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She nods her head in approval. “That’s fantastic! How’s it going so far?”
People ask all the time. Friends from home, my student advisor, Sienna. I always chirp back, “Great!” or if I’m feeling especially plucky, “I love it!” But I can’t seem to muster up the energy required to lie to this woman.
She was my English Lit teacher way back when, and she also ran a creative writing seminar. Miss Dawson would leave these thought-provoking comments on my papers, things that made me dig deeper or maybe examine my motives. I always believed she had some internal bullshit detector or something.
“It’s all right.”
She lets out a soft laugh. “I hope they don’t hire you to lead campus tours for incoming freshman.” When I don’t respond she reaches a hand over to cup my cheek, and that alone nearly reduces me to tears. “Everyone goes through it, Skylar. Even the kids who are walking around smiling and laughing like they’ve got it all figured out. It’s an adjustment.”
I nod and clear my throat, embarrassed by the pathetic impression I’m making. “It’s just so different from home. But it’s only been six weeks. I’ll get the hang of it.”
“Are you on your way to class now? I just met up for coffee with a friend, but I’m kind of starving and could use a glass of wine. There’s a cute little brick oven pizza place just a block off campus if you want to grab an early dinner.”
I try my best but can’t contain my enthusiasm when I nod my head to take her up on the offer. Share a meal with another actual human? Engage in conversation? Sign me up.
She fixes me with a knowing look once we’re seated. “So tell me what’s really going on.”
I go to speak just as the server comes over. Miss Dawson smiles at the girl and orders two glasses of Cabernet. When she turns to go, Miss Dawson asks me, “Are you even twenty-one?”
“I will be in,” I pause to do the math, “two weeks and one day.”
Her eyebrows knit and then she smiles. “Halloween. That’s right. I remember your senior year of high school...Your party was the talk of the town.”
I shake my head. “We took advantage every time my parents went away for a night. But they were pretty good about it when they found out.”
Her expression changes at the mention of my parents. Her smile is soft when she says, “They probably knew about the party all along. I mean, hell, I even knew about it.” Tilting her head to the side she says, “I remember being surprised that you were eighteen a year before everyone else.” Laughing, she adds, “Two of the tallest girls in the school.”
“You’re forgetting about Marcy Price. She dwarfed us. But yeah, with the whole preemie thing and being twins…My mother thought we’d be better off if she held us back. You should see our kindergarten picture.”
“Taller than all the boys?” she asks, laughing.
I nod. “It’s me and Sienna standing together in the center of the top row.”
“We’ll toast to your birthday tonight then.” She lets out a breath and smiles. “I’m an awesome role model. I went and ordered your underage butt an alcoholic beverage and didn’t even ask if you like red over white, or if you even drink at all.”
“Everything I know about wine is from watching cooking shows, but I like to try everything.”
The server sets our glasses down and asks for our order but we haven’t even looked at the menu yet.
“Is there anything you don’t like, Skylar?” When I shake my head, she goes ahead and orders us a pie with brussel sprouts, pancetta and ricotta, and another with sausage and broccoli rabe.
“Sounds good.”
“Trust me. You’ll be daydreaming about this pizza from now on.”
“Do you come up here a lot?”
She sips her wine and then shrugs. “Once or twice a month maybe? My boyfriend is a professor here.”
“What department?”
“Humanities. Jack teaches philosophy.”
“I wouldn’t know him.”
“What are you majoring in?”
When I answer, “Education,” we both smile. “I’m concentrating on Early Childhood, though. I don’t think I’m cut out for dealing with obnoxious teenagers the way you are.”
