Kate's mother snorted.
“Nice? I don't think you need to be friends with anyone who can't even manage a proper hairstyle, let alone live with them. What was her name again?”
“Natalie, Mom. Her name is Natalie and lots of girls wear their hair short. You're just too old-fashioned. You don't keep up with the trends. Besides, I'm really lucky to have such a friendly roommate. Not everyone ends up rooming with someone that they could potentially be friends with.”
“Alright,” her father interrupted. “That's enough talk about socializing and friends. None of that is what you're here for. Now, we've accepted that you just don't want to go into law, like your mother and I did. We've accepted that you would rather major in Business Management. That's okay with us. It's not as prestigious or as exciting as the practice of law, but it's still a good field for a smart and ambitious girl like you. So, we're okay with all of this. What we are not okay with, is spending a fortune for you to make friends and play games. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
Kate nodded her head and blinked rapidly. She recognized that edge in her father's voice. She was used to this pressure, to these expectations. The persistent pushing and goading of her parents was like a constant hum, the white noise of her life.
“Okay then,” her father said. He clapped a hand upon Kate's shoulder and nodded without meeting her eyes.
Kate's mother embraced her in a bony hug. Kate felt her mother's body shake, as the small woman choked down a series of barely-restrained sobs.
Her mother released her, and Kate said her goodbyes to each of them.
Just before walking away, her father gave her a look that was both level and solemn.
“We expect great things from you, Katherine. Remember that.”
“I will, Dad,” she whispered, and then spinning on her heel, made her way back across the courtyard, towards her dorm room; her new home.
***
“Don't be such a wet noodle!” Natalie cried. “Come to this party with us!”
Kate looked around at the other girls in the room. Part of her wanted to stick with her original arguments. She wasn't here to party. She should really be taking tonight to review her class schedule, reference the campus map, and plan out her route for the next morning. She would need to plan what time to leave, and figure out where to study during downtime between classes.
Still, there was another part of her that couldn't believe that she was being invited to a party, and by three new friends no less! Kate had always been a loner in high school. Sure, she'd spent some time talking with the other students that participated in the Debate Club and the Sustainability Committee, but there had never been anyone that she was especially close to.
Now that she was in college, Kate was determined to forge some real connections, and she seemed to be off to a good start. She'd only been on campus for one day, and she had already befriended three girls. What a great and varied mix of girls they were too!
There was Natalie, of course, her roommate and the first person that she had met on campus. Natalie sat at her desk, with a folding mirror propped atop a pile of three-ring binders, expertly spiking her uneven locks.
Then there was Casey. Kate had met her in the library yesterday afternoon. Kate had gone over to tour the facilities and find the computer lab. She was wandering about the first floor, when she had met Casey. Casey had been shy and bashful, asking Kate if she knew where to find the campus observatory. Kate had remembered seeing it earlier in the day, and quickly offered to show Casey where it was.
The two had bonded over shared interests, as they crossed the sprawling campus. Casey was majoring in Astronomy, and while Kate had no interest in pursuing the subject academically, she also had a love of stargazing. They had chatted about red giants, nebulae, and pulsars. Kate had told Casey how thinking about outer space filled her with wonder. It made her feel as though she was a part of something big and grand, and then even if she was only a very small part of it all, it was wonderful even to be a speck of dust in it all. Casey had agreed, explaining how infinite and unending the study of space made everything seem. They had realized that they were kindred souls, each with a love of stars, with philosophical leanings. Now, Casey sat on the edge of Kate's twin bed, thumbing through the books that Kate had already unpacked and shelved. She seemed particularly interested in Kate's tattered copies of Jane Eyre and The Bell Jar.
Lastly, there was Sandra. From what Natalia had told her, Kate had gleaned that Sandra was a social butterfly, and a terrible gossip. Natalie had described her as fun and energetic, but not someone to confide in. Sandra was a sophomore, and she and Natalie had gone to the same high school, but never ran in the same groups. Now they seemed to be clicking fantastically. Both had teamed up, in an effort to convince Kate to come to a party at a campus fraternity.
“Yeah, don't be a wet noodle!” Sandra cried with a laugh. “Geez! 'wet noodle' who says that, Natalie?”
Sandra rolled her eyes and gifted Kate with a knowing and conspiratorial look.
“She was weird like that in high school too. I've never heard anyone talk like her. Like Bobby Johnson, this real tool in your gym class, he was always bugging her. Instead of calling him a jerk, or an ass, Natalia got all upset one day and she said to him 'Get away from me, you cad!'”
Sandra burst into unrestrained laughter and flung herself down on the bed next to Casey.
Casey grinned despite her shyness and Sandra elbowed her lightly in the side.
“A cad? What do you think, Casey? Have you ever heard a real human person use the word 'cad'?”
Casey smirked and shook her head. Her shoulder-length black hair swished around her face, and her olive complexion brightened considerably, taking on the soft hue of blushing pink.
“Knock it off, Sandra Dee,” Natalie complained, but in a congenial tone that revealed that she didn't really mind the bit of teasing.
Sandra threw her hands into the air.
“Do you see what I'm talking about?” she cried. “Sandra Dee isn't even my name. She called me that every time we spoke in high school and would never tell me why. Finally our junior year, someone told me she was talking about that old movie Greece. You know? The musical? Natalie, why would you go around referencing some musical and not telling anybody. Like for no one's amusement but your own? Nobody our age even watches that movie. I just know it because it's my Nana's favorite.”
Natalie shrugged and gave a short chuckle.
“I don't know. You don't even act like Sandra Dee to be honest.”
Natalie pointed at Kate and winked.
“This one is Sandra Dee. She's all goody-goody and doesn't want to do anything bad. That's just like Sandra Dee, until she got all spandexed-up and got her hair blown out.”
Kate laughed and rolled her eyes.
Casey lifted her head and broke into a lilting song.
“Good-bye to Saanndra Dee!”
As Casey ended this short rendition, she allowed her thin arm to outstretch into a sort of flourishing gesture. Natalie and Sandra thought this hilarious and the two of them broke into a fresh spell of side-splitting laughter. Sandra bent at the waist, grabbing her sides as tears ran down her face.
“Casey!” Natalie howled. “I loved that so freaking much! You seem so shy and then you bust out with that! Man, you are gonna be so much fun at this party. Wait, do you drink?”
Casey nodded, biting her lip. She was still red-faced from all the attention.
“Yeah,” she said. “I drink. It helps me to open up a bit. It's like I'm really shy, but once I feel comfortable around people, then I can be myself. And the real me can be pretty funny and loud. It's like the difference between shy and introverted. I'm not introverted. I like to be around people and I like talking to people. I just have a touch of social anxiety. Once I know people pretty well, I can be a lot of fun. At least, I think I'm a lot of fun.”
“Oh stop!” Sandra chided, with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Of course
you're lots of fun and you don't have to be nervous around me or Natalie. I mean, don't get me wrong, we're both sort of bitches. But we'll be nice to you. You're too cute.”
“Right!” Natalie agreed. “Now that being said...”
She paused flashing a wolfish and sending a mischievous look about the room.
“It wouldn't hurt your prospects of staying in our good graces if you were to...oh, I don't know...get Kate to come to this party with us!”
“Natalie!” Kate giggled. “Now, you're going to get Casey ganging up on me too!”
Kate met Casey's eyes, and Casey offered her a soft smile.
“I would really like it if you came,” Casey said. “It would be really nice to spend some more time with you all. Besides, if we really hate it, the two of us can just go outside and see if we can spot Mars. I don't think that will ever get old to me. The way you can spot Mars, just as if it were a star of something.”
Kate nodded.
“I know! Could you imagine if it was another Earth and there was life on it? I mean, obviously of course there isn't. We know for a fact, that Mars is pretty barren, despite conspiracy theories of life underground. But what if there was this planet covered in animals and intelligent life, and we were looking up at like it was a star. It just makes me think, what if one of the other stars that we look up at, like one that's very far away, what if it's actually another earth. Just a really weird-”
“Gah!” Sandra interrupted. “Enough with that Bill Nye stuff! You're coming right?”
Kate felt a grin creeping its way onto her lips. It was difficult not to find Sandra's antics amusing. She shook her head up and down, by way of affirmation.
“Yes!” Sandra and Natalie cried in unison.
Kate shrugged.
“You guys are right. There's no reason for me to stay in tonight. Classes haven't even started yet, and part of college is meeting people and going to parties.”
“Exactly!” Natalie crowed. “We'll makes ourselves look real pretty. We'll go talk to some boys! Maybe bring a few home..”
Natalie wiggled her eyebrows in Kate's direction.
Kate gave a tight smile and awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other, twisting a lock of brown hair around her index finger.
“Alright!” Casey crowed. “Let's get sexy!”
She yanked her purse from the floor and after rummaging for a moment, emerged with a tube of lipstick and two shades of eyeliner.
And Natalie and Sandra once more broke into hysterical laughter.
This time Kate couldn't help but join in.
***
Several hours later, the group crossed the campus, bringing with them a cloud of perfume and a cacophony of heels against pavement. They had done exactly as Casey had suggested; they'd gotten sexy. Maybe, Kate pondered, a bit too sexy.
Sandra and Natalie had quickly declared everything in Kate's closet inappropriate for a frat party, and one of Sandra's dresses had been chosen instead. It was a tight and form-fitting red dress that accentuated her hips and bosom, more than either had ever been accentuated. The dress was a bit short on her thighs, and Kate wondered several times, if she would be able to sit down without causing the dress to become even more revealing.
Casey had further surprised her, by doing her makeup. Casey was quite skilled in the art of the smoky eye, and had chosen a bright red hue that matched Kate's dress and complimented her pale complexion, without overwhelming it. Kate had never been able to find a red lipstick that didn't make her look blotchy and overdone.
The other three girls, had also found tight and slinky little numbers to wear. Casey and Natalie wore towering, spiked stilettos, while she and Sandra wore more modest low-heeled shoes. It was understandable that she and Sandra would be wearing similar footwear, as Kate hadn't brought anything but sneakers with her to campus, and so the shoes she wore were borrowed from Sandra's closet. They weren't as dramatic as the shoes worn by Casey and Natalie, but Kate still wasn't entirely comfortable in them. She wasn't a girl who had a lot of experience in dressing up. She'd dressed up for prom and for her cousin's wedding. Other than those two occasions, Kate was a jeans and sneakers sort of girl. It helped to be comfortable when you were constantly hunched over a desk or a library table in study.
Still, Kate had to admit to herself that hadn't ever felt so pretty. It was true that she wasn't at her most comfortable. She could feel the eyes of passerby on them, as the group passed through the campus quad, hair glossy and swinging, lips red, and legs bare.
The walk to the party was longer than Kate would have liked, given her lack of experience in heels. As they rounded their third block, Kate wondered, with the beginnings of bitterness, how Casey and Natalie were managing.
The group was now far past the quad. They were walking along the busy main road, leading away from campus. Kate felt thankful for the sidewalk as cars sped past. They'd just passed the second of the two large parking lots, reserved for commuting students. Coming up, a quarter of a mile down the road on the right, there would be the fitness center and soccer stadium. After that they would officially be off campus, and continuing to head down the road would only bring them to the outskirts of town and the entrance the interstate. Kate knew all of this because she'd taken extra care to memorize the campus layout, but she wondered if the other girls had. Maybe they had meant to head towards the west campus. That would also be reached by walking this major road, but in the opposite direction.
“Hey, you guys know this is heading off campus, right?” Kate asked. “After the fitness center, there aren't any more campus buildings.”
Natalie nodded.
“I know. It's just right past the fitness center. There's like a big chunk of this road that's just frat houses.”
“Oh,” Kate said. “I don't remember that from the tour. I don't think I saw anything about it on the campus website either.”
Sandra emitted a high-pitched laugh.
“Of course, it wouldn't be on the tour! I'll bet they didn't show the secret restaurant in the student center either.”
“What?” Casey asked. “A secret restaurant?”
“Yes!” Natalie cried. “Oh! We have to go there. I've seen it but I haven't ever been. One of the empty rooms gets taken over by culinary arts students for three hours a day. They only do brunch. They charge like three dollars a plate.”
“It's so awkward,” Sandra added. “There's never anybody in there, and the culinary students always want you to talk to them and give feedback on their dishes. It's like, dude, you gave me a bunch of fancy eggs for three bucks, I'm not gonna tell you if they suck. I'm just gonna eat them and be happy.”
“That's too wild,” Kate laughed. “I think it's nice though. They give everybody cheap food and they're practicing their craft at the same time. Plus, all three dining halls stop serving eggs at like ten in the morning. It's good to know there's a brunch option.”
As they passed the fitness center, the muted sounds of music drifted to them on the early summer air. Kate could hear the steady and rhythmic thudding of a heavy bass-line.
At a curve in the road, their line of sight was significantly lengthened and several more houses came into view, including an olive green two-story that was absolutely exploding with college students. Even from their distance of several yards, Kate could see that, despite the early hour, the lawn was already well-littered with both bottles emptied of alcohol, and party-goers filled with it. The music became louder with each step they took and by the time they were standing in front of the house, Kate would have sworn she could feel the very sidewalk beneath her reverberating with each thump of the speakers.
Looking around at the clusters of people on the lawn, sitting and drinking, coming out of the front door with cigarettes in hand, Kate did feel that her group may be a bit overdressed. But a few appreciative glances from some of the guests, told her that they were overdressed in just the right way. As they crossed the packed lawn, Kate watched as a tall guy in a backward
s Celtics hat paused mid-swig to eyeball them, and ended up choking on his beer. Natalie gave Kate a wink and a nudge, as the guy's companions had to pat him on the back several times and beer dribbled out of his nose.
“Look at that,” Natalie purred. “I told you that looked hot. You've taken away man's ability to use his eyes and esophagus at the same time.”
Kate laughed and before she could stop herself added, “I just hope I can take that ability away from women as well.”
Kate stopped and her face reddened as she realized what she'd said. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her sexuality. It was more that she liked to gauge how people might react before she told them.
Natalie appeared surprised for a moment and Kate waited for the inevitable slew of silly questions. Usually most of them revolved around her femininity. But you're so girly? But you wear makeup? But you don't look like a lesbian!
Thankfully, Natalie recovered quickly and she didn't ask any of these intrusive questions. Instead she said in a smart, matter-of-fact tone, “Cool! Well, now that I know what you're looking for, I can help you better. Let's find you a hot girl!”
They climbed the steps of the porch and Natalie pulled Kate up the steps, as the group was led inside by Casey and Sandra.
Kate smiled and rolled her eyes, the moment Natalie's back was turned.
Girls were such a waste of time. Just because she was attracted to them didn't mean she was interested in dating them. Not right now at least. College was a time for study and hard work. It was like her father had said; she was setting the stage for the rest of her life. The scenery would be pretty shabby if she wasted valuable time dating girls who, more than likely, weren't looking for anything long-term. People didn't usually date in college for the purpose of finding a marriage partner. They did it for fun, and after tonight, Kate would have no more time for fun. Fun was a drain on the valuable resource of time. It was like her mother always said; time if finite and so is fun. Don't waste something precious on something useless. You can't keep fun.
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