Chapter Text
It has taken almost half an hour before her parents are willing to leave after they said goodbye. Still, eventually, they hug her one final time and reluctantly leave her to settle into her dorm at Julliard by herself. Which is only about two thirds as long as she expected this to take, so it’s actually a pretty good time as far as she is concerned.
Kelsi has just started unpacking her keyboard — the most important thing she has brought, in her opinion, and thus the first thing she has to get set up — when she spots the tell-tale signs of her roommate arriving out of the corner of her eye. Someone is standing in the door, her eyes going between the paper in her hands to the number by the door and back repeatedly.
The girl in the door is short — and that’s saying something, coming from her! — white, and has this look of grey wallflower on her.
(there’s something inside Kelsi that tells her that it doesn’t fit — not entirely, at least)
It’s not a look Kelsi knows particularly well. Even back before she had been somewhat friend-opted by Troy — which is to say adopted, but like in a friendship way — and been somewhat forcibly injected with confidence in both herself and her abilities, she had been more the eccentric outcast type.
But that wasn’t an excuse not to at least try and make friends with her roommate. She’s heard enough horror stories about that to know this can make or break her time here. And while she technically has Ryan to fall back on, that’s still not something she’d like to have to go through.
(even if she knows that she’d have the full support of Ryan and every single Wildcat that would pick up their phone in time)
So she stands up and moves toward the door, making sure to keep an honest smile on her face.
“Hello there,” she greets, “My name’s Kelsi, and I’m pretty sure that I’m your roommate.”
The girl in the doorway adjusts her backpack and looks up to meet Kelsi’s eyes. “Vanya Hargreeves.”
Kelsi knows that last name. But that’s nothing special, since, you know, everyone knows that last name.
But the thing is, Vanya is not the name she thinks of when she thinks of the female Hargreeves. Not to forget that she quite obviously looks different, since Allison Hargreeves is Black.
(she knows this because Taylor has explained the importance of it more than because she particularly paid attention to the group, admittedly. But hey, she’s listened to her friend and knows better now, so that has to be something)
“Must have been awkward to share a last name with a group of superheroes,” she says; it is the best way to make conversation she can think of right now, at least.
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” Vanya responds. She phrases that in a way that implies a lot more is going on than random chance.
“Anything you feel like sharing?” Kelsi asks. “It’s totally cool if you don’t.”
“Might as well just get it over with,” Vanya mutters, more to herself than to Kelsi before she moves on to her explanation. “I’m actually one of those Hargreeves. Kind of. I’m just the seventh sibling. The secret, ordinary, unimportant one.”
Kelsi takes a moment to process this information before she focuses on the most essential part. “Hey, I don’t know or care who told you otherwise, but you’re not unimportant. I know this for a fact. Wanna know why?”
Vanya just looks at her, like she is surprised someone would defend her, which is genuinely just sad.
(she’s aware that siblings aren’t exactly always nice to each other but this is a bit much)
“How would you know? It’s not like I’m special like all the others are.”
Wow, that just… that told Kelsi everything she feels she needs to know about that family dynamic. She’s not letting Vanya live like this anymore, not if she can help it.
(again, she knows she has the support of the Wildcats the second they hear of it. Is it bad that she kind of wants to see Sharpay deal with Allison Hargreeves now?)
“So what? It’s not I’ve got superpowers either. And just by being here, you’re proving you can do theater and or music excellently; that’s nothing to scoff at. As for how I know you’re important?” She takes a step toward Vanya and places her hand on the other girl’s shoulder.
“Because everyone is.”
After they both of them have finished unpacking, Kelsi half-invites half-drags Vanya out to dinner with her.
(she just can’t help herself; not after seeing how small the number of things Vanya brought is and how impersonal nearly all of them are)
“You know that I can’t pay for you, right?” Vanya questioned hesitatingly. “Dad agreed to pay my tuition, but that’s all. Rent and food I still have to finance myself.”
“That’s okay,” Kelsi replies. “It’s not like I’m taking you along for the money.”
“...You’re not?” Vanya questions, and Kelsi — who isn’t usually a violent person — wants to punch something.
(or rather someone. Reginald Hargreeves, specifically. Because even discounting the fact that Vanya should never have to feel like her connection was her only worth, especially because Vanya herself did not even get to reap the benefits of the very same, that man still seemed like he should never be in the same state as a child)
“Of course not! I’m much more interested in your company,” and, because Vanya really needs the confidence, Kelsi takes a deep breath and adds, truthfully, “And it’s not like you’re at all hard on the eyes, either.”
And for the first time that day, Kelsi could see Vanya smile.
WILDCATS rememBRILLAINCE
GameMaker: It’s official, I’m friend-opting my roommate into the group
Gabriford: Not that I’m complaining, but why?
FuturePresident: I’m seconding this.
HipHopperMartha: She did miss a lot of bonding shenanigans.
GameMaker: She DESPERATELY needs us
Gabriford: I am convinced
HipHopperMartha: how bad is it?
HipHopperMartha: like exactly
GameMaker: She makes sophomore me look like Sharpay now.
SHARPAY: oh my, that is serious