FIVE:
We were standing out the front of my dorm and it was a warm night, but even so I was cold. I was sure I knew what was coming and I didn't want to hear it.
"Pony, for me college is a new life. A chance to leave the old me behind, make amends for the old me, and be who I've always wanted to be." Mandy said, pushing a strand of her hair back behind her ear. Her earnest expression made me want to kiss her. Somehow I resisted, guessing that this wasn't the best time.
"Mandy, isn't that the same as growing up?" I asked thoughtfully.
"In a way perhaps." Mandy admitted. "The thing is I get the impression you don't want to grow up. That you're quite happy to go through life like you have been."
I frowned. "What's wrong with the way I am? Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought you liked who I was!"
Mandy sighed impatiently. "I DO Pony." She said. "I just can't seem to get my words right. You're the writer here not me."
I smiled weakly. If she wanted to dump me why didn't she do it quickly and get it over with?
"Okay," She said. "It's like this: I want to make new friends, do new things, and I want you to be there with me. But you're like an ostrich with its head stuck in the sand. College is about new experiences and Pony how can you say you hate my friends and the things I want to do if you've never even done them?"
I nodded slowly. "I guess I can't." I admitted. "But has this stemmed from the fact that I hate wearing shirts?"
She laughed. "Not really, that must made me decide to say something. Look Pony, if you come out with me and you really don't like my friends then that's fine. I won't expect you to hang out with them or anything, even though I'd love to have my boyfriend by my side. I just want you to at least give them the chance. Is that too much to ask?"
I shook my head. In truth it was more than reasonable. "No, you're not asking too much at all." I assured her.
Mandy let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "God I can't tell you how glad I am to have said that. I've been trying to work up the nerve to discuss it with you the last few days- that's probably why I've been snappy with you- but I was worried you'd be angry at me and think I wanted to change you."
"And you don't?" I asked, just to make sure.
"NO!" Mandy said, and she stepped over to take my face in her hands and kiss me gently on the lips. "Ponyboy Curtis I thank god for the day he let me meet you. If you only knew the half of what you've done for me."
"So you're not dumping me then?" I asked.
"Pony!" She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I dump you? Because you don't like to wear shirts?"
"Can I just ask you one more little thing?" I asked.
She sighed. "Sure, shoot."
"Well when I was talking about the gang, and this has happened a bit lately, you seem to..well it's like you don't like them." I explained.
"I like them fine." She said. "I guess sometimes I just think they're holding you back and the idea of you not reaching your full potential because of them kind of bugs me."
"Oh." I thought about that for a moment, and then decided I was not in the mood for deep thoughts. There was something else I was in the mood for. I grabbed Mandy's hand and we went into the dorm and up to my room.
*****
"Rise and shine children!" Eric said, and he pulled the curtains wide open.
I groaned and sat up. "Glory, what the heck was that for?" I demanded. "Isn't that nice expensive watch your folks gave you for getting into college working? Because if it was you'd know it's only seven in the morning!" Beside me Mandy stirred and opened her eyes, then closed them at the light.
"I'm aware of the time. It's just such a beautiful day and we're in it." Eric replied, sitting on the edge of his bed.
I'd heard those words somewhere before, but I wasn't sure where. "Well that's great and all Eric, but do you think you could let me get some more sleep? I'm not used to cheerfulness this early in the morning."
Eric frowned. "You actually don't know what day it is, do you?" He asked.
"Saturday. The third Saturday I've been here, so that makes it the-" I began, but he interrupted.
"-Today is the day we find out whether or not we get into the fraternities we pledged." Eric said, patiently.
"Only thing is I actually didn't pledge any." I replied.
"You what?" Eric repeated shocked. "Pony, fraternities are the most important part of college. It's like having another family. A home away from home."
"I came to college to study." I said with a sigh.
Mandy sat up. "You know Pony," She said. "A frat would have been a great experience for you. A great NEW experience."
"Yeah, guess so. Pity it's too late." I said. "Can you chuck me my smokes Eric?"
Eric obliged and I gratefully lit one up.
"You know Pony, if I get into the Betta's I could probably try and pull a few strings.." Eric offered.
I took a big drag on my cigarette and was about to say no thanks when I remembered the conversation with Mandy the night before. So my girlfriend thought I wasn't open to new experiences did she? And she said all she wanted was for me to give things a chance right? "Sure, if you could that would be great!" I said.
Mandy looked shocked and then grinned. "That's the way Pony!" She said.
Eric looked surprised too, but he also looked pleased. "Well I better get going and see the list. Besides I'm sure you want to get up and dressed and being the innocent I am I've never seen a woman in anything other than full clothing."
I rolled my eyes, but Mandy threw the pillow at him. "I bet!" She said. "In fact, I think you might have been one of my roomies conquests!"
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately I haven't been anyone's conquest- so what room are you in anyway?"
"Eric!" I said and he laughed and left the room. I pulled on my jeans and top and Mandy got dressed as well.
"Would you really join a frat Pony?" She asked me.
"I don't see why not. It could be kind of interesting actually. Kind of like home- hanging out with the gang and all." I said.
"Somehow I don't think they're very likely to be the same thing.." Mandy said but she didn't persue the thought. "Anyway let's go grab a coffee and something for breakfast before I have to meet Brian."
"Meet Brian?" I repeated.
"To work on our project." Mandy replied as we left the room.
"On a Saturday?" I asked.
"Yes on a Saturday." Mandy said. "It's a pretty important one Pony. And listen, I was thinking yesterday and I forgot to tell you with our stupid little argument and all- I've decided to try out for the cheerleading squad after all. Tryouts are tomorrow."
"You have? That's great!" I said enthusiastically. "You'll be a shoo-in Mandy, I promise you."
"I don't know about that." She said, but she was obviously pleased.
"I guess that means I'm going to have to go to the football games then to watch you cheering." I said as we walked down the steps of the dorm.
"You mean to watch me in my short skirt?" Mandy repeated, tucking her arm through mine.
"Well yes, that would be a definite plus. Of course I hadn't thought of that.." I agreed and she laughed.
"I'm sure it was the last thing on your mind." She assured me.
As we walked across the campus like that I was actually glad that Mandy had come out with it all the night before and told me what it was that was bugging her. If she hadn't things would have continued in the same vein with us having stupid little arguments over nothing. And I was also glad that it was all simply about me trying some new things, and not being stuck in my ways rather than something a lot more serious which could possibly threaten our relationship!
[A/N. I know you all thought Mandy was going to dump Pony, and I think perhaps that was on my mind too, but then I decided that was not going to happen. Of course there could still be an underlying reason as to why Mandy wants Pony to be more open to things and to her friends and interests...Or not.....]
We were standing out the front of my dorm and it was a warm night, but even so I was cold. I was sure I knew what was coming and I didn't want to hear it.
"Pony, for me college is a new life. A chance to leave the old me behind, make amends for the old me, and be who I've always wanted to be." Mandy said, pushing a strand of her hair back behind her ear. Her earnest expression made me want to kiss her. Somehow I resisted, guessing that this wasn't the best time.
"Mandy, isn't that the same as growing up?" I asked thoughtfully.
"In a way perhaps." Mandy admitted. "The thing is I get the impression you don't want to grow up. That you're quite happy to go through life like you have been."
I frowned. "What's wrong with the way I am? Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought you liked who I was!"
Mandy sighed impatiently. "I DO Pony." She said. "I just can't seem to get my words right. You're the writer here not me."
I smiled weakly. If she wanted to dump me why didn't she do it quickly and get it over with?
"Okay," She said. "It's like this: I want to make new friends, do new things, and I want you to be there with me. But you're like an ostrich with its head stuck in the sand. College is about new experiences and Pony how can you say you hate my friends and the things I want to do if you've never even done them?"
I nodded slowly. "I guess I can't." I admitted. "But has this stemmed from the fact that I hate wearing shirts?"
She laughed. "Not really, that must made me decide to say something. Look Pony, if you come out with me and you really don't like my friends then that's fine. I won't expect you to hang out with them or anything, even though I'd love to have my boyfriend by my side. I just want you to at least give them the chance. Is that too much to ask?"
I shook my head. In truth it was more than reasonable. "No, you're not asking too much at all." I assured her.
Mandy let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "God I can't tell you how glad I am to have said that. I've been trying to work up the nerve to discuss it with you the last few days- that's probably why I've been snappy with you- but I was worried you'd be angry at me and think I wanted to change you."
"And you don't?" I asked, just to make sure.
"NO!" Mandy said, and she stepped over to take my face in her hands and kiss me gently on the lips. "Ponyboy Curtis I thank god for the day he let me meet you. If you only knew the half of what you've done for me."
"So you're not dumping me then?" I asked.
"Pony!" She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I dump you? Because you don't like to wear shirts?"
"Can I just ask you one more little thing?" I asked.
She sighed. "Sure, shoot."
"Well when I was talking about the gang, and this has happened a bit lately, you seem to..well it's like you don't like them." I explained.
"I like them fine." She said. "I guess sometimes I just think they're holding you back and the idea of you not reaching your full potential because of them kind of bugs me."
"Oh." I thought about that for a moment, and then decided I was not in the mood for deep thoughts. There was something else I was in the mood for. I grabbed Mandy's hand and we went into the dorm and up to my room.
*****
"Rise and shine children!" Eric said, and he pulled the curtains wide open.
I groaned and sat up. "Glory, what the heck was that for?" I demanded. "Isn't that nice expensive watch your folks gave you for getting into college working? Because if it was you'd know it's only seven in the morning!" Beside me Mandy stirred and opened her eyes, then closed them at the light.
"I'm aware of the time. It's just such a beautiful day and we're in it." Eric replied, sitting on the edge of his bed.
I'd heard those words somewhere before, but I wasn't sure where. "Well that's great and all Eric, but do you think you could let me get some more sleep? I'm not used to cheerfulness this early in the morning."
Eric frowned. "You actually don't know what day it is, do you?" He asked.
"Saturday. The third Saturday I've been here, so that makes it the-" I began, but he interrupted.
"-Today is the day we find out whether or not we get into the fraternities we pledged." Eric said, patiently.
"Only thing is I actually didn't pledge any." I replied.
"You what?" Eric repeated shocked. "Pony, fraternities are the most important part of college. It's like having another family. A home away from home."
"I came to college to study." I said with a sigh.
Mandy sat up. "You know Pony," She said. "A frat would have been a great experience for you. A great NEW experience."
"Yeah, guess so. Pity it's too late." I said. "Can you chuck me my smokes Eric?"
Eric obliged and I gratefully lit one up.
"You know Pony, if I get into the Betta's I could probably try and pull a few strings.." Eric offered.
I took a big drag on my cigarette and was about to say no thanks when I remembered the conversation with Mandy the night before. So my girlfriend thought I wasn't open to new experiences did she? And she said all she wanted was for me to give things a chance right? "Sure, if you could that would be great!" I said.
Mandy looked shocked and then grinned. "That's the way Pony!" She said.
Eric looked surprised too, but he also looked pleased. "Well I better get going and see the list. Besides I'm sure you want to get up and dressed and being the innocent I am I've never seen a woman in anything other than full clothing."
I rolled my eyes, but Mandy threw the pillow at him. "I bet!" She said. "In fact, I think you might have been one of my roomies conquests!"
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately I haven't been anyone's conquest- so what room are you in anyway?"
"Eric!" I said and he laughed and left the room. I pulled on my jeans and top and Mandy got dressed as well.
"Would you really join a frat Pony?" She asked me.
"I don't see why not. It could be kind of interesting actually. Kind of like home- hanging out with the gang and all." I said.
"Somehow I don't think they're very likely to be the same thing.." Mandy said but she didn't persue the thought. "Anyway let's go grab a coffee and something for breakfast before I have to meet Brian."
"Meet Brian?" I repeated.
"To work on our project." Mandy replied as we left the room.
"On a Saturday?" I asked.
"Yes on a Saturday." Mandy said. "It's a pretty important one Pony. And listen, I was thinking yesterday and I forgot to tell you with our stupid little argument and all- I've decided to try out for the cheerleading squad after all. Tryouts are tomorrow."
"You have? That's great!" I said enthusiastically. "You'll be a shoo-in Mandy, I promise you."
"I don't know about that." She said, but she was obviously pleased.
"I guess that means I'm going to have to go to the football games then to watch you cheering." I said as we walked down the steps of the dorm.
"You mean to watch me in my short skirt?" Mandy repeated, tucking her arm through mine.
"Well yes, that would be a definite plus. Of course I hadn't thought of that.." I agreed and she laughed.
"I'm sure it was the last thing on your mind." She assured me.
As we walked across the campus like that I was actually glad that Mandy had come out with it all the night before and told me what it was that was bugging her. If she hadn't things would have continued in the same vein with us having stupid little arguments over nothing. And I was also glad that it was all simply about me trying some new things, and not being stuck in my ways rather than something a lot more serious which could possibly threaten our relationship!
[A/N. I know you all thought Mandy was going to dump Pony, and I think perhaps that was on my mind too, but then I decided that was not going to happen. Of course there could still be an underlying reason as to why Mandy wants Pony to be more open to things and to her friends and interests...Or not.....]