**Chapter 1: Aftershocks**

The morning sun peeked through the windows of Ray's dorm room, casting a warm glow over the chaotic scene of the previous night. Ray, still fuming, sat on his bed, rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease the lingering headache. His roommate, Tota, was already up and getting ready for the day, his expression a mix of concern and confusion. Rakai, who had been hanging out with them, was sprawled out on the floor, snoring softly. Ray's mind wandered back to the events of the previous night. He had been so angry when that guy had shown up, trying to confront Tota about something he didn't even understand. Tota barely spoke English, and yet this person had the nerve to come at him, thinking he could just waltz in and start yelling. Ray's stutter worsened when he got defensive, and his higher-pitched voice had risen to a near-shout as he tried to protect his friend. The door creaked open, and Tylil walked in, his durag wrapped neatly around his head. "Morning, guys. What's going on?" he asked, his voice calm and soothing. Ray turned to him, still seething. "Not much, Tylil. Just getting ready for another lovely day at Streamer University." His tone was laced with sarcasm, and his stutter was more pronounced than usual. "I-I mean, what's not to love? We get to deal with d-dramatic people and...and...stuff." Tylil chuckled and shook his head. "I take it last night didn't end well, huh?" He glanced at Rakai, who was still snoring, and smiled. "Rakai's already recharging for the day, I see." Ray scoffed. "You think that's funny, Tylil? You think it's okay to just stand there and do nothing?" His voice rose, and his words came out in a rush. "I-I mean, I know you're trying to be all calm and stuff, but...but...you should've seen your face last night. You looked like you were on his side or something." Tylil held up his hands, a placating expression on his face. "Whoa, easy, Ray. I'm on your side, buddy. I just didn't want things to escalate further. You know how it is." He walked over to Ray's bed and sat down beside him. "Let's just take a deep breath and focus on today, okay? We've got a big day ahead of us at Streamer University." Ray took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He glanced at Tota, who was watching him with concern. "I-I'm s-sorry, guys. I just...I don't know, man. It's just really frustrating." Tota put a hand on Ray's shoulder, and Ray felt a surge of gratitude towards his friend. "It's okay, Ray. I'm here for you." The door creaked open again, and Rakai walked in, rubbing his eyes. "What's going on? Did I miss something?" Tylil grinned. "Just Ray's morning rant. You know, the usual." Rakai chuckled and plopped down beside Ray on the bed. "Hey, I'm here for you, Ray. We're all in this together." As they chatted, Ray couldn't shake off the feeling that the drama from the previous night was far from over. Little did he know, it was only the beginning of a chaotic day at Streamer University.