Love Will Light The Way

Chapter 5: Freshman Year at MIT

A/N: Hey, everyone! This is the first of two flashbacks in this story, each lasting a few chapters. Since their college life wasn't shown on screen, this part is fictional. I don't own any characters from "The Fosters" or "Good Trouble." I hope you like it!

San Diego International Airport:

Intercom: "Final call for boarding on United Airlines flight 1014 to Boston is boarding at gate 31."

Stef, Lena, Jesus, and Jude dropped Mariana and Emma off at the gate. Tearful goodbyes were exchanged.

Stef: "This is it."

Lena: "I can't believe my baby is all grown up."

Mariana: "Don't worry; I'll be back for Thanksgiving."

Lena: "Promise?"

Mariana: "Yes, Mama, I promise."

Lena and Stef: "Ok, one more hug?"

After hugging her moms, Mariana hugged Jude.

Mariana: "Promise me one thing, Judicorn."

Jude: "Ok, what?"

Mariana: "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. We're here for you, Judicorn!"

Jude: "Don't worry, I will. I love you!"

Mariana: "Love you too, Judicorn."

Emma hugged Jesus, and then they headed towards the gate.

Intercom: "Last call for boarding on United flight 1014 to Boston at gate 31."

Emma and Mariana gave their last hugs, took a selfie at the gate, and boarded their flight. After a 5 and a half-hour journey, they arrived in Boston.

Week 1 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology:

Students: "Welcome, freshmen!"

Mariana and Emma found their dorms, only to receive disappointing news.

RA: "Names?"

Mariana: "Mariana Adams-Foster and Emma Kurtzman."

RA: "Adams-Foster and Kurtzman, let's see... hmm? Oh! Okay, Mariana, is it?"

Mariana: "Yeah..."

RA: "Okay... you are in room 101, and Emma, you are in room 148..."

Emma: "Wait, what? That's all the way down the hall?"

Mariana: "Hold on, I thought we requested to be roommates."

RA: "Let me check... ah, here it is... yeah, that's been denied."

Emma: "What? Why?"

RA: "Yeah, freshman housing has only single rooms left, and all the double rooms are at full capacity, so we can't accommodate everyone."

Mariana: "So, do we have roommates?"

RA: "Mariana, you have a roommate; Emma, you have a single room."

Mariana: "What? Why does she get the single room?"

RA: "Sorry, I don't make the rules."

Mariana and Emma found their rooms, and Mariana's roommate was already there.

Roommate: "Hi, you must be Mariana?"

Mariana: "Yeah. Hi."

Roommate: "I'm Sarah Alexis Matthews, but you can call me Sarah. It's nice to meet you."

Mariana: "Nice to meet you too, Sarah."

Mariana noticed Sarah's exceptional organization skills.

Mariana: "Hey, how did you become so organized?"

Sarah: "Well, it's not my first time sharing a room. I've been in boarding school since the 6th grade and have learned to have my own space."

Mariana talked about her family, including her two moms, and how she shared a room with her sister for some time.

Sarah: "Wow, a big family, huh?"

Mariana: "Yeah, I have two moms, they're lesbians, I also have an older biological brother, and my twin brother and younger brother are adopted."

Sarah: "Wow, a big family. For me, it's just me and my little brother, Dylan; he's 15."

Mariana noticed a picture of Sarah's family.

Mariana: "No way! Is that your mom?"

Sarah: "Yeah, that's her."

Mariana: "Zoey Brooks is your mom? The fashion designer and TV producer?"

Sarah: "Yep, the head of ZB fashion and all the flagship stores."

Mariana: "What is a girl like you doing at MIT? I thought you'd go to a fashion school like your mom."

Sarah: "That's her dream, not mine. I actually came here with my best friend, Jessica. Her mom is a chemistry professor here."

Mariana learned that Jessica's mom was Professor Quinn Pensky-Reese.

Mariana: "Okay, that's interesting. No, I'm in engineering. I came here with my best friend, and we were supposed to be roommates, but it didn't work out."

Sarah: "Same here. Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Mariana. I'm going to the freshman fair with Jessica. I'll see you around, okay?"

Mariana: "Okay."

A few minutes later, she met up with Emma, and they went to the freshman fair, where Mariana and Emma met new people, attended parties, and joined clubs.

After a few days of partying, classes started, and Mariana got a text from Mat.

Text from Mat:

Mat: "Hey, I heard it's your first day of class. Good luck!!"

Mariana: "Thanks, Mat! How are you?"

Mat: "I'm good. Saw your pics on Insta... Looks like you're having fun?"

Mariana: "Yeah, I am."

Mat: "That's amazing... Hey, when you're free, you're still down for that coffee?"

Mariana: "Wow, you actually remembered... Uh, yeah, sure."

Mat: "Perfect. Text me when. xx"

Mariana: "Cool x"

Emma came by to pick up Mariana, and they headed to class together.

Emma: "Hey, Mariana, you okay? Why are you blushing?"

Mariana: "I got a text from Mat. He wants to have coffee."

Emma: "Wow! Coffee? That's a sign, girl; he wants to get back with you."

Mariana: "Seriously?"

Emma: "Yeah, Berklee is only 10 minutes away from here."

Mariana: "Yeah, I know. I told him I'd meet him when I'm free."

Emma: "Okay, fair enough."

Emma winked at Mariana, who seemed annoyed.

Mariana: "Okay, can we just get to class?"

Emma: "Alright, let's go."

End of Week 1:

Flash forward to a month after their arrival in Boston, and Mariana and Mat decide to have coffee together.

A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter, everyone! A little spoiler alert: I incorporated references from "Zoey 101." This is a hint to my upcoming fanfic for "Zoey 101." 😊💙