This is the first story I tried to write about a kid going off to college and he's scared about making the change in his life for many reasons (he's also a closet case). It was suppose to follow him throughout his college years and the new people and experiences he encounters. Unfortunately it fell to the wayside when I got carried away in the second "chapter" with boring information. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to it at one point or another.

I might be encouraged to work on it again if you give me some comments, criticism, tips, or whatever (even if it is negative I welcome it).

*PLEASE tell me what you think, whether it's boring, too long/short, not enough action/drama, or if there is something you dislike or whatever. You can do it anonymously at http://iwontbyte.tumblr.com/ask so be as honest and brutal as you want :D

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*RING!* *RING!* *RING!* "Argh!" *RING!* *RING!* *RING!*

I scoot over to the edge of my bed and reach my arm out from under the covers. I slap my paw around on the night stand next to my bed in search of the source of the noise. I grab hold of my cell phone and after three attempts to unlock it I finally get the combination right and turn off my alarm. I bring the device close to my face and have to squint to see the time because the screen is blinding. 5:02AM, why am I getting up at this ungodly hour again? That's when it hits me and I throw the covers over my head and shrink back into my bed trying to force myself back to sleep.

It's futile really, as if on cue my mom bursts into my room and flicks on the light. She's a small little tiger, only about five and a half feet and about one ninety pounds and in good shape for someone her age. My guess is from all that working out and eating right stuff she does and tries to push on me. She has a very bright coat of orange fur like that of a setting sun which makes her black stripes and white fur stand out against the contrast. Her bright yellow eyes are the noon sun to her sunset fur, always shining even if the sun has not risen yet. She walks over and sits on the edge of my bed causing it bend slightly under her weight. At this point I am already awake but I lie there motionless as if I was sound asleep. It's useless though because my lack of response only makes her initiate phase two of her methods to wake me up.

"Rise and shine my baby, it's time to wake up." She says loud enough to just be annoying. I grumble as I turn over under my covers so I face away from her and flatten my ears against my skull. "Nate, get up, get up, get up. It's a big day today!" She says enthusiastically as she nudges my backside.

"Alright, I'm up." I groan just so she would stop.

"Well then get up. I've made some breakfast so hurry up and get dressed." She says as she makes her way to the door. She stops and turns around, "Are you getting up?" she asked because I still have yet to make an attempt to get out of bed. I finally sit up and she smiles at me, I see that she is already dressed in a pair of jeans and a nice green shirt and dark brown jacket. She closes the door as she leaves the room and I can hear her use the same torture methods to wake my brother Nick up.

I finally decide to stand up so I can stretch and I feel my tail flop on the floor. Well at least some part of me still gets to sleep. I think to myself when I hear a knock on my door. I don't really know why my parents bother to knock because they usually just barge in afterwards giving me no time to respond. I'd lock the door but my father has something against locked doors in his house. Sure enough the door swings open and in walks my dad. He's a big old tiger, he and my mom meet while he was stationed overseas and they fell in love, got married, and etc... He was apparently quite the catch back in his youthful days but you wouldn't be able to tell that by looking at him now. He's about six eight and weighs about two eighty, he has a bit of a gut but that's only because he can't exercise regularly due to his arthritis and some health issue from his service in the military. It makes him look older than he actually is but under it all though you can see the remnants of an athletic build.

"You up yet?" He asks rhetorically as I nod and let out a yawn. Mom must have just woke him up too because he's only wearing a white shirt and black shorts. He walks on over to me and gives me a big hug. My ears shoot up and I tense a little as I'm taken back by it, he never was the touchy feely kind of dad, but I return the hug. I then remember the breakdown I had yesterday while we were packing. "Come on you should be excited and happy." He says as he pats me on the back. He breaks the hug and smiles at me as he says, "Alright, now hurry up and get dressed and eat, we have to load the cars up. I want to be out of here by six." I'm left standing in my empty room as he leaves to go get ready himself.

I look around the room, a little dazed at the thought of leaving it all. It's not all that big but that may be because the queen sized bed takes up half the room. It's up again the opposite corner of the room positioned under the window as you walk in. I have a night stand to the left of it I that holds a lamp, my phone, and my glasses. To the left of the night stand is a bare large bookshelf that held my videogames, DVDS, and sorted knick-knacks and other toys. I have a decent sized closet which takes up most of the wall the door is on. Across from my bed is a large dresser that doubles as my TV and entertainment stand. Right next to the dresser is my computer desk and chair. I look down at the chair and see the cloths I set out the night before, a pair of cargo khakis, a red shirt with the iconic red Mario mushroom on the front, a grey jacket, and a black cap. I felt my tail lift off the ground and stretch. Well look who finally decides to wake up. I guess we better get ready for today.

As I walk down stairs I can smell the bacon, eggs, and grits my mom cooked and its mouth watering. I see Nick, sitting at the island already eating although he's wearing jeans and a white shirt with some beat box design on it, its apparent he's still trying to wake up, his ears are drooping and his tail is on the floor. From the looks of us you would probably be only able to tell we are brothers from the fact we are both tigers and that's where our similarities end. Nick is a few years younger than me, just entering high school. He's pretty short like our mother, only five three and we don't expect him to get too much taller. He also has her yellow eyes and her slim build. I seem to be the odd child out of my brothers. I have an older brother named Lance who joined the military after graduating high school. He has a more muscular athletic build, our dad's brown eyes, and is very tall compared to everyone else in the family at around seven feet. Lucky him, but he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. I on the other hand seem to have been dealt the worst luck in the traits lottery. I have my father's large build weighing two forty, I have a pretty solid frame and people have asked if I play football but I still see myself as being chubby. I'm only five eight which is still short compared to others and if being short and fat wasn't bad enough, god or whoever decided to make me an odd ball among society. While I have the typical black stripes of a normal tiger, the rest of my fur is white. I am white tiger which is rare among my kind. We can't figure out if it whose side of the family it came from. On top of that I have complete heterochromia iridis which means my eyes are different colors. This a genetic trait we know is from my dad because his father had it also, but because my right eye is a glacial and my left one is yellow similar to my mother's, it looks like I'm some cross hybrid between my parent's. You would think being a white tiger with blue and yellow eyes would make me special, as my parents often told me, but it's on the top of the list of things I hate about my life, couple that with being short and fat you tend to attract attention whether you want it or not.

I slowly sneak up behind Nick making sure my claws don't clack against the wood floor. Once I am within reach I give him a nice slap on the back and yell, "Good morning!" His tail and ears shoots straight up and his fur fluffs out. I can't help but chuckle and flick my ears at the sight as he turns his head and growls at me.

"Why are you in such a good mode?" He asks agitatedly.

"I'm going to miss doing that to you." I say as I sit on the stool next to him. Breakfast goes by fast as he complains about having to wake up so early and help with all the moving and how he's going to have to do all the work with me not there anymore. I try to explain to him all the benefits of not having me around but he's still cranky, he gets like that in the morning. I really will miss him though. We may not be each other's best buds but we still like to hangout, goof around, and get on each other's nerves, typical brother stuff.

Its 6:12 and the cars are packed and we are finally ready to go. My dad and mom are going to be driving the SUV and I'll be following them with Nick in my car. I'm in the garage going over a list in my mind to make sure I've got everything. My mom is coming out of the house as she sets the alarm and walks on over to me. My thought process is interrupted when she squeezes me in a bear hug, swaying back and forth.

"Aw! My big baby is all grown up and leaving me." She coos. "Now remember to be safe and don't drive too fast. Just follow your dad and don't argue with your brother. Maybe I should ride with you I don't want Nick distracting you."

"Mom I'll be okay, I'm just following dad." I groan and roll my eyes.

"Alright, let's go, I think your dad is getting impatient." She says as she finally releases me and gets into the passenger seat of the SUV. I get out my keys and climb into the driver's set of my car and start the engine. Nick's already in the car trying to catch up on lost sleep. I follow my dad onto the highway, I looked over the directions and it's a little over an hour and a half drive and most of it is on the interstate and highways. There's very little traffic, being a Saturday morning I guess most sane people are still asleep. Nick has managed to dose off, I can tell by his steady breathing and the drool on his muzzle, so I decide not to turn on the radio. I don't mind the silence it gives me time to think. Like some sort of auto pilot clicked on, I just follow the black SUV in front of me as I begin to get lost in my thoughts. So I'm leaving my friends and everything behind to go to college.