being suspicious about a person are two completely different things," I said with an angry expression on my face as I slowly walked closer to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he said as he cowardly moved a step back. "If you don't want people over, I'll respect that."

"Thank you," I said with a serious tone of voice.

He quickly grabbed his phone and walked out sheepishly after that. I could tell I was upsetting him, but I said it out of worry. There's a lot more to learn about Arlo. I certainly don't wish that the mountain lion sneak up behind the stag and use its strong jaws to crack down on its neck.