Hey just cause its your best friend doesnt mean much. Other people come in dorm rooms and I know a lot of people have stuff stolen all the time, espically at party schools.
Stop in at Office Depot, there is a panasonic unit the color u describe and for the price has great sound. I think it was 120 and if you need more base you could rig a computer sub to it with the extra money and still have enough left over for another.