"So?"
Alicia regarded Amanda with annoyance and tried to focus on her reading about the famous and fascinating case Roe Vs Wade. It happened forever ago it seemed, but it was still widely talked about. And Alicia could certainly see why. However, Amanda's badgering was making Alicia's progress in reading about the case impossible.
"Alicia, answer me!" Amanda pleaded.
Exasperated, Alicia put down her book, leaving it tented on the bed. "What?"
"You know damn well what!" Amanda retorted. "Tell me about this guy you're going out with!"
Alicia groaned. Oh God, not this again. Amanda Greenfield was the nosiest college student on the planet and she wouldn't stop until she had every detail.
"You mean Will Gardner?" Alicia asked innocently. "What about him?"
"Tell me everything and I mean everything! What's he like? Is he cute? Tall, short?"
"God Amanda, what is this, twenty questions? He's just a guy that I met at that stupid pool party!"
"See? I told you that it would be worth it!" Amanda squealed. "So where's he taking you?"
"A basketball game."
Amanda scrunched up her face, clearly unimpressed with Alicia's answer. "Basketball? Well, that doesn't sound very romantic; sitting on a flat, hard metal seat watching sweaty guys run back and forth on a court trying to throw a basketball into a hoop."
Alicia laughed. "Well that's good because I don't plan on there being any romance. He was just being nice, trying to apologize."
Amanda's eyebrows rose. "Apologize? For what? Oh God, did he try to-."
The unspoken thought made Alicia shudder, remembering how wrong she'd been about Will. "No, it was nothing like that. I mean I was a little afraid of him at first, but he's really nice. He's cute too. But I hadn't been there ten minutes when he got me soaking wet!"
Alicia could see Amanda trying to hold in her laughter. And her annoyance grew. "It's not funny, Amanda!"
"Yes it is!" Amanda countered, her laughter finally unleashing itself. "Oh my God, you mean he threw you into the pool?"
"Um, no, that's not what happened at all. He-." Alicia paused and smiled. Sure, it was funny now, but it certainly wasn't funny when it had happened.
"He what?"
"He was doing a cannonball into the pool and he made a huge splash. I was soaked to the skin. He said that he couldn't help himself."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Cannonballs? God, that's so immature!"
"I guess." Alicia shrugged. "But I got soaked. And he felt so bad about it that he wrapped a towel around my shoulders and got me some hot chocolate. Cinnamon hot chocolate, even though it's not hot chocolate season." She smiled at her choice of words.
"Whatever that means."
Alicia sighed. Of course Amanda didn't find her joke funny, but Will certainly had. And perhaps that's what mattered the most.
"So then what happened?"
"Well, he asked me to go the game and I said yes!"
"Why?" Amanda's voice took on a different tone; one of irritation and disbelief.
Alicia could keep her anger in no longer. "What do you mean, why? What in the hell is wrong with you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. God, Alicia, I'm just making conversation."
"The hell you are!" Alicia shot back. First you drag me all the way across campus to that damn party that I didn't even want to attend and now you're shunning me?"
"I'm not-." Amanda sighed deeply. "Look, how much do you know about this guy?"
"God, you sound like my mother! I know enough, okay? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine!" And then she smiled. "Besides, he's really nice."
As expected, Amanda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you mentioned that. Well, I hope you have a great time. But if he tries anything, call me, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you."
When Alicia noticed the worry in Amanda's eyes, she engulfed her roommate into a fierce hug. Amanda drove her crazy, but it was nice having someone looking out for her. "What would I do without you?"
"Well for starters, you wouldn't be going to the game tomorrow night!" Amanda quipped.
The two women laughed and hugged each other once more before drawing out of each other's arms. "Come on." Amanda said. Let's find you the perfect outfit to wear."