CHAPTER TWO: CHINESE FOOD

Cath was sitting on Reagan's bed sniffling when Reagan's phone rang. Reagan's mother, Vivien had thought the girls needed a house phone, so the retro pink telephone was now here to stay.

Reagan picked it up. "Hello? Hey Wren?" Cath groaned. Wren had a knack for coming over at 8pm on a Friday night. Cath pretended she found it annoying, but secretly loved it more than any other part of college. Reagan laughed. "Ew sounds gross! So that's a substitute? Be in our dorm in an hour with it!" She put down the phone. "Wren says that the food at the hall looks like slop. She and Jandro picked up some takeaway at the Yum Cha place 3 miles off campus. Levi and Lily were there as well. Levi had the idea to come back to our place with it. They'll be here shortly." Cath smiled. Friday nights with the gang. If only Lily could go jump in a ditch.

Cath wasn't one to be jealous. Levi was just naturally good natured to people. But something about Lily pushed her buttons. She seemed like she was covered in grease, so she could push Cath but when Cath tried to push her, she slipped right off. Reagan was already getting paper plates and 24 packs of diet coke out, so Cath helped her. After all, it would be a fun night because Lily was outnumbered.

"Hello!" Wren kicked the door open, as her hands were full with steaming Styrofoam boxes that smelled of scallop pancakes and pork dumplings. She set the boxes down on Cath's bed before running to Reagan to giver her a massive hug. Jandro followed in after, carrying twice as many boxes. "Looks like we'll be having dumplings 'til Christmas, eh?" Cath said as she hugged Jandro. 6 months ago, she probably wouldn't have even said hello. And then Levi walked in.

He had put on muscle since she'd last had a good look at him. He wore a blue plaid flannel shirt and black jeans. She picked up some of the boxes of the top of his pile and set them down. He handed the rest of them to Jandro and looked at her. "Cather." Levi picked her up and carried her outside. Cath squealed as they ran down the hallway and into the fire stairwell. There he pushed her against the wall and kissed her.

Levi wrapped his arms around her waist and she put her arms on his shoulders.

"I missed you Cather."

"Jesus, Levi, I missed you too."

They hugged again and Levi put his hand next to Cath's. She took it and they walked slowly back to the dorm.

"Ryliegh's kids names."

"Pamela, Julie, Clifford and Trinidad."

"Krystine?"

"Coralee, Thomas and Marindah."

"Good Job! I think that's the first time they've been all right!"

Cath smiled. Now you just have to tell me what they all look like so I don't call Thomas Trinidad."

Lily opened the door for them. She smiled and winked at Levi. "Levi, and uh, sorry, what was your name again?"

"Cather."

"Oh YEAH, CATHER. Nice to meet you!"

She let them in.

"Cather…. I've only heard that name once before. My mom said one of her daughters was called Cather. The other one Wren. Isn't that smart, Cather-Wren? Is Cather a common name?"

Cath stared past Lily and into Wren. Wren stared back. "Uh, Lily, wouldn't your mom's daughter's be your, um, sisters?"

Lily looked at her like she was mad, then laughed for one count. "No silly, Laura isn't actually my mom. She's my dad's partner, she moved in when I was 10. But she's been the BEST mom to me. Always there for me as well as being very supportive. When she tried to contact her daughters last year I was shocked that they were reluctant to see her. One of them did end up going, but the other one flat out refused. I guess I HAVE been stealing their mom a bit…."

Everyone in the room stared at Lily, they all knew about Cath and Wren's mother drama and how she ended up walking out when they were 8. Wren and Cath just stared at each other, disbelieving. Wren was the first one to stand up. "Come on Cath." She said and strode out of the room with Cath following. Lily looked after them. "What's their problem? Jeez, I'm new I need to break the ice! Can someone please tell me what's going on?" But everyone was silent. "Cather and whoever that girl is need to get a grip. What is that girl's name even?" She looked around the room.

"Wren."

"Huh?"

"The girl's name is Wren." Jandro said.

"Cather and OH SHIT. OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT." Lily realized her mistake. "What the HELL have I done."