These characters are the creation of someone else and not mine….. Darnit!

Nora sat in the living room. Her arms were around Francisco as the chauffeur and several well developed young men toted the boxes out to the truck. "Chandler darling, are you almost ready?" she called as her manicured fingers curled around Francisco's neck.

A tall young man with sandy hair gelled into a hairdressers nightmare came down the stairs. He had a guitar over his shoulder and black liner around his eyes. His jeans were baggy and his sweatshirt torn over one shoulder.

"Yeah." he said , nonchalantly taking a drag from his cigarette. Chandler put it out on the bottom of his black high top Converse sneakers.

"I wish you wouldn't wear so much make up darling. You remind me of your father." Nora said as she got up from the sofa. "Now , Chandler , I want you to experience college and yet also learn all you can." Nora put her hands on Chandler's shoulders. "These are the best years of your life." she smiled. Chandler shirked away from his mother. He knew she was just putting on a front. She was just glad to have her son out of her hair so she could write her erotic books and have her lovers over. He was actually glad to get away from his freak show of a life.

"Ross?" Judy called. "Do you have everything?" Monica was in the kitchen making cookies. Her girl friend Rachel was coming over soon , so they could go see "The Breakfast Club." Actually Monica was very happy today. Her brother was leaving for school and she wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. Monica was a little on the hefty side and the only time she really got any enjoyment , was in the kitchen either eating or cooking.

Judy and Jack stood proudly in the living room as their son came down the stairs. Ross came down the stairs nervously. At that moment the doorbell rang.

Monica ran to answer it, "It's Rachel!" she screamed excitedly. Ross turned his head and then looked down. That was the last thing he needed.

When Monica opened the door, Rachel walked in. She was wearing a hot pink dress and her hair was tied in a pony tail to the side with a hot pink scrunchy. "Hey everyone." she waved. "Mon, we are going to be late for the movie. " she said exhausted.

Judy pushed her son towards his sister's friend. "Rachel , Ross is leaving for college today. Don't you want to say goodbye to him?" Ross looked up at Rachel and said. "Yeah, I'm outta here."

"Well have fun." Rachel said nonchalantly. Ross just continued to gather stuff that he may have forgotten as the family was getting ready for the drive into the city.

Monica grabbed her purse and started out the door with Rachel. "Monica , you are not leaving this house until you say goodbye to your brother." Judy announced. Monica rolled her eyes and sauntered over to Ross. "Well geek, I guess this is it. Good riddance.' she said.

"Monica Elizabeth, that was not a proper goodbye." Judy said. "Now get back here and do this right." Monica stomped back in the doorway and walked to her brother again. "Good luck in college Ross. I will miss you." Monica turned to her mother. "Is that better?"

Judy nodded. "Dweeb." she said under her breath.

"I won 't miss you either fatso!" he yelled out the door. He turned back slowly to his mother and father. "Sorry about that." he said softly. As the two girls got in Rachel's car, Ross had a soulful look. He would miss her. Would she even notice he was gone?

As the car drove into the city, Ross looked out the window. He was no longer that nerd in school. He would be among smart people and worldly people who were not narrow minded like the students at Lincoln High. At his high school, money and cars and clothes were the most important things. Now he would be at NYU , where being smart meant something. He would no longer be a freak.

Entering the campus, the car stopped in front of the dorm. Two girls in shorts were moving into a dorm. Their shirts had Greek letters and they were rather tight. Ross smiled, ah college girls. Jack noticed them too and almost ran off the narrow college streets.

"Jack!" screamed Judy. "Keep your mind on the road." Jack drove the car to Wilson Hall and they began the task of moving their son in the dorm. Jack began handing Ross and Judy boxes as they began the walk to the elevator.

Chandler had the stereo blaring. Smoke came out of his mouth as he relaxed while the help was unpacking. They were a bunch of muscular young men , obviously friends of either his mother or father. He didn't want to know how close of friends.

As the movers left, Ross and his family were coming in the door. Judy stared at the shirtless young men who were going out the door.

"Are you my roommate?" said Chandler. He was very used to this procedure. After all, he went to an all boys boarding school for four years.

"Yeah, I'm Ross." Ross announced cheerfully. Chandler looked him over and took another puff from his cigarette.

"Hey." he said as he put it out in the ashtray.

"You know, I can't be around smoke. That's why I have an air purifier because of my allergies and sinuses." Ross said as he set up the machine. Immediately it began an incessant humming noise. Chandler made a face.

Judy put the box down and went over to Chandler. "Hello Chandler, " she said as she extended her hand. He looked at her and then said "Yeah." Judy noticed something very different about him. She looked at his eyes. That boy was actually wearing make up.

Ross set down his key board and then brought in another box from the hallway. He took the rolled up pictures and began to tape them to the wall.

"What the hell is that?" Chandler asked.

"Such language." said Judy as she wrinkled her nose and backed away from her son's roommate.

"It's a Tyranosaurus Rex." Ross announced.

Chandler couldn't believe it. His roommate was one of those dinosaur freaks. He was actually rooming with one of the guys that he used to make fun of in school. Chandler never really took an interest in school work, he just tolerated everything and made sarcastic comments along the way. Ross looked like one of these guys who really cared about his studies.

Judy and Jack made their way over to the door. Ross walked over and looked very uncomfortable. He knew what his mother was going to do.

Judy hugged her son. "Now Ross, I don't have to worry about you studying hard. But I want you to be very careful and not do anything stupid." She kissed him on the cheek and tearfully looked back. Now he was truly on his own. To Chandler this was all foreign, his mother never cared about him. Ross wiped a tear from his eye. He turned his head so his new roommate didn't see what a sentimental guy he was.

"First time away from home?" Chandler said sympathetically. He remembered what that was like.

"Other then computer camp, yes." Ross said softly. "You?"

"No this is old stuff for me by now. I went to boarding school for most of my life. " he took another drag on the cigarette.

"I really wish you wouldn't smoke. It's unhealthy and I just can't have it." Ross said shaking his head.

Chandler sighed and put out his cigarette. "Tell you what Russ. If you stay out of my way , I will leave you alone. I am not exactly the scholarly type and frankly dweebs like you get on my nerves. So we can stay in the same room , but that's it. He took his cigarettes and walked out of the door.

Ross sighed. This was going to be a long year.