College Life 101, page 7
“Bitch, I wish you would,” Malajia shot back.
“Will I see you later?” Jason asked quickly, sensing that Chasity was fed up with the whole scene.
“Hell no,” she sneered, frowning at him.
Definitely fed up, he thought; then Sidra came to his rescue. “She’ll be there.”
“Good, it’s going to be at Thompson Hall.” Jason winked at Sidra. “Bring your friends.”
Chapter 8
The four girls arrived when the party was already in full swing; none of them were surprised when Emily elected to stay in the dorm, and it was a close call with Chasity. Sidra practically had to drag her out of Torrence Hall. She wasn’t keen on another confrontation with Jason. He was great to look at, she admitted, but she couldn’t stand his cocky attitude.
“You don’t want him to know he gets under your skin,” Sidra pointed out. The offhand comment sealed the deal, and a reluctant Chasity tagged along.
Malajia looked around, eyes bright with excitement. If there was anything she adored, it was a party, especially one with a bunch of good looking men, music blaring, and plenty of liquor.
“Where is he?” she wondered, assuming a provocative pose. “My soon to be boyfriend?”
“In hell with the other goblins,” Sidra suggested. Malajia’s bravado was wearing thin.
“You’re a goblin, jerk,” Malajia retorted.
“I’m over this,” Chasity said to Sidra. “I’m about to go.”
“Why? You just got here,” Sidra replied, voice laced with surprise.
“Give it a chance,” Alex chimed in. “You might actually have a good time.”
“Just let the witch go,” Malajia urged with a wave of her hand. “She’ll just get in my way anyways.”
“Shut your dumb ass up,” Chasity spat. “Not everyone is desperate for dick anyways.” Alex put her hand over her face to conceal a laugh.
“Ha!” Sidra taunted. She loved the fact that someone was quick witted enough to go toe to toe with Malajia.
“I’m leaving,” Chasity concluded before sauntering away.
“I hate that bitch,” Malajia said, pointing her finger at the retreating figure.
“Oh, Malajia, please. You’re just mad because Jason ignored you,” Alex offered, voice filled with amusement.
“I wasn’t ignored. I was blindsided by the devil,” Malajia retorted, folding her arms.
“No, you were ignored,” Sidra put in. “Just admit it.”
“Whatever. Men love me. I’m their freakin’ dream.”
“Yeah, right,” Sidra slid in, “more like a nightmare.”
A lot of bodies were crammed into the room. Chasity dodged and weaved, making her way to the door. She froze anyone who tried to stop her with a single look. She had made it out of the door and almost escaped down the path when Jason stopped her.
“Where are you going, beautiful?” he asked.
“Home,” she answered abruptly. Did the guy ever stop smiling? she wondered.
“Why do you always have such an attitude?” he asked.
“Because dumb asses like you won’t leave me alone.”
“You have a mouth on you, don’t you?” he observed. “You’re too hostile. You need someone to calm you down.”
“Oh really? And who would that be?” she challenged, already knowing what he was about to say.
“Why me, of course,” he responded as if on cue.
“You think so, huh?”
“Mmm hmm. Why don’t you come up to my room and find out,” he joked. Usually his teasing banter was a hit, but it missed its mark with Chasity. The coldness in her eyes sliced into him.
“Screw you, jackass,” she snapped.
“Hold on a second.” Realizing his mistake, he grabbed Chasity’s arm, halting her hasty departure. He didn’t want her to leave again before he could explain.
“Get your goddamn hands off me,” she hissed. “Now.”
“No, don’t leave yet.” Jason didn’t mean to, but as she tried to yank away, his grip tightened on her arm. After only two brief encounters, he knew enough to expect her to be difficult, but he underestimated exactly how difficult she actually was.
Chasity, realizing that he had no intention of letting her go, yanked him close and kneed him in the groin. He dropped to the floor like a stone and she hurried off.
Jason doubled over. When he finally caught his breath, he rose cautiously to his feet, his mouth twisted in an ironic smile. He thought his usual approach would be enough. He’d have to change tactics. Be a shame to risk our future children.
A couple of minutes later, and Jason was back inside Thompson Hall in search of Sidra.
“Oh, hi Jason,” she said, moving some hair away from her face. “Did you see Chasity?”
“Uh huh. She left, I’m guessing she went back to the dorm. You might want to check on her.”
“And why is that?” Sidra inquired, eying him suspiciously.
“Look, I messed up. She’s upset.” Jason ran a nervous hand over his hair.
Sidra took a good look at him. What the hell did you do? she thought.
“I’ll go find her. I’ll take Alex with me. Malajia will never leave a party early.”
“Thanks.”
Alex, feeling a little down, didn’t need any persuading. She wanted to call Paul; she hadn’t spoken to him in two days.
The two hurried up the stairs at Torrence hall, but stopped abruptly in the hall outside Sidra’s room.
“What’s going on?” A loud crash startled Alex. “Should we call security?”
“Not just yet,” Sidra said. Knowing Alex’s penchant for meddling, she’d deliberately kept her in the dark about her conversation with Jason.
Cautiously, Sidra unlocked the door and pushed it open.
They were greeted by a mess on Chasity’s side of the room. Chair toppled over, her desk swept clean, its contents littering the floor.
Temper spent, Chasity sat on the loveseat. “What the hell are you doing back so early?” she demanded.
“Jason sent me,” Sidra stated, carefully stepping over the mess.
“Sent you for what?” Chasity snapped. “Whatever he said, I don’t want to hear it.”
“What happened?” Alex questioned, sensing Chasity’s frustration at the mention of his name.
“He’s a jackass and I kicked him in his dick.”
Alex and Sidra gave a collective gasp. “Um, wow,” Sidra replied calmly. “He neglected to mention that.”
“Not surprised,” Chasity sneered.
“Well Chasity, he seems like he’s a nice guy...at least that’s how he comes across to me,” Sidra put in quietly. “He seemed genuinely concerned about you.”
Chasity looked away. Absently, she rubbed her arm. “Hey,” Alex pounced. The bruise was just beginning to show. “Or, maybe, he got what he deserved. Did he hurt you?”
“No,” Chasity sighed. “He did grab my arm to stop me from walking away, but it didn’t hurt. I just bruise easy.” She didn’t really want to go into any detail with the girls about her confrontation with Jason. She was used to keeping her business to herself. However, she didn’t want them to think that he had intended to physically harm her. She may have been angry at his approach, but she didn’t want a rumor like that to spread.
“He should have kept his damn hands to himself anyway,” Alex concluded. “So in my opinion you were justified in what you did.”
“Alex, I think she may have overreacted. It’s not like he was trying to hurt her,” Sidra debated.
“Sidra, you may have very well done the same thing,” Alex argued turning her attention from Sidra to Chasity, “You agree, right Chaz?”
“I react how I need to,” Chasity admitted, pushing herself up from the couch. Her reaction may have shocked the girls, but it was nothing new to her. She’d dealt with her short temper for a long time, but had yet to learn how to constructively handle it.
“So, what happened to our room?”
“I couldn’t calm myself down, so I fucked up my stuff,” she confessed, examining the mess. “It was either that or punch a wall...or fuck up your stuff,”
“Your temper tantrum do any good?” Sidra asked, curiously as she folded her arms. She’d never been tempted to throw anything.
“A little. Now I’m just tired.”
“Well, sleep it off,” Sidra ordered. “While I hide my breakable things.”
“I agree with her,” Alex added. “It’s been a long night. You can clean up this mess in the morning.”
Chapter 9
Pointer in hand, the professor paced back and forth across the stage of the darkened lecture hall. Slides of microscopic images flashed across the huge screen behind him. Biology was a tough course, and all around Chasity and Alex were students bent over their notebooks, diligently taking notes.
Chasity thought, that Advance Placement class I had in high school barely prepared me for this crap. And I wish this idiot behind me would shut the hell up. She was distracted and getting more and more annoyed. Jason, sitting directly behind her, kept pestering her.
“Leave me the hell alone,” she hissed, swinging around in her seat to confront him. “You haven’t learned your lesson from the other night?”
“Oh, that’s real cute,” Jason shot back, eyes narrowed.
The professor laid his pointer on the lectern and looked up. “Miss Parker, Mr. Adams, we are discussing the structure and function of cells,” he reminded dryly. “You might be surprised, but some of your fellow classmates are actually interested. No more distractions, please.”
“Leave her alone, Jason,” Alex warned. “You’ll get her kicked out of class.”
“I can’t believe she couldn’t take a damn joke,” he muttered.
“Some joke,” Alex whispered, “suggesting she come to your room. That was disrespectful.” Jason rolled his eyes as he shifted in his seat.
The professor banged the pointer against the lectern. “That’s enough. All three of you, out. You obviously have more important matters to discuss.”
“Damn it,” Jason complained, slamming his textbook closed.
“Fine, I’m over this shit anyway,” Chasity fumed, grabbing her bag and standing up.
“Well, that’s just great,” Alex spat, shoving her pen and notebook into her book bag. “You happy now, Jason?”
Alex was still fuming when she got back to her room. She needed to get her swipe card to use at the cafeteria. Barely in the door, she dropped her book bag and made a dash for the loudly ringing telephone. “Hello?”
“Alex, I called to see what you were up to.”
Alex grimaced at the sound of Paul’s voice. That’s all she needed for the morning to go downhill even faster. She really didn’t want to talk to him. They’d been together so long, she was beginning to wonder if they stuck together out force of habit.
“Um, I’m on my way to meet my friends for lunch.”
“Oh, really? Do you have to meet them now?” Paul asked, obviously frustrated.
“Well, yeah. The cafeteria stops serving lunch after a certain time. You know I can’t afford to do a bunch of extra food shopping or eat out.”
“Fine, Alex. Go on then.”
“Paul, I’ll be back and I’ll call you later,” she said, trying to reassure him.
“Whatever!”
Alex stared at the phone, listening to the dial tone. Then she angrily punched the redial button.
“How dare you hang up on me? What the hell is your problem?” she demanded, “You’ve been giving me attitude for the past couple weeks. What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me? Alex, I’m not stupid. I know that you’re cheating on me,” he spat out.
“Are you crazy?” Her jaw dropped. “I would never cheat in a relationship. I can’t believe you would accuse me of something like that!”
“So what am I supposed to think when you’re up there with all those college guys, huh?”
“What do you want me to do? Come home and sit with you?” she yelled.
“Yes. Yes, Alex, I want you to come home!”
“You would love that, wouldn’t you? For me to give up my dreams, come home, and sit there doing nothing with you.”
“You know, I don’t need this from you. There are plenty of girls right here who wouldn’t mind being with me,” he threatened.
“What? You mean those smutty girls with their tits and asses hanging out of their clothes? You know what? If you’d rather be with someone like that, then by all means go for it. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” She slammed the phone down and ran her hands over her face. She wasn’t about to be disrespected. Nor was she going to sit there and sulk.
She made it to the cafeteria before the kitchen shut down. The hurried walk over cooled her temper. It was simply too beautiful a day to mope over Paul and his stupid threats. The entrees of the day were lasagna and meatloaf with mashed potatoes; she concluded that neither one looked that appealing to her and headed for the salad bar. She filled a large plastic bowl with romaine lettuce, red onions, some croutons, green peppers, and a couple pieces of grilled chicken.
She squeezed in next to Emily at the table in the corner. Acknowledging Malajia and Sidra, she speared a piece of lettuce with her fork.
“Jason managed to get me and Chasity kicked out of Biology class,” she said between crunches.
“Really? Did Jason get kicked out too?” Emily asked.
“Yep”
“Chasity probably started with him first. That’s so typical,” Malajia put in.
“What do you mean typical?” Alex asked, shooting her a glance. “You don’t know her well enough to know what’s typical of her.”
“Alex, please. That girl is evil,” Malajia replied, waving her spoon in Alex’s face. “You can play Captain Save-a-Bitch if you want, but don’t get an attitude with me because I don’t like her.”
“It wasn’t her fault,” Alex maintained.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Malajia tossed her fruit cup in the trash. “I don’t want this shit. I’m going back to the dorm. Y’all coming or not? I don’t have all day.”
“I’m going to need for you to check that tone,” Sidra put in, stirring the soup in her bowl.
“Check that bun in your hair,” Malajia shot back, gesturing to Sidra’s tightly wrapped bun pulled off to the side of her head.
Sidra, holding a phony smile moved her bang out of her face using her middle finger.
Good one, Malajia thought, smirking.
“Stop it you two. Come on, let’s go,” Alex interjected, glancing at her watch. “Chasity’s probably there already waiting at our dorm. I have David’s notes from his earlier Bio class; I told her she can come over and copy them too.”
Malajia let out an audible groan, but for once kept her mouth shut. Any comment was sure to provoke another one of Alex’s lectures, and she was sick of them.
They found Chasity standing in the hallway outside Alex’s room, propped against the wall, eyes closed, resting her head against the wall. She wasn’t going to come because, frankly, the girls annoyed her. But she knew that those notes held details about an important assignment that was due soon. She may be annoyed, but she wasn’t stupid.
“That’s great, the whole damn crew,” she moaned as they tromped up.
“So happy to see us,” Sidra laughed. Not bothering to reply, Chasity pressed her hand against her forehead. Unsteady, she continued to lean against the wall while Alex unlocked the door.
“Are you okay?” Emily asked.
“No, I have a headache, and I know y’all are just gonna make it worse,” she muttered.
“Aww, she’s mad cause her head hurts,” Malajia teased as she stood next to Chasity.
“Somebody get her away from me,” Chasity seethed. The offhand comment caused Malajia to chuckle.
“Why don’t you take some aspirin or something?” Emily suggested, setting her book bag on the floor once she and the others walked into the room.
“If I had some, I would have taken them already.” Chasity sighed. What a stupid question. Her head throbbing, it was all she could do to keep from snapping at Emily.
“That’s no problem,” Emily offered. “Malajia has some, next to her vitamins, over there on the dresser. Can Chasity take a couple?”
“Yeah. Anything to keep her from being a bigger bitch than she already is.” Malajia flopped down on the chair and dug around in her book bag for a pack of candy. She waved a piece in Alex’s direction. “But I’m not moving. You’re closest. Toss her the bottle.”
“Malajia this is a mess. How do you find anything?” Alex commented idly as she rummaged through the jumble of bracelets, makeup, and nail polish littering Malajia’s dresser top. “Ha, found them...” she broke off and frowned. Tossing the bottle to Chasity, she confronted Malajia. “What are you doing with these?” she asked.
Everyone in the room, except Emily, recognized the familiar pills. “What is she doing with them? That’s a dumb question, Alex,” Chasity interjected, removing a bottle of water from her book bag. “I’m figuring that she doesn’t want any babies, that’s why.”
“Why am I not surprised that you would have them all out in the open,” Sidra commented. “Some guy can walk in here and see them and think it’s open season.”
Malajia frowned. “Open season for what Sidra? Huh?”
“For your legs, sweetie,” she shot back.
“Heifer, you know what...”
“Malajia, is that what they’re for?” Emily wailed, her eyes widening in shock, interrupting Malajia’s rant.
“Not at all Emily,” Alex interrupted. “Malajia’s never had sex. Isn’t that right Malajia?”
Sidra’s mouth dropped open with shock.
“Say what now?” Chasity questioned, nearly choking on the pills. She didn’t know what to make of Malajia, the loud, skimpy dressing, party girl—a virgin?
“Yes...and Malajia go ahead; lie and say that we never had that conversation,” Alex said, pointing the birth control pills in Malajia’s direction.
