Marshall Evans

"Ah, my first taste of freedom!" you sighed as you rolled your bags up to Haven Hall, which was to be your home for the next six months at least.

You're Marshall Evans, a new Freshman at Valley-Trinity College. In high school, you'd been a nerdy loner, but that was around people who'd known you since you were a kid. Now that you were far from home, you were going to change all that, break out of your shell. Little did you know just how transformative your college experience was going to be...

You'd shown up early, your parents were driving a truck with all your things up, but you'd skipped a few rest stops, eager to see the room before anyone else did. After signing yourself in and getting the key, you went up the elevator to room 707. The door was sticky, which was to be expected, the building seemed old, and as you entered, it was as if you were walking into a wall of static electricity. You felt every hair on your body stand up and a tingling sensation in all your limbs.

"Huh... That's weird. Maybe faulty wiring on that lamp?" you wondered aloud.

The room itself was rather spartan, just a basic wooden bed against the wall, a dresser and a computer desk near a window. All a dingy brown. There was a window on the far side which had a nice view of the campus, and a few outlets, but that was about it apart from a small closet that was clearly built later. The floor was a gross '70s-color palette carpet and the only other splash of color was on the walls, which seemed to be a pale pinkish color, as if someone had tried painting over with a cheap red paint that wore away over the years. Not the most auspicious dwellings, but they'd have to do. As you looked over your new room, you didn't notice someone sneak up into the door frame before they knocked on it.

"Aah!" you jumped and turned around to see a smiling girl leaning against the door frame.

She was gorgeous, with red hair and green eyes and the cutest smile and oh god, you were staring weren't you, this is why your peers in high school thought you were weird!

"Sorry to spook ya, pal. My name's Eleanor, most people call me Ellie, I'm your new neighbor in 709!" she reached out her hand to shake yours, which you reciprocated.

"I'm Marshall, nice to meet you." you said.

"Likewise, I see you like Doom Gods too," she motioned to your t-shirt. "I think we're gonna be good friends. You got a console?"

"Not yet, my parents are hauling my things, I've just got my clothes with me."

"Nice, but you still owe me a round when your console gets here!"

"Sounds great,"

"See you around, Marshall."

"Seeya, Ellie!" you said, perhaps too eagerly.

That was easy! Your first friend and you were only here a few minutes! Becoming a whole new person would be easy!