“Jackie, walk faster! I want to get to class before all the back row seats are taken.”

            “I’m sorry,” Jackie apologized to the two-inch tall woman perched on her shoulder. She was slipping through the densely populated courtyard in front of the main classroom. “There’s too many people here, Lynn.” With it being the first day of the semester, many students were gathered there whether they were on tours, signing up for clubs or organizations, hanging out with their peers, or struggling to navigate campus. Jackie wormed her way through the sea of bodies, careful not let her sister fall out from her special pocket or to step on any tinies traversing the forest of legs.

            Jackie and Lynn Richards were starting their first year of college, excited to finally move out, meet new people, and discover their paths in life. They were attending Winston State University, a metropolitan campus that took great pride in its status as one the country’s highest rated colleges in regards to its mixed size accommodations. Its buildings were designed to host people of all heights, including interlink networks, multiple doors to every room, marked walking zones in hallways and on sidewalks, seating options for those large and small, and many more. The university took every chance to promote its blended culture and considered itself an exemplar to how society should function thirty years after the two sizes abandoned isolationism and began cohabitating the same spaces. Therefore, the college board was all too ecstatic to welcome the Richards sisters into their student body.

            Jackie and Lynn were semi-famous for being the world’s only known instance of mixed-sized twins. Aside from the stark difference in height, the two appeared identical. They both shared the same dirty blonde hair, the same freckled skin, the same brown eyes, and the same voluptuous curves, though Lynn’s breasts were no bigger than a pair of peas. However, the twins styles helped set them apart, in case the one being a little over five feet shorter wasn’t enough. Lynn’s straight hair hanged down past her shoulders while her sister fashioned hers in a short bob. Jackie usually wore a grey beanie knit by her mother; today, she also wore an orange t-shirt depicting artwork for mini-metal band Four-Limbed Spiders, a well-worn pair of denim jeans, and black combat boots. Lynn, on the other hand, wore a lace camisole, a pleated miniskirt, and high-top Converse. She resided within a pocket stitched onto the shoulder strap of her sister’s backpack, her upper body peeking out from the fabric’s lip.

            Eventually, Jackie broke through the crowd, bringing herself within arm’s reach of the main classroom entrance before getting stopped by a blonde woman in a neon pink tank top. “Hey, would you like to join our sorority, Alpha-Beta-Phi-Gamma?” She stood between Jackie and the door, offering a graphic pamphlet and a chipper smile.

            “Uh,” Jackie couldn’t look her in the eye. “N-no thanks.”

            “You sure?” the girl continued pressing. “We host all sorts of fun events all year round, and our parties are killer. Seriously, they’re the best on campus. You can ask anyone, they’ll vouch. And I know you’re prolly thinking sorority life is just drinking and making out, and sure there’s plenty of that, but we also do a lot of charity work, and we look great on a resume. Honest, we have a lot of alumni in high places and it’s such a cinch starting a career when you can connect…” Jackie tried to reject her offer, but she couldn’t find an opening to speak.

            “Ugh! We don’t want to join your stupid club!” Lynn interjected. “Buzz off so we can get to class already.”

            “I wasn’t talking to you, b-” the woman snapped back, biting her tongue before she said something uncouth. “…buddy.” Lynn rolled her eyes.

            Just call me a bug, she thought. I know you want to, bitch.

            “Sorry,” Jackie said softly, eyes glued to the ground. “I don’t want to join.”

            “Whatever. Your loss.” The sorority girl finally stepped aside to hassle another student, allowing Jackie to slip through the door. Main classroom’s atrium was no less packed, filled with students scurrying between classes, using the school computers, or filling up every available seat and windowsill. Jackie took a big gulp upon seeing even more bigs gathered so tightly together.

            “You can drop me off at that walkway over there,” Lynn said, pointing to a glass corridor suspended from the wall. The campus interlink was a system of confined hallways hanging off the walls and ceilings to allow tinies to easily traverse campus without having to navigate the floor or be carried by a larger peer. Every building had an interlink, and there were shuttle services set up to carry tinies between buildings at a much quicker pace than walking. “Are you going to be alright without me?”

            “Yeah,” Jackie muttered. She walked over to the wall in which a miniature elevator sat at her foot and placed her sister in front of it beside of a group of tinies. The elevator connected to the interlink through a glass tube and could hold up to a dozen tinies. “The tiny center isn’t too far from here.”

            “Okay, but call or text me if anything comes up.” The elevator doors opened, and Lynn was pressed to enter before it filled up, but she hesitated to leave her sister unattended.

            “I’ll be fine. Get going already, before all the backrow seats are taken.” Jackie waved and disappeared into the stream of bigs, sulking to avoid any eye contact with them. Lynn trudged backwards into the elevator, packing into it like a sardine, and kept her eyes on her twin as long as she could.

…

            Lynn’s first class that morning was Applied Algebra, a basic, gen. ed. math course for liberal arts majors filling a requirement or freshmen who hadn’t yet decided on a major. The interlink exited out beside every classroom via elevators built into the wall, giving tinies easy access to wherever they were heading.

            Upon entering the classroom, Lynn noticed the line of tiny desks in the front row situated in sets of five before the larger desks two feet out. This gave tiny students a direct view of the front whiteboard a few yards away; the professor’s desk stood up against the far wall as to not block the view of the front. There was also a metal plate in the center front from which a podium could be raised for tiny professors who wished to lecture at their larger students’ eye level. Despite her concerns, the tiny girl had arrived early enough that most of the seats were still vacant.

            Lynn walked past the tiny desks and made for the back. The desks on either side of her rose up like skyscrapers, her jaunt akin to walking the sidewalks of New York City. After a minute of walking, she made it to the last row of seats; both of which in her aisle were occupied.

            “Something we can do for you?” the woman to Lynn’s left asked. She was exceptionally tall, even for a big, with a slim build and toned muscles. A black, sleeveless crop-top accentuated her biceps and abdomen, and her baggy pants hid her sturdy thighs and calves. Her massive sneaker, its toe planted less than an inch before Lynn, was spacious enough for the tiny to live out of. Lynn waved to the towering woman from the floor.

            “Hi there! Is this seat taken?” she asked, pointing to the desk in front of the woman. The big, a half-Japanese woman whose long, straight hair was dyed bleached blonde on one side and cotton candy blue on the other, shot her friend a goofy look.

            “Don’t you think that’s a little big for you?” the friend mused with a chuckle. She was a good foot shorter than the lady next to her, with a thicker, curvier build filling in her tank top and jeans. Her frizzy, black hair hung down to her shoulders, and she had smooth, black skin. A pair of wire-framed glasses were perched on the bridge of her nose.

            “I don’t want to sit up front,” Lynn replied. “If you could lift me up, that’d be appreciated.” The two women shot each other another glance and laughed. Lynn continued to smile up at them unphased. “I’m Lynn by the way.”

            “I like you, Lynn,” the taller woman said. “Most tinies are afraid to get anywhere near me.”

            “Most bigs too,” her friend jested.

            “Anyway, name’s Heather. This is my best bro, Alena.” Heather stood up out of her seat into the aisle. Her looming body stretched on for what seemed like miles. Lynn had to crane her neck to get a glimpse of Heather’s lofty face. “Wait there, I have an idea.” Heather stepped over Lynn, almost knocking the tiny off her feet from the rushing wind of her gait. She walked to the front of the classroom and picked up an empty tiny desk, the thing being small enough to be held in her fingers, and carried it back to her seat. Placing it on her desk, Heather crouched down and held her hand out palm-up for Lynn to jump onto. Doing exactly that, Lynn was lifted up to her desk atop Heather’s. “There. I don’t think anyone will have a problem with that.”

            “Thanks!” Lynn cheered.

            “If someone sits in front of you, are you going to be able to see?” Alena asked.

            “I'll figure it out,” Lynn decided. “This is math, not like anything important.” As she spoke, she noticed Heather's backpack leaned up against the wall, more specifically the skateboard strapped to it. “Woah, you skate?”

            “Yeah, I skate here from my apartment. I have to use the bike lanes in the city since they outlawed wheels on the sidewalks.” Heather breathed a heavy sigh, blowing a gust through Lynn's hair. The tiny could smell the lingering scent of nicotine on her breath. “I don't get it. I can see tinies clear as day. Avoiding them ain't hard.”

            “That's so cool!” Lynn squealed. “I tried learning when I was younger, but I never had the patience for it.”

            “Honestly, same,” Alena chimed in. “I don't have the coordination to pull off what she does.”

            “Please, you flatter me,” Heather scoffed. “It just takes practice. I'm no one special.”

            “Girl, you skateboard, rollerblade, snowboard, BMX, mountain bike, and surf.”

            “I only surf on vacations,” Heather interjected.

            “My point is that you're a god on a board or anything with wheels. You don't get to be humble and tell us mere mortals that all it takes is some practice. Right, Lynn?”

            “Right!” Lynn was just happy to express her agreement. “I know how to rollerblade, but that’s about it.”

            “I can ride a bike on asphalt, but not up a mountain!”

            “Alena, seriously, you’re making a bigger deal of it than it actually is,” Heather pouted, her cheeks turning red. “Enough about me. Lynn, what sorts of shit are you into?”

            “I like to draw,” Lynn admitted, feeling lame as hell next to Ms. Skater Girl. “I can show you my sketchbook, if you’d like.”

            “Please!” both women said with bright eyes. Lynn fumbled through her backpack for the most recent notebook she drew in and held it open for her new friends. Heather pulled out her phone and used the camera to zoom in on the images, angling it so Alena could get a good look as well. These days, phone cameras had a setting that automatically enlarged tiny-scaled writing or pictures, giving bigs easier access to their smaller peers art.

            Lynn’s sketchbook was filled with colored pencil drawings of landscapes, portraits, a variety of characters both human and inhuman, as well as more abstract creations. Though her sketches had apparent flaws that could be expected of a self-taught amateur, the attention to detail was mesmerizing and most of the images seemed to pop straight off the page. “Ignore all the anime characters,” Lynn advised, flipping through some pages quicker than others. “I draw those for my sister.”

            “Lynn, these are incredible.” Heather kept gesturing for her to flip back a page to get a better look.

            “For real, I’m super jealous.” Alena fidgeted in her seat to stay comfortable as she leaned over her desk’s arm bar. “I’m majoring in fashion design, and none of my sketches come out this well.”

            “Oh! We should draw together then!” Lynn hopped up and down, her puny body unable to hold all of her excitement. “I could give you pointers, and I’d love to hear more feedback.”

            “Sounds like a plan.” Deep in their conversation, the trio didn’t notice the seats around them fill up as it was time for class to begin. To Lynn’s fortune, no one sat directly in front of Heather’s desk.

            “Good morning, class,” the professor announced. He was a portly fellow with a receding hairline and a pair of glasses that drooped down his nose. “We’ll be going over the syllabus today. I’ll be passing it around along with the attendance sheet.” The professor walked up to the front row, handing the big student seated in the corner a stack of papers. Then, he crouched down to hand the tiny student a significantly smaller stack pinched gingerly between his fingers. The stack passed until it reached Alena who then handed it to Heather.

            “Shit, your name’s not on this sheet. What’s your last name, I’ll write it in.”

            “Richards.” Lynn watched as Heather jotted the tiny’s name down and noted that she was sitting with her. As the larger woman wrote, Lynn found her full name listed: Heather Suzuran. Suzuran? Lynn pondered. Why does that name sound familiar?

…

            After what felt like forever, Jackie broke free from the crowd of bigs and entered the university’s tiny center. The room looked like it came straight out of a edutainment science museum. The space itself was the size of a regular classroom, but every piece of furniture was scaled down to tiny sizes. While tiny furniture was a common sight next to larger accommodations, it was rare to see nothing but it in a room designed for bigs. There were desks and tables, chairs, couches, bean bag chairs, whiteboards, and computers scattered throughout.

            The tiny center served a few purposes. It was primarily the meeting point for the university tiny committee, a student operated group responsible for organizing events and running programs related to all things tiny. The center was also considered a “safe space” for smaller students, a place to break from loud, handsy, careless, clumsy, inconsiderate, or otherwise obnoxious bigs. However, due to campus policy, bigs were required to be allowed access to the center just as tinies were allowed in any other area on campus, though giant visitors were often discouraged from lingering by the lack of adequate furniture, and staffers held the authority to remove any specific individuals who were causing a nuisance.

            Jackie stepped up to the front desk occupied by a tiny secretary. The desk didn’t even stretch the length of the larger twin’s toes.

            “Hello there,” the secretary greeted, craning her neck so she could meet the visitor’s gaze. “What can I do for you?” Jackie crouched down to make things more comfortable for the secretary.

            “My name’s Jackie Richards. I saw the ad online and was hoping to join…” Jackie trailed off feeling the malicious glares pointed her way from the tinies seated throughout the room.

            “What is she doing?” one tiny murmured.

            “Hey guys, a big’s here to ruin everything.”

            “Fucking giants. Think we can’t do anything for ourselves.”

            “Yeah, where do they get off acting so high and mighty?”

            “I, uh, I’m, I came to, um,” Jackie’s train of thought derailed off a cliffside. Her cheeks burned as murmuring insults scraped her ears. The secretary pretended not to hear them, hoping the big could finish her piece without embarrassing herself any further. Jackie stood up and started for the door. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here.”

            “Wait!” Two tinies rushed up to her. One was quite tall at two and a half inches. He had his black hair spiked up into a faux-hawk, and was wearing a purple and gold basketball jersey, repping the school's colors. The other tiny was only a head shorter, though he was much more rotund than his skinny partner. He had a mop of brown hair and the beginnings of a goatee on his chin. His T-shirt was plain white with red around the collar and shoulders, matching well enough with his brown cargo shorts. “Are you interested in joining the committee?” the taller one asked.

            “Yeah.” Jackie turned back towards the tinies and crouched down. “I know I look like a big, but I’m actually half-tiny.”

            “I know. You’re one of the twins, right?” The taller tiny held out his hand to greet her. “The name’s Javier, but you can just call me Javi.” Jackie pinched his hand between her fingers and gently shook it.

            “And I’m Pierce.” The other tiny simply waved with Jackie returning the gesture.

            “That’s right. I’m Jackie, but how did you know about me having a twin?”

            “The college posted about it.” Javi pulled out his phone and brought up the school's social media page. By sharing the screen to Jackie's phone, she was able to see a tweet with a picture of her and Lynn at an orientation event. The caption read: We at Winston State are proud to welcome the Richards twins to our esteemed family. Here, both will be able to flourish thanks to our nationally acclaimed multi-scale programs. 

            “Really? We never signed off on this.”

            “Well, nothing exemplifies the school's commitment to diversity like taking advantage of mixed students for promotional material,” Pierce posited. 

            “That's what happens when you put corporations in charge of higher education,” a random student chimed in. “See, the problem with capitalism is…”

            “Here, come have a seat.” Javi and Pierce led Jackie to a circle of chairs, couches, and bean bags where members of the committee were discussing plans while they lounged about. A long table sat in the middle, cluttered with printouts, laptops, and an assortment of open beverages. Jackie sat cross-legged in an open space outside the circle, looming over the tinies as if she were playing with a toy set. A couple students squirmed in their seats, having to adjust to the woman's lofty presence, but Jackie felt right at home surrounded by those smaller than her. A tiny woman wearing a white button up and grey slacks stood up and waved to Jackie.

            “Welcome!” Her long brown hair was tied into an intricate braid. “My name is Melanie. I'm the current head of the committee.” Melanie squeezed by her peers to approach Jackie and shake her finger. “I'm so glad you could join us. I don't believe we've ever had a half-big for a member. Hope you don't mind doing a lot of heavy lifting.”

            “No problem,” Jackie chuckled. “I'm used to that sort of thing.” The way she spoke, her voice was noticeably softer than what was typical for bigs. Her movements were also more controlled, not fidgeting or making any unnecessary motions with her feet or arms. The other committee members visibly eased up as they begun to recognize Jackie as one of their own. 

            “Awesome. If you have any questions feel free to ask any of us. Me and some of the senior members are still planning things out for the semester, so if you freshmen,” she said, pointing at Jackie, Javi, and Pierce, “want to just hangout and mingle for today, that's cool.” Melanie trotted back to her seat to hash out the very important business of what theme the homecoming dance would have.

            “So, what's it like having a miniature version of yourself?” Javi asked, lying face up on a beanbag.

            “It’s great! Lynn’s a lot more outgoing than me, so it’s nice being able to carry her around everywhere. She kinda acts like my voice, telling people what’s on my mind when I can’t form the words.”

            “So, is the whole twin telepathy thing true?” Pierce asked, leaned all the way back on a reclining office chair.

            “We don’t read each other’s minds, if that’s what you’re asking. It’s more like we get each other, like we know one another so well that it’s always obvious what the other is thinking.” As Jackie spoke, another woman barged her way into the tiny center. She was a hefty woman, thick in all departments and unafraid to show it, wearing a thin, pink tube top and an XXXL pair of daisy dukes.

            “Javi!” she called, stomping through the room in her Birkenstocks. Every tiny inside covered their ears at the sound of her blaring voice. “Javi, where you at?” Even Jackie flinched at her boisterous tone.

            “I’m over here, Michelle!” Javi replied, getting off the bean bag to approach her. He looked like a man walking into a tornado as he headed towards the careless, stomping woman. Michelle’s sandal slammed down half an inch in front of him before she finally noticed him. Despite the danger, Javi didn’t appear phased.

            “There you are!” she announced. She bent forward and plucked Javi off the ground, oblivious to the amount of cleavage she was displaying for the room. The committee members that weren’t grumbling expletives were scrunching their furrowed brows in irritation. “Ready to get to Women’s Studies?”

            “Sure thing,” Javi said from her palm. He turned to face Jackie and waved. “Hey, we should hang out more sometime. Make sure Pierce gives you my number.”

            “Okay, will do.” Jackie waved back, but stopped upon receiving Michelle’s death stare. With a huff, she turned to the exit and carried the tiny away. Once the obnoxious woman was gone, the tinies returned to business. “What’s her problem?” Jackie asked Pierce. “Was that his girlfriend?”

            “Nah, but she wishes she was.” Pierce picked his ear, trying to get the ringing to stop. “Michelle went to high school with us. She’s had a crush on Javi as long as I’ve known her, but he was always dating someone else. His last girlfriend is attending some school on the other side of the country, so they split up. I’m guessing Michelle isn’t taking any chances now that he’s single again.”

            “Keep my distance. Got it.” Jackie held her forehead in her palm. “Hate freakin’ bigs,” she muttered loud enough to get a few nods of agreement. Pierce cocked an eyebrow but decided not to pry, instead checking the time on his phone.

            “I should probably head to my next class.” Pierce pocketed his phone and shouldered his backpack.

            “Where you headed? I could take you there, if you want.”

            “English 101 in Room 215. Only if it’s on your way. I don’t want to be a bother.”

            “Yo, I’m in that class too.” Jackie held her palm out for Pierce to climb on. “I’d be glad to take you there. We can chat more on the way.” Pierce clambered onto her hand. He was amazed by how soft it was. It was clear she used moisturizer, Pierce overwhelmed by the pleasant aroma of peaches wafting from her skin. As Jackie stood up, the tiny had no trouble keeping his balance, the woman’s hand lifting at an even pace. “Should I carry you in my hand or keep you in my bag’s pocket?” she asked, pointing to the pocket on her shoulder strap.

            “Uh…” Honestly, Pierce wanted to stay in her hand, but he couldn’t admit to that. “Whichever you prefer.”

            “I think I’ll just hold you.” Yes! “Lynn would get upset if I let others ride in her pocket.”

            “Sounds good to me.” Imaginary fists were pumping in his mind as he sat down in her expansive palm. Jackie made for the exit, careful to step around the furniture and any tinies below, but as she reached the doorway, a voice called out to her from behind.

            “Jackie, was it?” one of the committee members asked from his seat. “Sorry about anything you may have heard earlier. We’re happy to have you.”

            Jackie smiled, nodded, and went on her way.

…

            Women’s and Genders Studies 101.  Michelle sauntered into the classroom holding Javi out just below her chest, mesmerizing the tiny with her clapping funbags every step she took. He tried to keep his focus elsewhere, not stare for too long nor fantasize about getting lost between them too much, but his efforts were fruitless. Michelle was well aware of the effects her body had on the little guy. She had a powerful urge to simply shove him down her cleavage and consume every fiber of his attention, but she held strong, recalling an article she read on attracting tiny men:

            While it may be tempting to snatch up the man of your dreams and smother him in your loving embrace, it's important to remember that tiny men value their individuality just as much as the larger variety do. The better approach is to give your boy toy the illusion that he has agency. Any woman can pick up a tiny and stuff him in her bra, but the successful suitor seduces her man, teases him with the possibilities, and always leaves him craving more until she is the only thing on his mind. And then, like putty in your hands, he'll come crawling, begging for the right to worship you.

            As Michelle carried Javi to the back of the classroom, she picked up a tiny desk from the front row. Reaching the end of the seats, she placed his desk on hers and set him down, squeezing her bulging frame into her seat. Sitting to her left was a half-Japanese woman biting into a granny Smith apple.

            Shit, he's cute, Heather thought, crunching loud as she noshed on her fruit. She was enamored by his tall proportions, his silky black hair, caramel skin, chiseled physique, and what she assumed was a great ass (it was hard to tell with him sitting down, but she had a sense for these things). 

            “Hey there. I'm Javier,” he greeted, wondering how long the woman across the aisle was going to ogle at him without saying anything. “Though, you can just call me Javi.”

            “Sup. Heather.” She wasn't sure where to go from there, still recovering from her daze. She looked to her snack for guidance. “Want a piece?” 

            “Sure!” Heather carved out a small chunk of her apple with her fingernail and handed it to Javi, catching Michelle's glare in the process. “This is my friend, Michelle.”

            “Friend, huh?” Heather smirked. Suddenly, the other woman wasn't so threatening, no matter how many daggers fired from her eyes. “How about you?” She gestured the apple her way.

            “I'm good. Thanks.” Michelle rested her arm across the left side of her desk, forming a barrier between Javi and the minx. 

            “Javi, is that you?” another woman asked, sitting down in the desk ahead. She was a few years older than the freshmen, wearing a sleek vest over her button-up. A professional skirt rolled over her stocking-clad legs, and wavy red hair cascaded onto her shoulders. “Oh my God, I haven't seen you in forever.”

            “Wow, Shawna, I didn't know you went here.” Javi was somehow oblivious to the ire oozing from the women behind him. The two ladies took note of the ballistics Shawna had secured behind her vest and the gams that went on for days, especially for a man that could literally hike up them. “I think’s it’s been three or four years since you guys moved.”

            “Who’s she?” Michelle asked incredulously.

            “Sorry, I should introduce myself. I’m Shawna, the teaching assistant for this class.” She held out her hand which both women reluctantly shook. “Javi and I were neighbors, and I used to babysit him when we were little.”

            “Neighbors?” Heather interjected. “How did that work?”

            “Our neighborhood was weird,” Shawna explained. “It was built right around when the borders opened up and the government was still figuring out how cohabitation was going to play out. Some realty company decided to design a mixed-size suburb with tiny houses between regular ones. It was a massive flop at first since everyone was so nervous back then, but once they cut the prices real low, a bunch of new families like ours moved in. It was a lot of fun growing up next to the Delgados.” She turned her attention downward to Javi. “I’m seriously so glad to see you again.”

            “Same. I’d be down to hang out after class.”

            Great, Heather simmered, now I’ve got the childhood friend to contend with.

            “Absolutely! I’d love to catch up. And if you ever need ‘one-on-one tutoring,’ that’s literally what I’m here for.” Shawna gave Javi a warm, nostalgic smile, but her eyes told the truth. The three colossal women stared each other down, shooting glances back and forth in a modern-day Mexican standoff, their puny prize sitting helplessly in the center. Javi started sweating from the forehead, clueless as to why; he was unaware of the animosity soaring far above his head, but he felt its impact nevertheless.

…

            “You’re majoring in computer engineering?” Jackie carried Pierce up the stairs to the second floor. Even while travelling up the steps, she held her hand steady, giving the tiny a smoother ride than any top-class car could.

            “Tinies are always in high demand for IT jobs, and if I land a spot in a big company, I’ll be set for life.” Pierce felt the subtle heat radiate from Jackie’s palm and worried if his sweating was noticeable which elicited more sweat from him than the temperature could. “What about you?”

            “I’m undecided for now.” Entering the second floor hallway, Jackie weaved seamlessly through the crowd of students, unphased by their looming presence now she had someone small to focus on. “I know I want to work in a tiny district, but I’m not sure what I’d do.”

            “That’s a tough one. Tiny employers don’t pay as much, so most bigs don’t look for work there. Aside from patrollers, I suppose,”

            “Can’t do that. The last thing I want to do is have to confront some ornery big.” When Jackie reached their class, she grabbed a tiny desk from the front row and brought it to the very back, repeating what was becoming a common ritual among mixed size friends.

            “Yeah, that sounds miserable,” he laughed in acknowledgement. He took a seat on the desk placed on her desk. “What about construction?”

            “Those are usually outsourced to dedicated construction companies, so I’d mainly be working on projects at my scale.” As the two talked, Jackie was overcome with the strange sensation of being watched. Turning to her right, she was confronted by the widened eyes of a stout girl with frizzy, black hair. “C-can I help you?”

            “Sorry,” Alena said, snapping free from her haze. “You look exactly like someone I know. Sorta. It’s kinda freaking me out.”

            “Oh, you must mean Lynn. She’s my twin sister.” Despite the explanation, Alena’s shocked expression didn’t falter.

            “You have a tiny twin? I had no idea that was possible.”

            “I can’t blame you. As far as I know, we’re still the only ones. I’m Jackie by the way, and this is my friend, Pierce.” The tiny lit up at being called a friend already.

            “Alena.” She placed her hand on her heart, calming herself down. “Sorry again for acting weird. I met Lynn this morning and was not expecting to see her blown up like this.”

            “Yeah, I'd probably freak out too if I was suddenly taller than Jackie,” Pierce added. The larger twin shuddered at that nightmare scenario. “At least I know to expect it when I meet Lynn.”

            “She showed me some of her drawings. They're really good, and you have great taste in anime by the way. Have you seen…” The three spent the time before class gushing about the shows they like. It surprised Jackie how easy it was talking to Alena despite them being the same height. Likewise, Alena found it interesting how vocal the tinies she met were, speaking as freely to her as they would someone their own scale. Pierce was happy to have made new friends so quickly, expecting to have to stick to Javi's coattails like in high school.

            “…Wonder of U would trash Made in Heaven,” Jackie shouted in heated debate. “The calamities would accelerate along with the rest of the universe. There's no escaping that.”

            “You're still not factoring in time stop,” Alena argued, “and you know DIO and Pucci are tag-teaming it.”

            “Excuse me if I'm interrupting,” the professor snided, “but if you can shelve your passionate debate over classic rock so I can start class, that would be appreciated.” The trio shut up, feeling the burning attention of their peers on their necks as the rest of the room's silence struck them. Jackie shut herself off, burying her blaring red face in her arms. Pierce turned his head and stared at the wall so he couldn't meet anyone's gaze.

            “Sorry,” Alena apologized, maintaining her composure as best she could under the circumstances. 

            “And if I'm to offer my two cents,” the old professor continued, “Killer Queen is a much better song than Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

…

            “Where are you headed next?” Michelle asked the tiny on her desk. Women's studies had just finished, and everyone was packing up to move on with their day.

            “Room 215,” Javi answered. “I'm meeting Pierce there, and then we're probably going to get something to eat.” 

            “Oh.” Disappointment scrawled across the woman's face. “I'm headed the other way, to the science building.”

            “I can take you there,” Heather offered, standing over the seated pair. “I'm headed to 215 myself to meet a friend.”

            “Of course you are,” Michelle muttered. Ignoring the other woman's snark, Heather squeezed past the desks into Javi's aisle, holding her hand out for him to climb into.

            “Sounds good to me. Thanks!” Javi clambered onto Heather's fingers and was slowly lifted up to her shoulder. He stepped off of her hand and onto the strap of her backpack, hanging onto a flat loop that bore the bag maker's logo for support.

            “Buckled in?” She could barely see him nod within her peripheral vision, his body so close to her enormous head. The view from up there, as she exited into the hallway, was incredible. At 6’7”, Heather was a giantess in her own right, and the two and a half inch Javi had never known what it was like to walk around at such lofty heights. Seeing the tops of so many heads felt surreal. “It must get annoying having to be carried around everywhere.”

            “Not really. It's not like we need the help, it's just more convenient. My advisor told me I should schedule my classes around long breaks, so I could get to them in time in case I didn't have someone to take me, but I like that this gets me to spend more time with people, make new friends and all that.” He noticed the skateboard strapped to her backpack, but before he could ask her if she skated, they had reached their destination.

            “Yo, Alena,” Heather called and waved, as if she didn't already stand out in the crowd of students. Alena was walking alongside Jackie, chatting with her and the tiny Pierce riding in her left hand. “What's uhhhh…” As the two groups collided, Heather and Jackie froze. The 5’4” twin had to crane her neck to look the other woman in the eye.

            “H-how are you so tall?” they both asked, dumbstruck. Jackie's heart raced, and her breath drew short. Heather was perplexed how the woman who had sat on her desk a couple hours ago was now standing at chest height. Amidst their fright, Alena stepped between them.

            “Heather, this is Jackie, Lynn's twin sister. They're a mixed size family. Jackie, this is…” Alena noticed how pale Jackie had become. Her hand trembled slightly, jostling Pierce like a low magnitude quake. “Jackie, are you okay?”

            She blinked a couple times and snapped out of her haze, Alena's words bringing her back to the present day. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just, you're so tall.”

            “No worries,” Heather giggled. “You’re not the first person to freak out over it. Though, this is the first time I’ve wigged out over someone else being ‘tall.’” She bent her knees and leaned forward, holding her hand out to greet Jackie properly. The shorter woman attempted to grasp onto it, but she found her hand engulfed by the giantess’, it’s gentle pressure more than she could return. Though the gap between them was still wide, Javi and Pierce's human islands were close enough that they could wave to each other. “Mixed-size twins, huh? That's sick as hell.”

            Heather stood up straight, eliciting a gulp from Jackie as she did her best to stay sane in the skater girl’s shadow. “Thanks. I like your hair.” To Jackie’s surprise, Heather wrapped her arm around the shorter woman’s shoulder, embracing her in a sort of half hug.

            “You twins are alright. Me and Alena were headed to the food court to grab a pizza. Why don’t you join us? Oh!” Heather remembered there were tinies tagging along on their persons. “That offer extends to the guys too. My treat.” She gently plucked Javi from her shoulder and lowered him onto Jackie’s palm, reuniting the friends.

            “And what about me?” a high-pitched voice rang out from the floor. “I’m assuming I’m part of this equation too.” Lynn stood beside Jackie’s black boot, only coming up as high as top of the toe.

            “Yo! What up, Lynn?” Heather waved. Jackie crouched and greeted her sister, lowering her palm so Lynn could climb aboard and join the other tinies. “Of course, you’re coming too.”

            “Jackie, you were supposed to wait for me by the classroom,” Lynn complained. “I had to walk a whole three yards to get over to you.”

            “Sorry.” Jackie stood back up, gently lifting the tinies in her hand to chest level. “I got caught up chatting with my new friends. I forgot we were meeting up here.” Lynn held her hands at her waist while she pouted, but her displeasure quickly subsided. It was a wonder that Jackie had made some friends already, and one was a big of all things.

            “Fine. But I want to ride on Heather’s shoulder! I gotta see the world from up there.” The bigs all laughed at the puny firecracker, but Heather obliged and plucked the tiny twin from the other’s palm. Heather placed Lynn on her backpack strap as she had done with Javi, the tiny becoming mesmerized at the lofty view from above the rest of the student body. “Holy shit, is this what you see every day? How do you not get dizzy?”

            “I’ve gotten used to it, I guess,” Heather chuckled. “Who knows? Maybe you will too.”

…

            The six sat on either side of a booth table in the campus’ food court. Alena and Heather sat next to each other with Jackie seated across from them. The tinies were all on the table, sitting beside an extra-large veggie deluxe and a mini-XL pepperoni sausage pizza. Javi and Pierce sat over on Jackie’s end, while Lynn lied on her stomach atop an open page of Alena’s notebook. The two women were sketching in it, the larger struggling to maintain her confidence while watching the smaller belt out masterpieces with little effort.

            “Lynn, these are incredible. My notebook isn’t worthy.” Alena put down her pencil, disgusted with her own attempt.

            “Please, these aren’t anything special.” Lynn stood up and walked towards Alena’s sketch. It was a rough illustration of a mannequin wearing a frilly dress. Traces of the fashionable design Alena devised in her head were apparent, but the proportions were all off and the dress itself had no depth. “For not working off a reference, this isn’t that bad. Here,” Lynn walked to a blank space on the page and lied down on her back, “try sketching me.” The tiny sprawled out like she was posing for a centerfold, stretching her arms over her head and twisting her waist to accentuate her curves. Alena’s heartbeat hastened, making it tough to keep her hand steady as she drew in the space next to the girl. “Don’t think about me as a whole, but focus on the shapes that make up each part of my body.” While she drew, the other side of the table was engaged in their own conversation.

            “You should come over Pierce’s house this weekend,” Javi said to Jackie. “We’re getting pretty close to finishing up the repairs on his gramps’ old hotrod.”

            “We? You just sit on your ass and scroll on your phone,” Pierce stated, biting into another slice of pizza.

            “I provide moral support. You need someone to shout at all the times you break something.”

            “I’d love to hang out with you guys. It’s been too long since I’ve last visited a tiny district,” Jackie responded. “Is the commute long for you?”

            “No. Our house is just outside the city, so it’s only like a forty-minute drive on the tiny turnpike.” While they were busy making plans, Alena finished her sketch.

            “There.” Alena put down her pencil and the group took a peek at the drawing. Though still rough, it was a marked improvement over her previous efforts. Lynn stood over her life-size portrait and nodded in satisfaction.

            “Very good. It’s still a bit flat, but you got my proportions down,” Lynn commented. The head and limbs all looked well enough like a head and limbs, and the clothing, though simpler than the real deal, resembled what Lynn was wearing well enough. But one feature in particular stood out.

            “Yeah, her boobs look great,” Heather pointed out. Looking at the drawing, it was clear Lynn’s chest had received much more attention than the rest of her, the sketch rendering her globes almost perfectly.

            “What!?” Alena panicked as the group noticed how right Heather was. “I didn’t mean… I wasn’t trying… That is… I’m sorry, I’ll erase it now!” Alena grabbed her pencil and tried to bring her eraser down onto the page, but Lynn dove over portrait, shielding it from the pink rubber.

            “No! I need those! They’re my pride and joy!” she joked, eliciting a chorus of laughter from around the table. Alena sighed and put her pencil aside. She pinched either side of Lynn’s torso and pulled her off the page.

            “Now you’re covered in pencil lead, silly.” Lynn’s bright camisole had been stained grey, but the illustrated boobs remained mostly intact.

            “A worthy sacrifice,” Lynn noted as Alena set her down on the table. Heather pulled out her phone and got into her contacts.

            “Before we head off, everyone give me your number. I’ll start a group chat.” Her fingers danced in a flurry as she inputted the numbers.

            “You sure about paying for the food?” Jackie asked. “Lynn and I don’t mind chipping in.”

            “Girl, it’s fine. Trust me, I can afford a couple pizzas.” With everyone’s info safely stored, the group got up to head to their next classes. “Everybody share their schedules, that way we know when we’re all free to hang.”

…

            That evening, once they had finished all their classes, Jackie and Lynn walked together back to their dorm, the former carrying the latter in her special compartment. While tinies and bigs tended to reside in separate, properly scaled dormitories, the university was more than willing to allow the twins to bunk together in the big apartments. With a sudden brrng, Jackie’s phone went off in her pocket.

            “It’s mom,” she said, reading off the contact on the screen. Jackie answered and set the phone to speaker mode.

            “Hi, sweetie! How was your first day?” The woman on the other line spoke with unbridled enthusiasm.

            “It was fine, mom. You don’t have to check in on us,” Lynn chided.

            “Oh good, your sister’s with you! I’m sure you’ve made tons of friends already, Lynn.”

            “We both have, mom,” Jackie mentioned. “Thanks for calling.”

            “Of course! Your father’s napping at the moment, but he misses you both too. Lynn, your taking good care of your sister, right?”

            “Mom, we’re hanging up now.” Lynn was ready to jump onto the screen and do it herself.

            “Okay, I won’t keep you any longer. Just remember to stay safe and have fun. I’m so excited for you both.”

            “Thanks, mom. Bye!” Jackie pocketed her phone and continued walking. The sky radiated a tangerine orange as the sun sank towards the horizon, bringing a close to the first day of the twin’s long college career.