The first rays of the morning sun tiptoed through the dusty curtains of Eric's apartment, casting a warm glow on the cluttered room, he lived a few yards away from Mathews dorm. Eric's unruly hair that seemed to defy the laws of gravity, sat at his desk, eyes fixed on his computer screen. In the corner of the room, a coffee mug with a slogan that read "Caffeine and I have an unbreakable bond" stood as a testament to Eric's addiction to the dark elixir.

As the sun continued its ascent, the computer screen showed a picture of a captured moment frozen in time - a wild night out with his friend Mathew, their faces contorted in laughter, surrounded by a sea of empty pizza boxes and soda cans.he wasn't going to just sit around and watch his Friend get hurt by the new exchange student

Meanwhile, across town, Mathew lay sprawled on his bed in a room that bore the unmistakable signs of a bachelor's haven. Clothes lay strewn across the floor like casualties of a laundry war, and posters of obscure bands adorned the walls. Mathew, a perpetually disheveled guy with a perpetual five o'clock shadow, was in the throes of a dreamland adventure when the intruding rays of the sun invaded his personal sanctuary.

Eric, overcome by an inexplicable urgency, decided it was the perfect time for an impromptu visit to Mathew's abode. Armed with a spare key that Mathew had naively handed over, Eric tiptoed into the room with the stealth of a ninja who had consumed one too many energy drinks.

Cue the cinematic moment as Eric's eyes fell upon Mathew, who was now awake and staring back at him with an intensity that could rival a caffeine-driven owl. The air in the room crackled with confusion and mild panic as Mathew, startled and still half in the clutches of sleep, somersaulted out of bed. A crimson blush painted his cheeks as he noticed a trail of drool escaping from the corner of his mouth - a detail that did not escape Eric's keen observation.

"What are you doing here?" Mathew blurted out, his voice a mix of confusion and mild panic as he tried to make sense of the unexpected intrusion.

Eric, undeterred by Mathew's flustered state, stood up with the confidence of a man who believed he held the secret to life's mysteries. "I'm here to ensure you're okay, my dear friend," he proclaimed, radiating a brightness that seemed to defy the early hour. His disheveled appearance and the disarray of the room, however, suggested otherwise.

Confusion clouding his gaze, Mathew fired back, "Why wouldn't I be okay? And when did you become a certified sleep monitor, watching me like some nocturnal guardian angel?"

"I arrived not long ago, and I certainly didn't witness any nose bubble-related incidents," Eric chuckled, enjoying the absurdity of the moment. He gestured towards the remnants of Mathew's dreamscape, clearly oblivious to the fact that he might have disrupted an epic battle between Mathew and imaginary dragons.

"If you breathe a word about that, I'll kill you and dump your body over a bridge," Mathew threatened, accompanied by a half-hearted attempt at a menacing expression that only served to amuse Eric further.

Eric, undeterred by Mathew's threats, flexed his biceps with a flourish, exuding confidence. "Good luck trying, not with these pythons by my side."

"That's what she said," Mathew quipped, a sly grin playing on his lips as he dropped a well-timed retort, leaving Eric momentarily befuddled.

"Hmmmm," Eric mused, a playful glint in his eye. The banter continued, with Mathew probing, "But seriously, why were you watching me sleep, you creep?"

"I wasn't watching you sleep. I just got here," Eric insisted, his smile unwavering. The exchange of words resembled a comedic dance, with each participant trying to outwit the other in this early morning verbal joust.

"Why did you come so early? We were going to meet at school anyway. I knew giving you my spare key was a mistake," Mathew questioned, attempting to dissect Eric's questionable morning activities with the finesse of a detective solving a perplexing case.

"You spent the whole of yesterday with... with that thing, and you didn't even bother coming to class," Eric pointed out, a hint of disapproval in his tone, as if he had stumbled upon a clandestine affair.

"Her name is Mia, and she's not a thing; she's a person," Mathew defended, uncertainty dancing in his voice as he tried to convey the gravity of his newfound friendship.

"But she's not even human, man! She's some colossal carnivore," Eric protested, struggling to fathom the situation, his hands gesturing wildly as if he could conjure an explanation from thin air.

"She is human at heart, plus they have veggies on her planet too, you know. So she's an omnivore, just like you," Mathew explained, hoping to shed light on Mia's dietary habits and bridge the intergalactic culinary gap.

"So, what? They eat salad with a side of human-stuffed pie?" Eric retorted, his skepticism apparent, his imagination running wild with bizarre extraterrestrial feasts.

"They don't even have humans on their planet. How would they create recipes involving humans when they can't even see any?" Mathew reasoned, his attempt to diffuse the absurdity of the conversation with a touch of interstellar logic.

"You haven't been there, so how do you know?" Eric pressed, injecting a dose of skepticism into the discussion, challenging the credibility of Mathew's cosmic claims.

"She told me," Mathew defended, putting some faith in Mia's narrative, even though he was well aware of the incredulity it might evoke.

"You believed her? How do you know she's not lying? It's not like you have some kind of built-in lie-detecting machine, do you?" Eric challenged, his mock suspicion laid bare, questioning the reliability of Mathew's extraterrestrial truth detector.

"Well, I don't have time for this. I still have to get ready for school, you know," Mathew said, attempting to steer the conversation away from the interstellar rabbit hole they were diving into.

"And spend the whole of today again with her," Eric said, a tinge of concern evident in his voice as he envisioned Mathew's continued entanglement with the otherworldly Mia.

"If she calls, I'll answer," Mathew said, his loyalty to his newfound friend evident despite the peculiarities of their friendship.

"You'll be missing out on lectures. Remember what happened to your namesake Mathew because of a bad grade," Eric said, attempting to ground Mathew in the reality of earthly responsibilities.

"I know, but she's my friend, or at least I want her to be. Think of it as a ticket to a life bully-free," Mathew said, his desire for some sort of connection overcoming the fear of academic consequences.

"And you think she won't bully you too with such a vast size difference?" Eric said, raising an eyebrow in a display of practical concern.

"She wouldn't want to if we are friends," Mathew said, his optimism shining through despite the looming shadow of skepticism.

"Have you heard of a predator becoming friends with its prey?, it's like saying a bird suddenly falls in love with a worm," Eric said, voicing the doubts that had been gnawing at him since

"She doesn't eat people. She jokes about it, but she wouldn't," Mathew said, his conviction unwavering as he tried to convince himself.

"You know how some animals like playing with their food before they eat it? That's exactly what is happening to you," Eric said, his skepticism escalating to a level that bordered on genuine concern, painting a vivid picture of Mathew as the unwitting protagonist in a cosmic game of hide-and-seek.

"Shut up, you don't know that," Mathew said, slightly raising his voice, a defensive edge creeping into his tone as he grappled with the absurdity of the situation.

"What I do know is you're nothing but an easy-to-reach snack for what's her name again, Mia. You wouldn't even be a mouthful. That's how pathetic you are compared to someone over 200 ft tall," Eric said, his words laced with a mix of mock disdain and genuine worry.

"I think you're just jealous you aren't the one spending time with Mia," Mathew said, attempting to deflect Eric's concerns with a playful accusation.

"I'm just looking out for you as a friend, okay? Stay away from her, please. I don't want you being an easy pickings when she feels hungry," Eric said, his tone shifting to a more serious note as he pleaded with Mathew to reconsider his extraterrestrial companionship.

"Get out, Eric," Mathew said, the gravity of the situation settling in as he realized the magnitude of Eric's concerns.

"You're seriously sending me out?" Eric said, disbelief coloring his expression as he grappled with the reality of being expelled from Mathew's interstellar saga.

"Yes, and don't think of any assassination plans in my room," Mathew said, a touch of humor attempting to lighten the weight of the situation

"I'll leave. We'll talk when you come to your senses. Just think about Nina and the others; we are worried about you."

"Leave, okay? You are gonna make me late for school," Mathew said, his voice firm as he closed the door on Eric and the cosmic chaos that had infiltrated his morning routine.

As Eric left, closing the door firmly behind him, Mathew let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His friend's concerns weighed heavily on him, even as he tried to brush them off. Could Mia really see him and everyone else as just toys she could play around with? She seemed so genuine, but looks could deceive.

Shaking his head, Mathew quickly finished getting ready for school. He didn't have time to dwell on this for now, Slipping his textbooks into his backpack, his gaze landed on a photo pinned to the corkboard above his desk - himself and Eric as young kids, grinning with skinned knees and grass-stained shirts. Such simpler times.

Deep down, Mathew knew Eric was just worried for him. And maybe he did have reason to be concerned. But something in Mathew wanted - needed - to believe Mia was different. That despite all that had been said about her kind, they was bound to be goodness in her heart.

Locking his apartment door behind him, Mathew headed out into the crisp morning air towards campus, it was till roughly 3 hr before lessons began so Mathew decided to pay mia a visit, as he strode towards the house built to accommodate Mia's size

"Matthew! Hey, wait up!"

Trisha, a spirited redhead with curls that bounced as she jogged towards Mathew, her green eyes sparkled with curiosity, and a smattering of freckles adorned her nose, giving her a youthful charm. Dressed in casual attire that reflected her vibrant personality, she sported a hoodie and jeans, her style a mix of comfort and casual flair.

He turned to see trisha jogging up behind him, curly red hair bouncing. Mathew managed a smile for his only female friend besides Mia, Her bright energy was hard to resist.

"Hey Trisha, what's going on?"

"I wanted to check on you!" Trisha said, falling into step beside him. "You basically vanished yesterday after volunteering to guide that giant student yesterday. What was her name? Mandy or something?"

"It's Mia," Mathew corrected gently.

"Right, Mia." Trisha shook her head, curls swaying. "Honestly Matt, I don't know how you stay so calm. Aren't you freaked out being near her?"

Mathew hesitated. How much to share? "I mean...she seems nice so far," he said evasively. "I'm just trying to make her feel welcome, you know? Plus I'm going over to her place, wanna come"

Trisha frowned but didn't push further "sure" Trisha said as they crossed the campus towards Mia's home, Mathew felt his pulse speed up being in Mia's shadow once more. What would today bring?

Soon the massive building that was now home to mia casting long shadows was seen in the distance. Mathew felt his steps slow, heartbeat quickening. Was she in there now?

Afternoon about 30 mins of walking, they approached the massive building, as thunderous yawn echoed from within, making Mathew and Trisha jump.the door swung open and Mia emerged, sleepily rubbing one eye with a fist easily bigger than a car. She was dressed in a casual hoodie and sweatpants outfit that could blanket a soccer stadium.

Noticing the two tiny students, Mia's face lit up. "Oh hi Mathew! And..." Her green eyes squinted down at trisha. "And you are"

"I-I'm trisha," trisha squeaked, voice trembling.

"Nice to meet you, trisha!" boomed Mia. trisha shuddered at the sheer volume. Mia turned her attention back to Mathew. "Thanks for showing me around yesterday. I really appreciated it."

"No problem!" Mathew called up. "Did you sleep okay in the new house?"

"Ig, the bed was small and the padding was as hard as rock but it's better than my initial thoughts of sleeping outside," said Mia, stretching her arms skyward. The simple motion was oddly mesmerizing with her proportions. "The tiny bed was 2 sizes too small! Like a bed for a three year old." She giggled, the sound like distant thunder.

Trisha shot Mathew with an incredulous look which he pointedly ignored.

"what brings you here this morning" mia said

"We came to wait for you to get prepared" Mathew said

"Oh ok, you can come in then"

"Ok" Mathew said

Mathew and mia goes in with trisha hiding behind Mathew as they made their way inside Mia's house