Karina
I knocked softly on the door to my old apartment, trembling a bit with anticipation. What awaited me here? I felt like somehow my future rested on the next few moments although Caleb had been nothing but reassuring, telling me that all I had to do was listen and watch. But listen and watch for what?
As I heard footsteps approach, I looked around and shuddered. I’d forgotten how filthy the place was, reeking of garbage, the squeak of rats audible even during the day. Thank god my brothers had come to rescue me, wrapping me in their muscled arms, letting me stay in their palace in the sky.
And I wanted to help them. We were being torn apart by this awful scandal, the cause of which had just opened the door.
“Karina,” said Brenda joyfully. “It’s so awesome you’re here. Come in.”
Okay, this wasn’t what I’d expected. I thought she was going to be broken and hurt but instead, she looked totally happy and healthy, cheerful even.
“Bren,” I said slowly. “Are you okay? Have you been following the news? Do you know what’s happened?”
“Oh yeah,” she said happily, plopping herself down on a raggedy couch. “I know. It’s awesome isn’t it? I hope those DUP dipshits get their cocks cut off at the root.”
I gaped. I admit I didn’t have a good recollection of the party because of the pot I’d smoked. But my memory was that Brenda and Vera had been going at it like a couple of sluts, doing girl on girl, girl on guy, two girls on guy, gang bang in every single combination possible. And loving it, spreading their legs for all, according to my hazy memory.
But I said nothing of that.
“Bren,” I continued slowly. “Why did you talk to the reporter? Why didn’t you go to the hospital like I suggested?”
“Oh you!” she pooh-poohed. “You’re always so unimaginative, such a straight arrow. I was treated unfairly at the party and you know, those boys had it coming,” she said conspiratorially in a hushed voice. “There have been allegations of violence against some of them in the past, hazing and all that shit.”
This just confused me even more.
“But Bren, there was no hazing that night,” I said slowly. “It’s fall semester and hazing for DUP occurs in the spring. Why did the Rolling Stone article say that the rape was part of a pledge ritual?”
“God, Karina,” she huffed again, this time rolling her eyes. “Who cares about details like that? Hazing is hazing, I’m sure it’s a year-long thing even if pledging formally occurs in the spring. Plus, Vera would corroborate my story, it’s just that she’s getting married and doesn’t’ want the exposure,” she snapped.
“Vera was at the party, I remember that,” I said, shaking my head. “But you guys were talking to guys and partying hard, right? I mean, when did the alleged rape happen?”
“That night!” exclaimed Brenda, exasperated. “You were there!”
“I can’t remember much,” I said slowly. “You know that Bren.”
Turning the tables on me suddenly, Brenda said, “I can’t believe you’re not being a supportive friend,” her expression turning nasty. “You’re so concerned about yourself, your brothers, how this is going to affect YOU. You haven’t given any thought to how awful I feel. I’m the victim, you know!” she spat.
I sat back, floored at her bad attitude. Of course Brenda deserved sympathy but she was just coming off as a spoiled princess. Whatever the reporter had seen in her … I dunno, but my friend was demonstrating very little credibility right now.
“Bren,” I tried again slowly. “How did you know Cole, the dude at the party who let us in?” Cole had been the sandy-haired guy, the one who’d told Brenda to bring her friends. He’d answered the door to the room that night.
“I know, isn’t he cute?” she gushed. “Cole’s in my Anthro 1 class, I’ve had the biggest crush on him since like forever. He seemed interested, but I wanted to fast-track him, you know what I mean? To realize that I’m hot property on campus,” she giggled.
“Karina,” she continued, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I had my old friend from high school text Cole.”
“Text him about what?” I asked confusedly.
“Oh you know, just telling Cole what an awesome catch I am, how Cole’s lucky to know me, all that kind of stuff. I expect Cole to be asking me out soon,” she said triumphantly.
That definitely wasn’t happening. Cole was probably squirreled away in a dorm room somewhere burning all his DUP stuff, trying to stay low profile. But clearly Brenda was out of touch with reality, believing that Cole was going to be pursuing a possible love interest at this catastrophic point in his life.
I sighed and shook my head. This was the most confusing, mixed-up conversation I’d ever had with anyone, bar none. I stood up to go.
“Listen Bren, I still think you should go to the police, to the student crisis center, professionals who can help you sort out your emotions,” I said bleakly. “I’m not sure you’ve realized the full import of what’s happened, how this is affecting other people.”
“Other people?” she screeched. “It’s about me, can’t you see? I wasn’t named in the article but all the right people know it was me,” she winked. “Go home Karina. You never had a sense of humor.”
Humor? This was humorous? With nothing left to say, I turned to leave.