Xylie's POV

For the past seventeen weeks, Mike has studied hard for the Scare Final. I to have studied hard for my final. We both have been keeping our grades up. Both getting A+s. I ended up joining Greek full time and now have a jacket. Many guys have tried to woo me. Mainly Johnny, Chip and Sulley. I've ignored them all, but Sulley still won't get out my mind for some reason. Claire says it's a crush, but I refuse to believe that.

"You nervous?" I ask Mike as I walk with him and Randy to their class. My final isn't until after theirs. So I got permission to watch theirs.

"No, I have it in the bag" he assures me. "You nervous for yours?" he asks.

"A little" I admit.

"Don't worry, you'll be great" he assures me. As we ascend the stairs. We passed Sulley his group along the way. From the corner of my eye I notice Johnny take Sully's jacket from him. I move my hair from my ear to eavesdrop.

"Hey, wait, what are you gonna...?" Sulley asks confused.

"It's just a precaution. ROR's are the best scarers on campus, Sullivan. Can't have a member getting shown up by a beach ball" Johnny tells him. I scowl and follow Mike.

"Everything ok?" Mike asks me.

"Everything is fine" I assure him. "Good luck" I say and go sit with Claire. Soon all the scare students are present along with some others who wanted to watch.

"Today's final will judge your ability to assess a child's fear, and perform the appropriate scare. In the scare simulator" Prof Knight states. Behind him, the wall opens up, and the students see it looks like a child's bedroom. Knight points to a small panel. "The child's sensitivity level will be raised from bed wetter to heavy sleeper. So give it everything you've got" he tells us. "Dean Hardscrabble is with us this morning to see who will be moving on in the scaring program, and who will not" he states.

The Dean gently dusts off her canister, then glances at the scare students. "Let's get started. I'm a five year old afraid of spiders and Santa Claus. Which scare do you use?" Professor Knight asks. A few students raise their hands and he gestures to one of them.

"That's a seasonal creep-and-crawl?" he says unsure. As the Dean flew around the room.

"Demonstrate" Professor Knight says gesturing to the scare simulator. The student entered it and did so. The scream can fills half way. "Results will be posted outside my office" he states. Another student goes to the simulator and I notice Mike still reading.

"You know, you could do so much better my girl" Johnny says as he sits beside me. With his group. I roll my eyes.

"I'll always stand by my friends Johnny" I tell him. "Besides Mike will pass this final" I state.

"Care to place a wager on it?" he asks me.

"I don't bet" I tell him.

"Oh, afraid you'll lose?" he asks tauntingly.

"Fine, when I win you and your group leave me alone" I tell him.

"When I win, you join ROR" he tells me. I give him a look.

"Fine, but it'll never happen" I state. "Mike will beat Sulley and I'll be free of you" I tell him. Suddenly we hear a commission downstairs. We look to see Mike and Sulley tossing roars back and forth, steadily getting louder. "Oh no" I say as I get up to go stop them.

But I was to late. Sulley tripped over a fallen book, and begins to fall backwards. He bumps into the Dean's beloved Scream Canister. It falls onto the ground, and a powerful scream explodes from it. The canister flies around the room. I duck it. Once it rolls to a stop at the feet of Sulley and Mike. The Dean lands hard behind them. She picks up the destroyed canister, and walks past the duo.

"I'm so sorry" Mike tells her.

"It was an accident" Sulley adds.

"What? This? My one souvenir from a lifetime of scaring. Accidents happen, don't they? Important thing is, no one got hurt" the Dean states.

"You're taking this remarkably well" Mike says.

"Now, let's continue with the exam. Mr. Wazowski. I'm a 5 year old girl on a farm in Kansas afraid of lightning. Which scare do you use?" she asks Mike.

"Shouldn't I go up on..." Mike starts to ask gesturing to the simulator.

"Which scare do you use?" she asks him.

"That is a shadow approach with a crackle holler" he answers.

"Demonstrate" she tells him. He goes to do so and she stops him. "Stop. Thank you" she says.

"I didn't get to..." Mike starts to say.

"I've seen enough" she tells him. She turns to Sulley. "All right, fine. I'm a 7 year old boy..." she starts to say and Sulley roars at her. "I wasn't finished" she tells him.

"I don't need to know any of that stuff to scare" he says cockily.

"That 'stuff' would've informed you that this particular child is afraid of snakes. So a Roar wouldn't make him scream, it would make him cry, alerting his parents, exposing the monster world, destroying life as we know it" she explains. "And of course we can't have that. So I cannot recommend that you continue in the Scare Program. Good day" she says.

"Wait, what? But I'm a Sullivan" he says shocked. I notice ROR leave.

"Well, then. I'm sure your family will be very disappointed" she states. He storms out of the room. She turns to Mike. "And Mr. Wazowski? What you lack, is something that cannot be taught. You're not scary. You will not be continuing in the Scaring Program" she tells him.

"No" I say feeling sad for my best friend.

"Please... let me try the simulator. I'll surprise you" he pleads.

"Surprise me? I doubt that very much" she states and leaves. I head over to Mike.

"Lets go" I tell him placing an arm around his shoulders. He nods his head sadly. I lead him out of the room. Away from everyone.

A/n

Picture above of the Dean Hardscrabble with her prized broken Scream Canister.