Grace

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I’m steaming.

Stood up! I was stood up by Tommy Mason, and it wasn’t even for a date! But somehow that’s worse. If this becomes a pattern, he’s going to have to answer to me! If he thinks I’m going to just do our entire research project on my own, on mass media and social media, he’s sorely mistaken.

I’d rather let our grade tank than be his slave.

Thankfully, Shannon isn’t here right now. I’d love to have someone to rant to, but I know she’d only get me even more fired up and want to kill him. As stupid as it sounds, if Tommy ever comes around, and that’s a big if, and something happens between us, I can’t have Shannon wanting to stab him in the back.

But what am I thinking? Nothing Tommy has done so far has made me think anything about him other than the fact that he’s a narcissistic asshole with no regard for anyone or anything that doesn’t relate to basketball or his dick. I bet he’s been spoiled his whole life, probably comes from some rich family who sent him to private school and had tutors paid to do his homework so he could play basketball all day.

I worked my butt off through high school to get into UCONN, and I was only able to go thanks to my academic scholarships. My mom’s an elementary school teacher and my dad’s a mechanic. We’ve never had much money and people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and walk around letting the rest of the world know, really piss me off.

The window’s open and I can smell smoke from the parking lot. It makes me want to barf. I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke. Who even smokes these days? I slam the window shut, open the door and turn on the fan. Shannon has some sort of apple cinnamon scented candles from the co-op and I light one and slump down in my chair.

I’m pouting. So what? I have all the reason in the world to do so!

“See anything you like?” His words ring in my head and make me want to ring his neck.

Where is he!?

I stand up, pace the room and like a little girl, smack my hand down on my bed.

Probably out partying. Is he really that vapid? I’d like to think not. I don’t know why, but I’d like to think there’s more to him than the stereotypical bro that “bangs bitches” and pounds brewskies.

But maybe it’s better if there isn’t. Then I wouldn’t be worried about having feelings for him.

I sit on my bed for a while, stewing in my own misery, just picturing him out at a party, beer in hand, chatting up some bimbo with a tight top who is just so excited to meet Tommy Mason! And I just can’t take it anymore.

I launch to my feet and stride down the hall toward his room. He’s probably not in, but if he is, he’s about to get an earful. I raise my hand and pound on his door. And wait.

“Tommy!” I shout, pounding on the door again. “Tommy!?”

Behind me, I hear another door open and a guy who looks like he’s just been woken up from a nap pokes his head out.

“He’s not there,” he mutters. “He’s at the Alpha fucking Phi Ki or whatever house party.”

Before I can respond, he shuts the door.

Alpha fucking Phi Ki? What is that?

I pull out my phone and text

Shannon: What is the Alpha Phi Ki house?

She responds almost instantly:

Some stupid sorority on sorority row. Sluts known for their parties. Why?

Sluts known for their parties! Of course that’s why he’s there!

I grip my phone so tight I worry I might break my case. So Tommy skips class, misses out on the lecture, then goes out partying while I stay home to do all the work? Yeah, that’s not happening.

I grab my keys from my room and head downstairs, punching in sorority row into my GPS on my phone. This campus is huge and I have no idea where it is, but it looks like it’s only about a ten-minute walk away.

I head out past the library and the science building and the gym. The sun is just setting and thankfully there’s a nice breeze, without which I’d probably be overheating. I’m so annoyed I want to scream.

I realize I’m closing in on my destination as I start to hear the shouts and giggles of the girls, and the jeers and cheers of the bros. I round the corner onto the street and feel instantly out of place.

It’s like stepping into a college version of Lord of the Flies. I almost can’t believe a place like this exists. Every stereotypical college party portrayed in movies doesn’t even come close to the mayhem going on here.

Keg stands, Solo cups everywhere, hordes of guys and girls standing at the steps of the sorority houses, beer pong and guys throwing footballs and Frisbees. As I start up the sidewalk, I hear a loud cheer and some guy streaks right past me, a bottle of whiskey held high above his head.

“Hey,” I shout to a guy slouched against a tree beside me. “Which way to Alpha Phi Ki?”

“Huh?” He looks at me through a drunken stupor. “Oh, Alpha…Alpha…it’s that way.”

He points down the block to the left.

“Thanks,” I tell him quickly as I head down the street. It smells like beer and cigarettes and various clouds of stripper perfume as I pass the lawns of each house. Is this really what everyone else’s life is really like? I find myself suddenly yearning for my dorm, a cup of hot tea and some homework.

But I’m on a mission. A mission to give Tommy Mason a piece of my mind!

There are Greek letters over each house, but I have no idea what any of them mean. That’s one thing I must have missed out studying back in high school.

“Hey,” I ask a random passer by who looks like he can’t be more than sixteen. “Alpha… Phi—”

Before I can finish he points to a house two doors down on my left and staggers off. No way that guy’s in college. Probably a local who came here to party and is hoping the cops don’t show up.

I make my way up the lawn to the front door of the sorority and find my path blocked by a very snobby-looking blonde with a clipboard.

“Name, please,” she demands.

“Excuse me?”

“Name,” she repeats. “If you’re not on the list, you’re not getting in.”

“I’m not on the list,” I tell her. “But my…friend’s in there.”

She nods at me like a teacher catching a student trying to pull a fast one on her. “Mmmhmm. Everyone’s friend is in there. But if you’re not on the list, you’re not getting in.”

“Look, I’ll just be five minutes,” I protest. “I just need to tell him something and then I’ll go.”

I try to step by her, but she moves right in front of me like a bouncer – a bouncer wearing heels, a skirt and a tight white turtleneck sweater. And of course, stripper perfume.

“If you’re not on the list,” she repeats like it’s a law written in stone. “You’re not getting in.”

Is she for real?

For a second, I wish I didn’t have such self-control, because right now I want to grab this girl by the hair and toss her bimbo ass off the steps. But like I said, I have too much self-control.

Maybe this is a good thing. Coming here probably wasn’t the best idea. Chewing Tommy out at a party isn’t going to get either of us anywhere. But just as I turn away to leave, I see him through the window, red Solo cup in hand, chatting up two girls who apparently just have to see his biceps.

He flexes for them, and as they both take a squeeze of his arm, I snap.

“Out of my way!” I shout, shoving the would-be bouncer out of my way.

“Hey!” She shouts from behind me, but I’m already pulling open the door. I’m inside in seconds and step through the crowd into the living room. I spot him instantly. Even in a crowded party, Tommy stands out like a sore thumb, his monstrous frame towering above everyone.

I make my way toward him when a couple of guys win their beer pong game and chest bump in celebration. One of them dumps his entire cup of beer on my shirt.

“Seriously!?” I shout, doing my best to wipe it away before it soaks through.

“Oooooh,” one of them groans, putting a fist in his mouth. “Shiiiit, sorry!”

This is a nightmare. I’m ready to snap. I whip around and march straight toward Tommy, who is now showing off his abs to the two girls.

“You!” I shout, aiming my finger at his face. I can’t remember ever being this angry. “What the Hell do you think you’re doing?”

It looks like somebody pressed pause on just Tommy alone. He stands there frozen, staring at me, for what seems to be quite a long time, before finally speaking.

“Uh – what’s it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you’re being a total asshole,” I explain to him, my face flushed with rage. “Where the Hell were you today!?”

“Uh…”

“We had sociology!” I remind him, fuming.

“Who is this girl?” One of Tommy’s fangirls sneers from beside me.

“Beat it, would you?” Tommy says to them without looking. They both give each other side-eyed glances, but they listen and vanish.

“If you think I’m doing this project all alone,” I tell Tommy, stepping closer to him. It’s incredible how small I feel in front of him. “You are sorely mistaken! You think, just because you’re some big shot basketball player you can just do whatever you want? Well, not with me, mister!”

There. I laid it all on the line for him. He either accepts what I say, or…well, I don’t know what else. I hadn’t really thought much past this. But when I look back at Tommy, I don’t see what I expected to see.

He’s not being arrogant or giving me a look like he thinks I’m funny – or can’t stand me. He looks actually…contemplative. But then, his face twists into that Tommy Mason smile, and he opens his mouth.

“Well, that’s what I need you for,” he chuckles. “To do all the work.”

My jaw almost hits the floor.

Did he really just say that!?

I make the world’s biggest pouty face. I know I am, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Inside I’m a swirling, boiling pot of angry soup, and now I have no idea what to do. Just as I’m about to say something, Tommy interrupts.

“I’m kidding,” he says with a laugh. He reaches out and pats me on the shoulder. My whole body reacts like I’ve been shocked and I actually jump back a step. And Tommy looks at me with amusement. It’s impossible to shake this guy!

“All right, Grace,” Tommy says, setting his drink down on a table. “You wanna work? Let’s work.”

He steps past me toward the door to the outside, clearly expecting me to follow.

“Wait, what!?”

I turn on my heels and chase after him. The crowd parts around Tommy as he moves, creating a wake behind him like a boat through the water. I’m able to get to the door with ease.

“Where are you going!?” I ask him as he steps outside.

“Back to the dorm,” he shrugs. “You said we’ve got to work.”

“Now?” I exclaim, unable to believe what I’m hearing. Is he serious?

“No better time than the present!” He shouts over his shoulder. I rush to catch up with him. He’s so much taller than me that his strides are enormous and I have to power walk just to stay by his side.

People hoot and holler as Tommy goes by. It really is like being with a celebrity. How could anyone ever get used to this kind of attention? I can barely handle people in class looking at me when I’m talking, let alone being shouted at by half the student body on campus.

“You want to work…now?” I finally ask him as we get to the end of sorority row.

“Yeah,” Tommy says, turning to me with a smile. “What’s the matter? Afraid of being alone with me?”

“Hah!” I exclaim, taking the lead and walking quickly in the direction of the dorm. I can almost hear Tommy grinning behind me as he follows me. What am I going to do? It’s late, we’re going back to my dorm. What am I going to do?

God, I hope Shannon’s back.