‘OHMYGOD,’ she gasped, hand to chest. ‘I didn’t know you were here.’
We both jumped again when someone thumped a fist against the door four times in quick succession. ‘Everything okay in there?’ a male voice called.
Red-faced, I opened the door to find two of our suitemates and two boys from the room next door, one of whom was holding a baseball bat. ‘Yeah. We’re fine,’ I said, my heart still racing.
All four of them looked unconvinced, bat boy cocking an eyebrow and leaning forward to glance into the room. Shayma, giant earpads nesting under her jaw on either side, nodded. ‘I, uh, just had the volume up too high when I started a video.’
‘You’re wearing headphones,’ he said.
She scowled. ‘They weren’t plugged in.’
‘Good thing, or you wouldn’t have working eardrums any more.’ He tapped the bat against his palm, his body flooded with unnecessary adrenalin, no doubt. ‘Okay, well. Keep it down in here. Unless we’re invited.’ He winked at us before I shut the door.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I said. ‘I thought you’d seen me come and go from the shower –’
She shook her head. ‘Didn’t see you. You’re sure nothing like my last roommate. She was like a whole herd of elephants every time she came into the room. I’ve never been around a person who made so much noise.’ Gesturing to the headphones, she added, ‘That’s why I got these. Otherwise, I couldn’t hear a damned thing when she was around. Not even my own thoughts.’
I laughed. ‘Well, you shouldn’t have that problem with me. I’m pretty unobtrusive.’
Smiling, she shook her head. ‘No shit. Me too. I think we’re gonna get along just fine.’ She narrowed her eyes, still smiling, which made her face look slightly squashed, like a Muppet. ‘Um. Did you just say … barnacles?’
Reid: Last chance to come to my premiere. I’m not going to beg.
Me: :(
Reid: Okay fine I’m begging. John thinks he’s second in line, and it would be so wrong to make that true.
Me: What about your mom?
Reid: Hmm. I don’t know that she’d want to go.
Me: I would if I were her!
Reid: Then why don’t you want to go if you were you?
Me: I told you, I would love to go, but I don’t want to miss class. Stop being a bad influence.
Reid: NEVER.
Me: *sigh*
Reid: I’ll think about asking her. Calling you later. Be there.
Me: Don’t tell me what to do, Mr Alexander.
Reid: Cut, cut, cut! You’re supposed to say ‘make me!’.
Me: I forgot my lines. Sorry.
Reid: You’re forgiven. Vixen.
Me: Hahaha – no! You are so sexist.
Reid: That sounds naughty when you say it.
Me: You’re impossible.
Reid: Oh, trust me. I’m SO possible. Please consent to answer my telephone call later this evening and I shall show you, Miss Cantrell.
Me: That’s better.
‘So where are you tonight?’ I keep my voice low, despite the fact that Shayma’s got her headphones in place and wouldn’t hear a word I say if I was conducting this call in song.
‘New York. We have Good Morning America tomorrow.’
I glance at the time, which is approaching 10:00 p.m. ‘Isn’t it getting late there?’
‘Yeah, I’m three hours ahead of you right now.’
‘What time is your interview?’
‘Not sure what time they’ll do the interview – but we head for the studio in about four hours.’
‘Four hours – don’t you need your beauty sleep?’
‘Do I? Hold on – I’ve got another call –’ There’s a pause while he checks the display. ‘Never mind. That can go to voicemail.’
‘It’s not your mom, is it?’
‘No,’ he laughs. ‘Looking out for my mom now, Dori? God, you’re cute. It’s just Brooke.’ He clears his throat. ‘No big deal. I can talk to her tomorrow – or whenever.’
‘Brooke … Cameron? Why is she calling you? Wait. Scratch that. It sounds like something a jealous girlfriend would say.’
‘Jealous? Rawr. I like the sound of that,’ he encourages, and I wish he wouldn’t. ‘So, classes begin tomorrow? What’s up first?’
Outwardly, I launch into a loose explanation of my schedule: intro courses in statistics, psychology, sociology and cultural anthropology. I tested out of a number of required prereqs. Advanced English took care of reading and comprehension, and my four years of Spanish – in addition to the fact that I used it nearly daily during community service projects – dispatched my foreign language requirement. I’m not as behind as I feared I would be, starting a semester late.
Internally, I’m wondering why Reid is getting late-night calls from Brooke Cameron, who is exactly the sort of girl I’d have imagined him with months ago, when he showed up – condescending, obnoxious and oh-so beautiful – on my Habitat project. The fact that they used to date, and I dare not even think about what else, just makes it more difficult to ignore the fear.
What competition would you be, if a girl like that decides she wants him?
‘I miss you,’ he says then, and I mash my insecurity into a corner.
‘I miss you too.’
10
RIVER
I don’t remember Mama’s face. I remember parts of it, but not all of it together. Sometimes I dream about her and I know I can see her in the dream, but when I wake up I can’t remember. Even if I squeeze my eyes closed really tight and try.