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Once we’d all passed around our phones, Eric clapped his hands.
“So, I’mgonnago take a nap,” he said, and looked at me. “See you tomorrow?”
I smiled. “We’ll see.”
He gave me another light nudge before turning around. I watched him go, slurping the ice cream out the bottom of his cone like he couldn’t give a crap in the world. I liked him. It was official. And maybe—just maybe—he liked me, too.
2
We were going to meet up to head over to Powell at nine. I told Eric I’d misspregaming.
Vivian had left about an hour ago, so I had the room all to myself to get ready. I almost wanted to call up Pierre and as him for his advice on an outfit, but he’d disapprove. Left to my own devices, I came up with a black tank-top tucked into my silver skirt, and two-inch black combat heels. My hair, I pulled back into a high ponytail, letting my purple curls fall over my right shoulder. Not bad for my first real party.
I checked the time on my alarm clock.
Taking in a deep breath, I grabbed my phone and a twenty-dollar bill and stuffed them into my purse. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I felt my heart beat faster. I couldn’t believe I was free—saying high school was overrated was a huge understatement.
It was all over. I could relax, begin again.
Starting now.
I opened the door to find Vivian leaning against the wall, running her mouth at Luna. As soon as she noticed me, which took longer than itshould’ve, she hurried to the door.
“ThankGodyou’re still here,” she squealed, pushing past me into the room. “I totally left my room key in here. Oh, there it is.” She jumped out just as quickly as she’d charged in, stuffing the plastic card into her bra. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” I said, shutting the door behind me. “Where are the guys?”
I could smell the alcohol on her even as she and Luna strode about a yard ahead of me. The RAs must’ve not given a fuck, or were out on their own pre-classes drinking sprees.
“They’re waiting in Jason’s car. Don’t worry, he’s sober driving. Someone else will give us a ride back,” Vivian answered.
Jason, sober? I barely knew the guy, but his name and demeanor were all I needed to know that the idea was impossible.
Still, I couldn’t bail now.
Taking the same route as we had the day before to get to the mixer, I looked out for Tara’s door. It was beautiful. She’d added some pink and blue dye to some of the edges of the gardenia petals, and leaves formed swirls and spirals around each flower from the top of the doorframe to the floor. It looked like the gateway to a fairytale. That girl was an artist, no doubt.
We crowded into the elevator with a few other girls. Once we had gotten to the ground floor, the elevator doors opened to a mob of students dressed in a combination of pajamas, business suits, strapless dresses and sweaty sports uniforms. We wove our way out to the front quad, where a car sat idling on the road near the exit. They blasted music as we approached the car.
“Can you turn that off?” Vivian yelled as she yanked open the backseat door. Jason, in the driver’s seat, turned it up a notch. As we squeezed into the back, he shut it off. “Jesus.”
“Sorry,” Jason said, faking a pout. “I hate displeasing the ladies.”
Eric sat in the passenger seat. He caught my eye in the rearview, but glanced away. The butterflies that had engulfed my intestines evaporated. Something was off.
Jason thundered up the motor, and the car crept through the streams of students dashing across the windshield before turning onto the main road. Vivian started talking up a storm as per usual, and Luna sat back in her seat, applying some dark lipstick.
“What do you think, Kathleen?” Vivian asked, turning to me.
“Um.” I shook my head. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”
“I said, would you rather be called a slut for the rest of your life, or a whore?”
I raised my eyebrows. What stimulating conversation.
“I’ve been called both for pretty much the past four years, so,” I began, pausing to let out a sigh, “a slut, I guess?”
“I second that,” Eric called. I couldn’t help but giggle.
