February 2017
Lacey's POV:
I can feel dozens of eyes on me. Conversations are hushed as I walk by. This hallway could not get any longer.
"Hey, do you know her?", one girl whispers. Her friend shakes his head slowly, eyes glancing to the floor.
"I heard she wrote that Tweet that--", a tall boy says, and whispers the rest so low that I cannot hear. Some more students follow the whispering trend, and I've had enough by the time I reach the end of the hall.
"What?! If you want to meet the 'girl who wrote the Tweet', then meet me! You don't have to whisper!", I shout. Wow, first I'm attending frat parties, and now I'm yelling like a lunatic in the hallway. Oh, how I yearn for the days when I could cuddle up with a large book for hours on end, blocking out the world, and entering my own. All I can think about is that horrific night, and that guy! He was sexy as hell. The type of guy you read about in erotic billionaire novels, except he didn't need money to add to his appeal. I would fall for him even if he was poor, as long as he treats me right, which I know he would. I need to find this guy. Was he a member of the fraternity or just a visitor? Did he even go to this school? He makes me think more about that night than I would like to, but just the good parts... him.
I slowly inched my way into the biology lab, very aware of the awkwardness I had created.
"Oops, sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?", a short bleach blonde girl says. We had just bumped into each other... this is what happens when you zone out. I roll my eyes. She looks even more defeated than when we bumped heads.
"I-I mean", I stutter, "I didn't mean to come across as angry or anything. It's just been a rough week for me... honestly".
"Oh, you're fine. Wait", she widens her eyes, "are you the girl that--"
"Wrote that Tweet?", I finish, "Yep, and starting to regret it".
"No, NO, I totally agreed with you when I first read it", she says, "and I think your idea could be possible".
"Wait, my idea? Possible? It was just a creative writing assignment. An-And I was upset over something that happened the night before", I pause, looking around the lab, "I mean the whole thing was an aggravated rant. The only reason I haven't deleted anything yet is because I felt like I would get more hate for doing so", I shrug. She's noticeably defeated.
"Hate? People LOVE you", she beams, "I started a fan page for you filled with supporters of your cause".
"My-My cause?", my expression screams confused, "It was just my imagination. I don't even know how I would go about switching the instincts of men and women in society. It was just a creative assignment", I repeat and she looks confused now, "I mean who would even be open to changing their chemical instincts. I should have never written that post".
"You wouldn't believe how many people actually support you", she sighs, looking a little disappointed. "I actually have somewhere to be but here's my number", she scribbles on a torn piece of paper, "And my name is Terra Thompson, by the way". And with that she scurried away.
I wonder what Twitter she was on, because all I had seen was dozens and dozens of hateful comments. But that was only twelve hours later... hmm.
~~~
Ugh, I have officially been studying for over three hours. Time for a break. I look over to my mini bookcase, filled with my own personal collection of romantic novels, and I think of him--that guy from last night. I need to know him. What if I'm romanticizing him a bit much, and all he did was be a decent person by beating Chad?
Hmm... what should I indulge in this time? Before I pick a book at random, I spot the torn paper that I received earlier. Terra Thompson. "This is a bad idea", I grumble.
"What's a bad idea?", my roommate yawns. She must be waking up from one of her twelve hour naps. She's lazy as hell, and she sits in our room all day. I cannot wait for sophomore year to be over.
"N-Nothing", I dismiss her.
I dial the sloppily written number, and the same soft voice from earlier comes through.
"H-Hey L-Lacey", she slurs. How did she know my name? Stalker alert?! Oh wait, she saw my Tweet, duh. I playfully slap myself on the head at that.
"Terra, you sound drunk", I say, and instantly my feelings from that night surface once again. I was that drunk girl.
"Let me buy you a drink, baby", a screechy male voice interjects. That's it, I am heading over there.
"Terra, TERRA", I scream.
"Yes, yes, YES! I am here", she slurs again, even more incoherently.
"What bar are you at?", I ask.
"The Seashell. Huh, that's a weird name for a bar...", she trails into gibberish.
I grab my keys and head straight there. Although a weird name, The Seashell fit this place perfectly. The entrance is decorated with small golden seashells and LED lights with pearls attached are hung around the trim of the roof of the building. Lounge chairs with beach towel covers surround the front, and blow-up floatie animals are thrown about. I spot a particular bleached-blonde short girl dancing on a table inside. Ugh, Terra. I palm my forehead, and head inside.
"Yea, I'm here for that party", I say to the waiter.
"Name?", he asks perfunctorily.
"Terra", I reply.
"Last name?", he asks with an eye roll.
"Terra Thompson", I start, "She's the one dancing on the table over there", I gesture, very annoyed. I give up on the waiter and rush over Terra.
"Hello", I greet her, "What are you doing on the table, Terra?".
"I'm just dancing, DUH!", she emphasizes the last word. This girl is drunk out of her mind.
"You sounded crazy on the phone, and I just came by to make sure you were okay", I sigh.
"Oh, I'm FINE", she draws out the last word, "My friends are over there", she gestures toward a table a few feet in front of us.
Heading over to her group I ask, "Hey, do you guys know--"
"That crazy girl dancing on the table", one of them points.
"Yes, Terra", I point.
"Yep, we know her", the hula skirt clad girl replies, clearly dressing on theme. "You're Lacey. You wrote that badass Tweet that's blowing up around campus", she holds out her hand.
"Heh, yeah, that is me", I shake her hand. My social anxiety is skyrocketing as the rest of the girls look up with intrigue.
"Terra can't stop talking about you", one says.
"We love your concept", says another.
"I support you 100%".
As Terra begins to twerk on a blown up coconut, I stand in awe at her friends. They were touched by my impulsive Tweet. I never expected to be recognized for it at all. Had this many people been wronged by men like I was? The fact that we all have a desire to change society entirely just to feel safe speaks volumes. Although I will be a scientist soon, and I fully believe that logic trumps superstition, I'm seeing this as a sign. My ideas will be executed in reality.
"I should stay and help make sure Terra gets to her dorm safely", I say.
"We were going to leave at about 11", the girl in the hula skirt says. I check the time: 11:59 pm.
Looking up I reply, "You guys should go if you need to. I can stay with Terra and get her to her dorm", I shrug, "It's the least I can do".
"Hmm okay", they say in unison. A few seconds later, they are all paying the tab and heading home. I walk over to the table where Terra is fully conversing with a coconut blow up toy.
"Do you like books? I like books. I REALLY like books!", she slurs. My jaw drops at the sight. Is this how I looked a few nights ago?
"Hey, Terra", I wave. No response. "TERRA!", I gesture harder.
"Hmm?", she looks up from the inanimate coconut.
"Let's go home", I hold my arm out. She takes it and whispers some more gibberish into my ear. I practically drag her to the uber I called.
"L-Lacey, I hope you know that there are people fully supportive of your cause", she stutters, "I, for one, know a couple of students and parents who would donate real money to put towards your ideas. They believe in you. I believe in you", she whispers. That's all I needed to hear. After hating myself and my friends for what happened, that's all I needed.
Soon, we reach campus dorms. The campus coffee chain The Best Beans is still open. I glance over to Terra, and she is making weird gestures in the air.
"Terra, what the hell are you doing?", I ask.
"Sooolving a Ruuubik's Cuuuuuube", she stretches every word with a crooked smile. I hope she forgets this tomorrow. I am getting heavy second hand embarrassment.
"Okay", I pat her shoulder, "Time to sober you up a bit. Let's go to Best Beans".
"Yay! Beeeeans", she says. I thank our driver, and apologize for Terra's noises, while having to drag the girl 30 yards over to the coffee place.
"I would like a Caramel Macchiato", I start ordering. I tap Terra, "What do you want to drink?".
"Alcoooohol", she slurs. God no. No more alcohol.
"And a Regular iced coffee for her, thanks", I say with a smile. We sit down at a booth nearby as we wait for the drinks. The seats have pink covers with red polka dots on them. The seat covers are worse than the actual booth's leather. The plastic creates the worst friction on my bare legs. Imagining sitting on these seats on a hot day makes me cringe. Pink hearts are strewn across the ceiling trim, hanging on a plastic line. Two cardboard cupids are propped up by the entrance. Best Beans is obviously not letting anyone forget about Valentine's Day. The only time I didn't despise the day was when I was with my longtime boyfriend... but that ended. Different colleges will do that to a relationship. After what happened at the frat party, I don't even think I can trust men right now... except for that guy.
"What made you write that Tweet? Like what inspired you to be that bold? I could never be that-that b-bold", Terra stutters. I don't think I'm ready to reveal this to her yet... or anyone. I was embarrassed--I am embarrassed. I know that everyone tells you it's not your fault, or not to blame yourself, but that is all I've done. Truly. I replayed that night 1,000 times in my mind. What was I wearing? Did I suggest that I wanted air, or to go upstairs with him or had he? I blamed myself for drinking, for talking, for anything that could remotely lead to the cause of my being targeted that night. I blamed myself for not going to enough parties as a teen, because at least if I had done so, I would be prepared for tricks like that.
"I-I", I feel a tear welling up and suddenly:
"Lacey! Order for Lacey!".
"I-I'm gonna go get our drinks", I say.
We walk--I mean I walk and Terra stumbles to the dorms.
"I'm on the fifth floor", she says. She seems to be sobering up.
"Oh, which room?", I ask.
"507", she replies. I look at her in shock.
"No shit, I'm in 505", my eyes widen, "We've been next to each other this whole time".
"I knew", she starts, "I just didn't want to seem stalkerish", she finishes sheepishly.
"Okay, we're here!", I announce.
"Phew", she exhales, "I can't thank you enough for taking care of me tonight, and sobering me up".
"No problem", I smile.
"I better not have done some fucked up shit tonight", she says.
I twirl my chestnut brown strands around my index finger and look down, "Of course you didn't, hehe". She doesn't seem convinced, and looks at me suspiciously. As Terra turns her key in the lock, we immediately hear footsteps approach the door.
"Terra, what the fuck?", he says.
Whoa. Am I seeing things?
The Greek God that I couldn't forget is right before my eyes. He is perfect while dry, but even more so with droplets of water trailing his body. He had just gotten out of the shower, and his towel hangs just below his sharp V line. Right above are the sculpted abs that I could see through his tight party shirt a few nights ago. Dark wet strands of hair are swept back to reveal his forehead, which is perfect, too. His crystal blue eyes are glaring at Terra. Why the hell is he so angry?
"I know, I know", she rolls her eyes, "I didn't text before I left, but everything is fine. I went to The Seashell with some friends". She gestures toward me, "Lacey helped me sober up with Best Beans and, I swear I'm fine".
His lips press into a hard line as he decides whether an argument is warranted. "Fine, just text next time babe", he says, kissing her forehead. Babe?! BABE?! He has a girlfriend... He has a girlfriend... of course. Just my fucking luck. My savior was just being a decent human, and my mind romanticized a normal guy... this is what happens when you spend all your time in romance novels.
Terra stumbles to the bathroom, and her boyfriend and I finally make eye contact. I sigh, this is awkward.