Carlie grimaced as she finally dragged her last bag up the stairwell, a loud sigh leaving her chest as she now dragged it down the hallway as she had no energy left to carry it. The plastic corners at the bottom of her bag scrapped against the old, dull brown carpet and steel-toe boots made a thud with each step she took. She knew she wouldn't be allowed to wear them once the school year officially started, so she was taking advantage of it now.

She fumbled with her keys for a moment, brushing back her now dyed brown hair as she pushed the key into the lock and turned it, letting herself into her room. She noticed humming coming from the door separating the sinks and bedroom and realized her roommate was already in. "Great, I don't even get any peace and quiet." She grunted to herself, gently nudging the door open with her foot and she didn't bother looking at her dorm mate, figuring she looked identical to every other girl on this campus. Once you've seen one, you've seen them all. But it was when she heard a gentle clinking of chains that she looked up and that's when it happened. Carlie's heart caught in her throat.

She didn't even register what the girl said to her, too caught up in how attractive she was. Short, deep brown hair cut into a pixie style, bangs gently swooped to the left and falling just short of the most bright ice blue eyes Carlie had ever seen in her life. She was pale and dotted in freckles from what Carlie could imagine was head-to-toe if the freckles over her cheeks, shoulders and arms were any indication. She wore a short and slightly tattered Ron Zomba tank and black, shredded Jinkos jeans over fishnets and beaten up Adidoodas. She looked like a model straight out of an early 2000s punk fashion magazine and Carlie couldn't look away.

She finally snapped to reality as the girl waved at her, her voice sweet as honey and with an accent Carlie couldn't pinpoint, "Hello? Earth to my roommate!" Brown eyes blinked as she finally registered the girl was talking to her and she straightened up, "Sorry, I zoned out."
The girl frowned lightly, a brow cocking with a soft, "Ooookay.... Well, I asked your name! I'm April, I'm your roommate this year!" She held out a hand to Carlie, her smile not matching her appearance at all.

Carlie reached for her hand, now noting various silver rings donning the pale digits as she shook it, "Carlie Swedson. I don't know if I've ever seen you before, are you a freshman?"

"Yeah, actually! April MacRae! I'm an exchange student from Scotland!" She beamed, turning to continue unpacking though didn't turn her back on Carlie as she kept talking, "My mother decided to send me here since the schools back home were kind of... Well, crap." She looked over at her dorm mate, "What about you?"

Carlie furrowed her brow, at least now able to recognize the accent, "Mom sent me here for being an asshole at the house. Said I needed Jesus." She rolled her eyes, "I'm a sophomore and well, I'm from around here. My mom's house is like five miles out west."

"Oh! Well, that's cool. I'm sure you don't loathe it here though. Besides, college is college right?" April smiled sweetly.

"It makes me want to throw myself in front of a bus, but yeah." She snorted, beginning to dig through her bags to separate her uniforms from her actual clothes.

"Aw, don't be like that, I'm sure it's fine!"

"Give it a month, you'll lose that peppy attitude," Carlie grinned in a mostly jovial manner, "College is easy if you find balance. Not a lot of people can do that though. You're fresh out of highschool so I get it, you just have to adjust."

April puffed her cheeks out in a little frown, folding a pair of shorts before placing the back of her fist against her hip, "Well, if I need to adjust... You should show me around!"

Carlie scoffed, as much as she'd love to show this girl the town, she really didn't feel like getting involved with someone she knew would rise the social ranks really fast and get left. That happened to her too many times and she was tired of it.

"Look, I would but I have to go to work and I don't think you wanna be around there-"
"Where do you work? I wanna go, maybe I can get a job somewhere nearby! We could walk togethe-"

"No chance." Carlie sneered, "I assume since you're an exchange student, everything of your's is paid for. You don't need a job, so don't bother taking one from those who are here on student loans and actually need to make money." She spat, much to April's disappointment and she couldn't help but feel a little bad when she saw the girl deflate. Not ten minutes and she's already made her dorm mate dislike her, great. It's just how she likes it, maybe then she'd get to be alone.

April fidgeted briefly, then sighed, "Well... Okay." She resigned, turning away from Carlie and continuing to put away her things on her side of the room.

Carlie rolled her eyes to keep up an appearance, then took a glance at her phone. She groaned, then reached for another bag to quickly change into a work uniform, "I'll be back later, maybe try to go make friends at the quad. I'm sure a lot of people will learn to like you."

April hummed in acknowledgement, "Well- Okay. Are there any other people here that listen to Ron Zomba though?"
This made Carlie snort, a grin over her lips, "You're hilarious. Just try your luck, you'll learn you have to lay really low here if you don't want to get in trouble."
"Why's that?"
"A lot of people here think hard rock and heavy metal are the devil's music. We're kind of at a stupid strict school, I'm surprised you even had the balls to wear that shirt."

This made April look down at her tank, then she shrugged, "I like what I like... I can tell you like the same things. You don't just walk around in a Slasher shirt without liking their music."

"Well I-" Carlie was cut off by her phone beeping at her, noting the time once more with a loud, "Oh hell! I gotta go, I'm gonna be late. Don't touch my stuff!" She didn't get to register April speaking to her as she snatched up her longboard and bolted out the door and down the stairs.

After the brief ride and avoiding scoffing and squeaking pedestrians, Carlie made it to her safe haven just outside the borders of campus.

Mujer de Diabla, a cafe run by a sweet old Spanish couple and worked by a number of metalheads and LGBTQ+ employees. The building was practically as ancient as the couple running it, with black painted bricks cracked to reveal the various colors of paint from businesses long past and the neon sign in desperate need of repair as it blinked without rhythm. The demonic woman that sat beside the name of the building's leg no longer swung and instead hung down, her painted expression still seductive but fading to the ravages of time. All right outside of a Catholic campus' borders.

As soon as Carlie entered the old building, she could hear the playful squabbling of one of her bosses, Carmen, and their son, Daniel, over the chatter of customers. Not knowing a lick of Spanish herself, the argument was entirely lost on Carlie, but it didn't seem malicious, so she simply grinned and shook her head as she went to clock in. The smell of old wood and coffee and the noise of the bustle soothed her and this place was the closest thing to a home she had. She grabbed her apron with her name tag off it's hook and made her way to the counter to take her coworker's place. She smirked at Randy, "Tired yet, asshole?"

The tall brute seemed to perk as her heard that scratch of vocal chords and he grinned, hazel eyes squinting down at Carlie, "I'm ready to get the hell out of here if that's what you mean." He stepped back, allowing Carlie into the spot he was standing behind the register.
"Aw but why? This is like our first home~" She cooed, already beginning to multitask as a customer walked up and she took his order.
"Yeah, but I'd like to get home to Xavier. He's got an appointment with his therapist today, he might actually be approved to start hormones here soon." Randy smiled absently as he removed his apron, always happy to mumble on about his beloved boyfriend.

"Well, as much as I'd love to hear you blabber on, you've got an appointment and I gotta work."
"Yeah yeah, I know. I'll see you around Carls. Oh- Are you coming to Penny's party tonight? Apparently Tony won't be coming to them anymore."
Carlie scowled softly, "I don't know. I don't wanna risk running into that bastard."
"Well, if he does show, he knows you can kick his ass. Past experience and all."
"Yeah, but I don't feel like getting arrested."

Randy frowned softly, then shrugged, "Well, if you're interested let me know. I'll grab you."
"Alright man. Just go do your thing, I'm gonna be here until 5pm anyway."
Randy snickered, "Good luck." He pat her shoulder before leaving to go clock out, leaving Carlie to her devices and shift.