The moving truck looked like absolute shit. Like, someone took a perfectly good truck and then spent years beating it with a baseball bat while screaming at it. Jake Sullivan stood in the parking lot watching his dad fight with a box that said "Jake's Stuff - Don't Drop This You Idiot" because past-Jake thought he was a comedian.
"This place gonna kill you or just make you wish you were dead?" his dad Mike asked, sweating like he'd been digging ditches in hell.
Jake stared up at his new home. Hartwell Hall looked like someone built it back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and then just... forgot about it. Forever.
"Dad, look at it this way - if the building doesn't kill me, the food probably will."
"That's my boy, always looking on the bright side." Mike wiped his face with his shirt. "Your mom would've taken one look at this dump and started planning how to fix it with twenty bucks and pure stubbornness."
And there it was. The mom punch. Three years later and it still hit like a truck. But in a good way, kinda.
"She would've loved the 'adventure,'" Jake said, doing air quotes.
"Adventure, my ass. She would've called it a shithole and then made it work anyway."
They dragged Jake's entire life up three flights of stairs that were clearly designed by someone who hated college students and probably happiness in general. Room 314 had its door open, and Jake could hear music playing.
"You must be Jake."
Jake's roommate was sitting at his desk, leaning back like he owned the whole damn building. Tall guy, looked like he actually went to gym instead of just talking about it, and he had that smile that said he'd never met a problem he couldn't charm his way out of.
"That's me. You're...?"
"Danny Brooks, but everyone calls me D." He stood up to shake hands, and Jake noticed the guy actually looked him in the eye instead of doing that weird thing where people stare at your forehead. "Your old man helping you move in?"
Mike stepped up. "Mike Sullivan. Nice to meet you."
"Same here, sir." Danny shook Mike's hand like an actual adult instead of some frat boy wannabe. "Don't worry about Jake. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything completely stupid."
"That's what scares me," Mike said, but he was grinning.
Danny laughed. "Hey, college is about trying new shit, right? Can't try new shit if you're hiding in your room all day."
After they got Jake's stuff unpacked - and wow, hid band t-shirts really did make him look super mature - Jake walked his dad back to the truck.
"That roommate seems like good people," Mike said. "Kid's got his head screwed on right."
"Yeah, he's cool. Way cooler than I expected."
"Sometimes the best stuff comes outta nowhere." Mike grabbed him for one of those dad hugs that's supposed to last until Christmas. "Call me. Not just when you're broke or in jail."
"What if I'm broke AND in jail."
"Especially then."
Jake watched his dad drive off in the truck that sounded like it was held together with duct tape and hope. Then he was alone in the parking lot full of crying parents and kids who looked like they belonged in a college commercial.
"First day, huh?"
Jake turned around. Some guy was leaning against an SUV that probably cost more than Jake's house, looking like he'd never had a bad hair day in his life.
"Is it that obvious?"
"The deer-in-headlights look is a dead giveaway. Marcus McKenzie." Perfect handshake, perfect teeth, the kind of confidence that came with never worrying about money. Ever.
"Jake Sullivan."
"You thinking about rushing?"
Jake had seen exactly one movie about fraternities, and it mostly involved people getting hit with paddles and drinking beer out of toilets.
"Uh... what now?"
"Fraternities, man. Brotherhood, parties, meeting people. We're having a thing tonight at Delta Sigma Pi. Nothing crazy - just food, drinks, good times."
Marcus showed him his phone with a group chat that was moving so fast Jake couldn't even read it. Lots of fire emojis and people saying stuff like "LET'S GOOOOO."
"What dorm you in?"
"Hartwell."
Marcus actually made a face like he'd smelled something bad. "Ouch. Yeah, you definitely need to get out more. Party starts at eight, Greek Row. Look for the house that doesn't look like it's about to collapse."
Before Jake could ask what "about to collapse" meant in college terms, Marcus was gone, leaving Jake holding a business card that said "Marcus McKenzie - Future Boss" in what looked like real gold.
Back in the dorm, Danny was doing pushups like it was no big deal.
"How's your day going? Jake asked, falling onto his bed, which made a noise like it was personally insulted.
"Pretty good. Already met some people on the floor." Danny finished his set and grabbed a towel like he was in a damn commercial. "There's this girl Emma down the hall studying nursing - seems really sweet. And some sorority chicks stopped by asking about parties. One of them, Sophie, looked stressed as hell but was trying to play it cool."
Danny talked about people like he actually gave a shit about them, not just what they looked like or what they could do for him.
"Speaking of parties, some fraternity guy invited me to their thing tonight."
"Which house?"
"Delta Sigma Pi."
"Oh, Marcus's crew. Those guys are solid. Not perfect, but who is? You should go."
"You seem to know everyone already."
"My older brother went here a few years back. Gave me the rundown on which houses are cool and which ones are full of assholes."
"And Delta Sigma Pi?"
"Good people. They'll have your back if you're not a total dick."
"I try not to be a total dick."
"That's all anyone can ask for." Danny grabbed a clean shirt. "Mind if I come with? I could use a good party."
Greek Row looked exactly like Jake thought it would - a bunch of houses trying to out-party each other while falling apart. Delta Sigma Pi was easy to find because of the crowd and music that could probably be heard in space.
Jake and Danny stood on the sidewalk, watching people go in and out.
"You nervous?" Danny asked.
"Little bit."
"Good. Means you're not stupid." Danny smacked his shoulder. "Come on, let's see what all the hype is about."
They walked up, and immediately some guy with messy hair and a huge grin appeared with red cups.
"Fresh meat!" the guy announced. "I'm Tyler Rodriquez, and you two look like you need alcohol."
Jake took a sip and immediately wanted to die. "Holy shit, what is this?"
"Jungle Juice. Don't ask, just drink it fast so your taste buds don't have time to call the cops."
"That's... actually good advice," Danny said, downing half his cup like a champ.
"I'm full of good advice. Come on, let's throw you guys into the chaos."
The house was packed with people who all looked like they knew what they were doing. Guys in polo shirts talking about sports Jake didn't understand, girls in dresses that probably cost more than his textbooks.
"Jake!"
Marcus appeared out of nowhere like some kind of party wizard. "Glad you made it, man. And you brought backup - smart move."
Before Jake could say anything, Marcus was dragging them around, introducing them to everyone. There was Kyle, some football player who seemed cool despite being built like a truck. Devon, who looked like he'd rather be reading but was actually pretty funny. And Ryan, who everyone called Rust, who was definitely high but kept saying weird deep stuff that actually made sense.
"And these lovely ladies keep us from being complete animals," Marcus said, pointing to a group of girls by the kitchen.
"Barely," said a girl with dark hair and an attitude that could cut steel. "I'm Mia. You're the new guys everyone's talking about."
"People are talking about us?" Jake asked. "That's terrifying."
"Don't worry, it's mostly good stuff. Mostly." She had this smirk that said she knew secrets nobody else did.
"Mia, play nice," said a blonde girl who looked perfect in that way that probably took three hours. "I'm Ashley. Sorry about her, she's been drinking since this morning."
"It's Tuesday!" Mia yelled.
"Exactly."
Another girl walked over, brunette with kind eyes and wearing scrubs under her jacket. "You must be Jake. I'm Emma. I live down the hall from you guys. You're the one with the roommate who knows everyone, right?"
"That's Danny," Jake said, pointing at his roommate, who was already deep in conversation with some guys about something that involved a lot of hand gestures.
"He seems cool. Very... confident."
"That's one way to put it."
Tyler showed up with more drinks. "Ladies, you're hogging our new recruits. Jake, come meet some more people."
The night kept going, and Jake found himself actually having fun. These people were way cooler than he'd expected. Sure, some of them had money, but most of them were just regular people trying to figure out college like everyone else.
Sophie showed up later, looking stressed but gorgeous in that way that made Jake's brain stop working properly. She was pre-med, which explained the stress, and had this intensity that was both intimidating and super attractive.
"So you're the famous Jake," she said when Marcus introduced them.
"Famous is a stretch. More like 'that new guy trying not to embarrass himself.'"
"How's that working out?"
"Ask me tomorrow, when I'm sober."
She laughed, and something clicked in Jake's brain like maybe this whole college thing might actually work out.
Around midnight, Tyler found him on the back porch talking to Zoe, who worked at some coffee place and was way funnier than her all-black outfit suggested.
"So, what do you think?" Tyler asked. "Still questioning all your life choices?"
Jake looked back at the party, at all these people who'd somehow become part of his night.
"Yeah, but in a good way now."
"That's what I like to hear, man. Welcome to the fucking jungle."
Danny appeared next to them, looking like he'd made about fifteen new best friends. "You ready to head back, or you planning to live here now?"
"I think I'm good for tonight."
As they walked back to the dorm, Jake felt something he hadn't felt in a while - like maybe he belonged somewhere.
"Good night?" Danny asked.
"Yeah. Really good night."
"Just wait, man. This is just the beginning."
Jake looked up at the stars, then back at the lights of Greek Row, and figured Danny was probably right.