Chapter 1:

* Viki's POV*

The day before going to college, the guys and I are practicing on our homemade course in Mr. Goof's backyard. P.J.'s riding his bicycle. Max is doing his best event of the skateboard. Bobby's casually rollerblading through cones. I'm using my strength to the test again to climb up on our rock wall.

Aunt Vivi, Mr. Pete, and Mr. Goof are preparing the food for the celebration.

Uncle Dustin has some work to do, so he's in the Goof House so he can be focused.

As soon as I got to the top, I go down slowly back down to the ground by the rope.

"Do you realize going off to college means no more...well-meaning, but totally smothering, overprotective, doting, ah-yucking dads?" Max asked us excited about our new journey and annoyed with his father.

"Yeah, well, yours at least," P.J. says from his bike. "My dad's been counting down the days until he can turn my bedroom into a bowling alley," he rolls his eyes.

"Hey," Max stands up with a smile, "we have a surefire way to shoot straight to the top of the freshman heap," he grabs his skateboard.

"The College "X" Games!" the four of us say together.

"First freshman team to win it all!" I cheered with a fist bump up in the air.

"First team to boot those number one Gammas on their boot-tays!" Bobby joins in and shaking his bottom.

"Huh!" Max tells us as we group up together on the ground. "The Gammas may be five-time winners, but I hope they're ready for a losing streak!"

"Let's beat the Gammas!" we put our hands together. "Let's do it to it!" we all high fived each other.

"Woo-woo-woo-woo!"

*No One's POV*

*Over by the adults*

Goofy watches the young ones, mainly Max, sadly while holding a bowl of mashed potatoes. He walks over to Pete, who's at the grill making some burgers, and Vivi, who's setting up the table.

"Gawrsh, Pete, Vivi, one you're changin' their diapers," he places down the bowl, "and the next thing you know…." he walks over to Pete, "they're all grown up and leavin' for college."

"I know how you feel, Goofy," Vivi speaks up with a sigh, "when I took on the guardianship of Viktoria, I knew that eventually she's going to be an adult and going to live on her own. It's a part of life."

"Well, guys, the way I see it," Pete turns around, "it's my last night of babysitting," his hands are on Goofy's upper arms before wrapping his arm around his shoulders, "and I'm a free man! Oh, yea! Ha-ha! Free, free, free, I tell you!" Pete cheers. "Yah-hoo! Ha-ha! Come on, son. I can't miss you if you won't leave!" he jokes than laughs.

Vivi giggles at her friend's silliness.

"Yea, free," Goofy agrees sadly.

"Hey, why don't you get the kids, Goofy, and you get Dustin, Vivi," Pete makes a suggestion. Vivi nods her head with a smile as Goofy walks over to the kids with his head a little low. "Food's almost ready. It's time to serve these little babies now," he flips some burgers onto a plate.

* Viki's POV*

Max's practicing skateboarding on the skateboard ramp.

"Ha-ha-ooh!" Body howls to Max. "Nice rasta, pasta, Maxman!"

We move our heads to watch him practice.

"Ooh, Maxie's pretty good at that boardin' stuff," Max's father, Mr. Goof, comments smiling.

"He is totally gonna kill at college," Bobby comments, making Mr. Goof confused.

I rolled my eyes with a smile when the guys cheered when Max got back on the ground.

"Listen, son," Mr. Goof walks over to his with his hand on his shoulder, "that there "X" Games fiddle-faddle may be all well and fun, but remember, you're going off to college to make something of yourselves."

"Exactly," Max smiles.

"You'll get a degree and the world will be your clam," his statement confuses Max.

"Uh, oyster, Dad?" he corrects.

"No, thanks, I'm saving room for weenies," Mr. Goof says, taking us to another part of the backyard.

"Oh, no, not the old horseshoe lecture," P.J. groans as we sit down on the ground for the lecture that we have heard maybe the millionth time now.

I have my knees bend up close to my chest.

"You see," Mr. Goof begins with a horseshoe in his fingers, "tossin' horseshoes is a lot like how life works," he twirls it around his finger and it shoots up and into the bowl of food that Mr. Pete has. Food got onto his face. "Sorry, Pete," Mr. Goof apologizes to him.

Mr. Pete glares at him for a few moments.

"Uh, like I was sayin'-"

"It's about staying focused on your goals," we all memorized it for the hundredth time.

"Right. You see, ever once in a while, life gives you an important tossin' opportunity. Like, uh, well….college, for instance!" Mr. Goof gives an example. "If you want that dee-ploma, you gotta fix both eyes on it," he looks at each one of us through the horseshoe before turning with it to the stick, "like it was here horseshoe stake. And with the proper "consecration"...and follow-through."

*No one's POV*

Goofy walks past it as if he's in some trance, focusing on a throw.

"Throw it, will ya!" Pete has enough of him wasting time.

Goofy spins around at a rapid speed. "You should hear the clang of a ringer!" he says, smiling, throwing it.

The horseshoe flies towards the tree where it spins on one of the branches before flying through a bird's nest. Next thing we know, the horseshoe flies up and onto the roof of the Goof House bouncing off the titles and rolling on the gutters and down the pipe where it clings more and more before shooting out to the stick.

"Yah-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Goofy cheers. "A ringer! See, Maxie?" he asked his son before turning around. "You've just gotta stay focused." All he sees are four helmets, belonging to the new college students. One blue, one red, one red, and one is black. "Huh?"

"Hey, Goof!" Pete calls for him from the table. "It's gettin' cold already," he explains about the burgers he made.

Powerline and Vivi are already there serving the new college students food at the table.

"Save a weenie for me!" Goofy tells them, walking to them.

"Hey, Peej," Max speaks to P.J., "isn't ten hot dogs enough? Pass 'em over here."

Needless to say, everyone had a good time.

* Viki's POV*

Around the time we've decided to go to bed, I am finishing up packing my stuff to bring with me. My clothes have changed from black ripped jeans, sleeveless dark red top under a black and gray shirt to a black and white plaid sweats with a black string belt tired into a bow and a black spaghetti strap undershirt.

Two suitcases are almost filled with my stuff when I hear a knock at my open door.

"Knock, knock," I hear my Uncle Dustin speak up.

I turned around to see Uncle Dustin and Aunt Vivi in the doorway, smiling at me.

"Hey guys," I greeted them, smiling. "Uncle Dustin, can you help me, please?" I asked him, holding down my suitcases.

"Oh, sure," he says, still smiling, walking over to the bed.

All of my weight is on the cases as he zips up each one. It was a struggle, but he managed to get it closed.

"Thanks, Uncle Dustin," I smiled at him and placing them down on the floor.

"You're welcome, Viktoria," he smiles back.

Then I noticed Aunt Vivi looking a little sad. "Something wrong, Aunt Vivi?" I asked her a little concerned.

"Oh, nothing," she answers with a small smile. "It was just twelve years ago I took you in from a situation from my brother and sister-in-law and now you're almost eighteen years old and going to college."

"I'm going to be eighteen in about three or four months," I reminded her, holding her hands.

"I know, now it's because you survived that horrible day only to have marks behind," she says softly, looking at the scars on my arms.

"Aunt Vivi, they're battle scars," I reminded her with a soft smile. "I'm going to be okay. You don't need to worry. Besides, I know this isn't the school I originally wanted to go, but I'm going to be with the guys, so I'm going to be okay."

"Viktoria," Uncle Dustin speaks up, having me turn to him. "Your Aunt and I have been talking lately about your college life."

"What about it? I'm not going to drink, party, or anything like that, if that's what you're concerned," I tell them.

"We aren't concerned about that, Viktoria," Aunt Vivi chuckles, standing next to Uncle Dustin. "We both are very proud that you're going to college, but we can tell you're not happy about the college you're going to."

"It's a good school and campus," I try to convince them and maybe myself as well.

"Don't get us wrong, we do like it," Uncle Dustin steps in, "but it seems like it's not what you hope for even with the Home Economics program."

"What we are trying to say," Aunt Vivi speaks as well, "is that if you don't like being after the "X" Games, you can drop out and return home."

That shocks me gratefully. "But," I speak while looking down to the floor before looking up to them, "what about my tuition?"

"Don't worry about money. I'm going to pay for everything," Uncle Dustin's offer surprises me.

Then I give them a teary smile. "Thank you so much," I tell them softly.

"Anything for you, Viktoria," they both said at the same time.

Uncle Dustin and Aunt Vivi pull me into a hug before tucking me in bed, possibly for the last time in a long while.