by Jamie Knight
“Why don’t you go to a club?” I suggested. I wanted to release her, but she would just start slipping down again, so I kept my hands tight on her shoulders.
“None of them are open now,” she said, trying to sound reasonable.
“That’s right! Because who starts to party at 6:00 p.m. on a Wednesday?” I snapped, glaring at her. “Turn off the music, Maniac.”
She swatted my hands again. I let go. She took a step and stumbled towards me. I had to grab her by her narrow waist to keep her from falling into me. She was clearly loaded.
“Shit, you’re already drunk too?” I said astounded. “Are you an alcoholic?”
“No, I don’t have a problem with drinking,” she said with a grin. “I’m really good at it.”
“You’re going to flunk out in the first semester at this rate,” I said, aghast. I had to put both hands on her waist to keep her up. She would probably pass out soon.
“What are you? My dad?” she scoffed, looking up at me, anger in her blue eyes. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“You’re wasted, and you have five guys in your dorm room,” I argued.
“None of them are my boyfriend,” she interrupted, poking me in the chest with one finger. “So, it’s fiiiiiiine.”
“Look, we have to live in this dorm together,” I tried to reason with her. “Can you please turn down the music to normal levels?”
“Fine,” she said annoyed. She crossed her arms, covering her ample chest. “But you owe me. Next time I’m bored, you have to make some noise.”
“Fine, yeah, whatever,” I agreed, not quite sure what she meant and figuring she wouldn’t remember anyway.
I opened the door to her dorm room again and helped her stumble through to her bed. Her friends kept dancing, hardly taking notice of us.
“Quiet time, guys,” Tina announced, waving a hand to get everyone’s attention. “Lame-o here needs to study.” She pointed at me.
I quickly took my hands off her and let her sink onto the bed. Her friends grumbled, but they turned down the music and began to leave. The only one who took it in stride was Emma.
“Let’s take this back to my place and out of his building!” she announced without missing a beat. “Tina, you coming? C’mon! Don’t be ‘baaad at looove’ like Halsey, girl,” she sang at her.
Cheers erupted as they filed out. I walked back down to my own dorm and shut the door.
That Tina is out of her mind, I thought.
And I don’t know why she told me none of those guys were her boyfriend. It’s not like I care. The way she’s acting, she’s practically inviting disaster. Tina’s been sheltered her whole life, and now that she’s out on her own, she can’t cope with the real world.
I sank down into my hard, wooden chair and tried to return to studying history, but thoughts of Tina wouldn’t leave my mind. It’s like lately, every time I looked into her eyes, I saw something in them that I couldn’t shake. This time it was some serious anger. Why did she get so mad when I pointed out the obvious fact that her grades might be in trouble? Or that she had a plenty of trouble brewing with random drunk guys?
Maybe I do sound like her dad. Which sucks, I really don’t want to be that guy. But, apparently someone needs to tell her what the fuck is what. Whatever. It’s not really my problem or my business. I just need to focus on my own shit and get through this.
As I ran down my thoughts, I kept visualizing how she looked dancing on the bed in that short, tight skirt. The rolling motion of her thighs and hips... I shook my head to try to dislodge the thought.
What an idiot. She’s just wasting her money and her time. Why even go to college if you’re just going to party?
Chapter Five
Tina
In September, my best friend since elementary school, Lindsay, came to campus. We had been friends since second grade, ever since we exchanged sandwiches for lunch. My mom always made me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Always. And her mom always made her bologna and cheese. When we realized our shared plight, the solution was obvious. We never had lunch apart after that. I got a friend for life and some variety in my otherwise meager lunch options.
Her father also worked at the same auto-parts plant, but he was in management. Our dads actually got along, because my dad would suck up to hers. So, thankfully, despite my controlling parents’ restrictions, slumber parties and best friend bracelets with Lindsay was a bright ray of light in my otherwise bleak social exposure.
Things were great now. Lindsay had a scholarship to a fancy college called Pacific Day University a few hours drive away, luckily. It was a place where her brother had gotten a scholarship as well. But her school had a different fall break schedule, so she had time to come down and spend a few days with me. I had to go to classes, but we still had plenty of time to hang out.
We were walking across campus after leaving the dining hall, where some weird guy had been stuffing food into plastic bags and then loading them in his backpack. It was already bulging with his stores. Some of the students here were really strange.
“I like your campus a lot,” said Lindsay, brushing a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. “Mine is a lot more uptight. You know, that’s the way fancy colleges are. Everyone is so rich. It’s like everyone already knows what to do and I’m just barely starting to catch on. I don’t really fit in.” Her brown eyes looked down at the pavement beneath our feet.
“But your mother must be proud, right?” I asked.
Lindsay’s mom was just as religious as mine was. They both just wanted us to find a man and get married.
“Oh, no, she keeps complaining,” said Lindsay. “She thinks every boy that’s ever talked to me has had sex with me.”
“Jeez, is it that bad?” I asked. “I guess, my mom’s version of that is not too different. She kind of does the same thing. She’s always pushing me to find a husband.”
“Oh, yeah, exactly,” said Lindsay with a laugh. “My mom thinks the only reason for women to even go to college is to find a husband who will have a better job than my dad has. Do you know she doesn’t seem to even care about my scholarship? I try to tell her about what I’m learning in my classes and all the things I can do after college with my major in chemistry. Nothing. Nada. Zero interest or response. Ooooh, but if I even mention a date I had, she’s all ears.”
“Yeah, my mom too,” I admitted. “It’s like, they want us to meet a guy and then get engaged a week later. And yet they somehow manage to still be so… anti-sex.”
Lindsay stopped in her tracks and threw her hands up in exasperation. “I know, right? It’s like, Mom, this is the modern era. I mean, people have sex. All the damn time. There’s ways to have it and not get pregnant. And it doesn’t have to be a big deal,” she said. “I’m not going to just give it away in bucketloads or get all cam-girl about it, but c’mon. I’d still like to get laid at least once in a while.”
I laughed nervously, not meeting her gaze.
“Still no action, huh?” surmised Lindsay, putting a hand on my shoulder.
I brushed her hand off and played with my hair. “What? Why do you ask?”
“It’s fine if you’re a virgin, Tina,” assured Lindsay. “I’m not, but it’s cool if you are. Have you started getting out there on the hot streets of Kensington State?”
“I’m trying. Sorta,” I said.
I lead her over to a waist-level wall lining the path. We put down our backpacks, then scooted up and sat down, our shoes dangling a foot above ground.
It was slowly getting dark, but the paths on campus were well lit. It was a pretty campus, with lots of landscaping and trees. The wide sidewalk in front of us took a winding, curving path down a hill, with large open lawns on either side. Students were sprinkled throughout these grounds, kicking around soccer balls, lying on blankets to stare up at the sky, some still trying to read by the dying light. A few had even set up portable LED lights to keep reading in the dark. I watched a shirtless hunk
throw a Frisbee to his friend and realized I felt no inclination to approach him, despite his profound hotness.
I turned my gaze back to my friend and admitted, “I’m so just nervous around guys.”
She smiled and looked off into the distance. “I know, remember that time in school when we were kids? That boy on the playground?”
“I’m not sure,” I answered, trying to figure out what she was talking about. Elementary school sure was a long time ago.
“We were playing hide and seek in the tunnels, remember? Those big concrete tubes towards the end of the playground, by the big trees?” Lindsay looked at me and I shook my head, still not remembering.
“Anyway,” she continued, “the bell to return to class had rung but you hadn’t found me yet. So, you were still looking because you wanted to win. You were totally dead-set on winning. Remember? You were so focused that even that black-haired boy in our class tried to tell you to hurry and that we needed to get to class. You punched him in the nose! You didn’t even say anything! Just wham! You don’t remember that?” laughed Lindsay. “C’mon, that was classic Tina.”
“Okay, yes, I do remember,” I admitted, picturing that boy with blood running down his face. “I was trying not to. It was embarrassing.”
“Who was that kid you punched again?” she asked, twirling a dark brown strand of hair around one of her fingers. “Didn’t he live in the same apartment building as you or something?”
“It was Seth,” I said.
“Whoa. That’s right, Seth,” remembered Lindsay. She sighed. “It’s always so weird to me, thinking of Seth. Since he’s been such good friends with my brother, on one hand, I just remember him as the kid that kind of looked like Pig Pen from Peanuts who was always at my house. And always had dirt on his face from one of Robert’s crazy adventures. Then, I remember this Seth, how you punched him and how before that, he pushed you down and that for all your life, he’s basically been your mortal enemy.”
I looked down at my shoes as I listened to her voice wind through history.
In a thoughtful tone, Lindsay continued, “My brother’s best friend is my best friend’s worst nightmare. Yep, mine is definitely A Tale of Two Seths. You know, I never asked Robert what Seth’s up to these days. I wonder where he is now.”
I sighed. There was no sense hiding it.
“He goes to school here,” I said. “He lives in the same dorm building as me. His room is literally five doors down.”
“What? No way!” laughed Lindsay, crinkling her nose slightly. “That’s crazy. What’s he look like now? I mean, I remember he got taller in high school. Did he get hot over the summer, now that he’s all grown up?”
“Why does everyone keep saying Seth is hot? He’s not hot. I don’t think he’s hot,” I insisted, a little too loudly.
I stood up and started walking back towards the dorms at a fast pace. Lindsay jumped up and followed.
“Oh, my God!” Lindsay giggled, grabbing my shoulder to turn me back towards her. “You’re into him,” she declared with a jokingly accusatory tone.
“What? No! Ew!” I swatted her hand away.
“Of course you are!” she laughed. “Look at the reaction you’re having. You’re blushing, just thinking about him.”
“I am not into him. I’m not attracted to Seth. Ew! No. Never. Can we change the subject, please?”
I took off walking once more. Lindsay skipped happily behind me, giggling with delight.
When we got inside the hall, Seth was coming out of his dorm room. Perfect timing, of course. He had on a crisp pair of jeans, a charcoal gray sweater and a leather jacket. Everything was well fitted, showing off his muscular chest and arms. His black hair was gently tousled. A few of the longer strands from the top ran down his cheeks and accentuated his chiseled jaw.
He had a girl on his arm. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but notice that he had been dating a lot of different women. He was making such a gross display of desperateness. This one was the third in this week alone. It was disgusting. Lindsay and I just stopped and stared.
“There’s Seth,” said Lindsay smiling. “He did get hot over the summer,” she added, nodding appraisingly.
“God, he’s gross. Do you realize that’s the third girl he’s had in that room this week?” I spit out, outraged. “That’s just ew.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. My pulse was racing and I could feel sweat on my palms.
Lindsay started to say, “Whoa there, Classic Tina…”
But I ignored her protests as I marched up to Seth. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I couldn’t stop now.
“You are disrespectful to women,” I snapped, looking up right into his face with my arms straight and stiff down at my sides.
“What?” laughed Seth. His deep brown eyes were wide with shock.
“Have you ever heard of ‘pick a girl and stick with her’?” I snapped, whirling and walking away.
I returned to Lindsay, who was barely stifling a laugh. Seth excused himself from his date and walked up to the two of us. He got right in my face, looking down at me with a scowl.
“Excuse me, I don’t think it’s any of your business what I do,” said Seth. “And need I remind you, you’ve had half the campus over here. Drinking and partying at all hours. So, don’t lecture me, Tina. Hi, Lindsay, looking good. Say ‘what’s up’ to Rob for me when you get back to campus.”
“Hey. Will do,” smiled Lindsay. She grinned and gave him a slight wave.
I rolled my eyes. Again, I didn’t love how my life was looking very much like high school. Not that Lindsay ever paid Seth any mind. Like she said, her balancing act with him could pretty much be summed up with a shrug on her part. It’s just that this setting was all so familiar: Lindsay, me, her brother’s best friend being practically one of her family members while I hate his guts with the power of a thousands suns. Same ol’, same ol’.
Seth walked back down the hall towards his date, but before I knew it, I found myself following. I grabbed him by his jacket and turned him around.
“For your information, I wasn’t with any of those guys who came to my room, okay?” I sneered.
“You said they weren’t your boyfriends, but why would I believe that?” snapped Seth. “I mean, why would I care?” He turned away from me.
“That’s right! It’s none of your business,” I snapped, grabbing his jacket a second time. “You’re such a jerk!”
He swung around and pulled his jacket out of my hand. “I’m not the one who’s instigating shit, and up in everyone’s business at the moment, okay? Look, I’m with this chick…” said Seth, pointing to the girl.
“ ‘This chick’?” repeated the girl, walking over to us. She was not pleased. “Do you even remember my name?”
“Yeah, Becky,” said Seth, proudly.
“And last name,” she continued, pointedly.
“Something… Polish, I think,” trailed Seth. His eyes were down, trying to remember.
Becky frowned and started to walk away.
“Wait! Becky,” yelled Seth, chasing after her.
With her back to him, she threw up a hand and flipped him off.
He stopped his run short and looked back at me. His brow furrowed deep when he said, “See what you did? Thanks a lot, Tina. Maniac.”
“Happy to help, ass!” I shouted back. “Learn how to treat women better!”
I stormed back into my dorm room and slammed the door. Lindsay was sitting on my bed looking at me and trying not to laugh. Her body was shaking but she had her hands over her mouth.
“What are you laughing at?” I demanded. “You see how he is. What he’s doing is wrong. And bad for society! And normal people shouldn’t condone it.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her.
Lindsay burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. “He lives above you when you’re kids and now he’s down the hall from you in college,” said Lindsay. “That’s fate, girl. You’re going to end up wit
h him.”
“What?” I backed up a few steps. “Stop saying that. Why do you say that?” I implored in a suddenly hushed, shaken tone.
“First off, you’re clearly hot for him,” explained Lindsay, holding up a finger and pointing at me. “Look at how excited you are right now.”
“Oh, my God, Lindsay!” I exclaimed with outrage. “That’s not true.”
My voice squeaked a little in my protest and that sent Lindsay into another laughing fit. She leaned back on my bed and roared with laughter.
“You’re waaaaay into him,” she teased. “It’s not obvious to you, but it’s obvious to me.”
“No way. I could never date a womanizer like him,” I objected as I plopped down into my new computer chair. My old one had been broken a few parties ago. Thankfully, my little crew of party friends all pitched in to cover the cost. Something I couldn’t begin to see stupid Seth doing, with his high and mighty attitude. Thinking about him just pissed me off. How could Lindsay see anything between us?
“Why would I want to get disrespected like that? I want real love. A relationship. Something that will last forever,” I told Lindsay.
She agreed, nodding, but she still laughed.
Chapter Six
Tina
Later, when Lindsay was long gone and I was alone, lying on top of my bed sheets, I thought back over my long and crazy history with Seth. I figured since I couldn’t avoid him, I might as well conduct a forensic examination of our past to see what the hell was up between us.
So, yes, our elementary school days were not the most peaceful. But I calculated that, with what we’d done to each other, him pushing me, then me punching him a few years later, we were actually square. Those actions on each of our parts canceled out each other, like an equation. More than that, I well knew we were just little kids anyway.
I’d actually started to soften on him a bit by high school. I couldn’t avoid his stupid ass, since he was often at Lindsay’s house. Back in those days, she and I mostly roamed the apartment complex area, her parent’s duplex, and the woods by a small lake nearby. She got along okay with her brother, but since he was older, super active and always up to something, she found more freedom and space at my apartment.