Jennie
Three years later—age twenty-one
While it might seem an impossibility for Lisa and me to attend the same university and never run into each other, that is, in fact, the way my first three years at Yale have played out. I spent the first year on campus telling myself I wasn't looking for her, but secretly watching for her at all times. I was convinced she'd transferred schools, and impatiently dove into her father's financial empire, but I never let myself look at the student body directory.
Lisa Manoban is the past.
I'm looking toward the future, nose down, books open—quite literally—as I study for an exam the entire class fears we will fail.
"You do know it's my birthday, right?"
This from my best friend and roommate, Solar, who is now sitting in the chair next to my desk. "We did cake and pretty things in a bag," I say as I laugh. "Yes. I know it's your birthday."
"Then put down the books and let's go out."
"This test—"
"You'll nail it like you nail them all."
"I'm trying to get into law school," I remind her, which is a big deal for me.
My family sells high-end real estate, and despite us doing quite well, to people in this world, we're the service industry. Too often I have to point out how whatever another student's family does is in fact, service. Which is exactly why I'm going to law school. If we had a legal side to our business, which would include real estate law, we will be bigger and stronger.
"Max's fraternity is having a party. He wants us to come."
My lips press together. She knows I hate the fraternity scene. I have no interest in snobby guys in heat. They all believe themselves better than everyone else, but they'll still get you naked. Max has shades of such things in him, too, which didn't set well at first. He's a good guy underneath it all though, and once I got to know him, he accepted me and me him. Of course, he did. Solar loves me. I love Solar. And Solar's family is big tech rich. He looks up to her, not down as he would have me without her by my side. "I really have to study."
"We only have a year until law school. Then it gets intense."
She has a year until law school. I'm still not accepted.
"This is our last year to just be college kids, you and me against the world."
The future attorney in her is one heck of a negotiator. "How do I turn that down?" I ask. "You're my best friend." I've barely spoken the words when she stands and pulls me to my feet. "Let's pick out the perfect dresses."
The fraternity headquarters resembles a castle on the outside, but the inside is just a house, and not even a special house. Or so Solar tells me. I've never been here before. I don't even want to be here now. We head up a long concrete stairwell and Solar wraps her arm around me. "Twins," she declares, meaning our little black dresses, when we are far from twins at all. She's tall, I'm not. I have long brunette hair and she wears her blonde hair in a bob cut to her shoulders. Okay, it is a little longer than a bob, at least in my mind, but it hangs like one, straight with a perfect edge.
We continue our upward climb, and music vibrates through the walkway, promising a loud, rowdy party. At the top of the stairs, a tall, good-looking guy greets us. Solar waves at him and then me. "She's with me," she says. "And broke up with her boyfriend, which means she's single. You should come say 'hi' later."
I roll my eyes. I don't need her to find me a new man. So far, I've had three, all of which were self-absorbed and demanding in ways that pulled my attention from my future. I don't need that or them.
Nevertheless, the dark-skinned, handsome guy looks me over, smiles and says, "I will."
"Perfect," Solar declares and pulls me inside the doorway of the castle.
Once we're inside, the music isn't as loud as I expected, thrumming rather than thumping through the room. People mingle in cliquey groups and random people hang all over each other.
"I'm going to find Max," Solar announces, jabbing at my arm. "Get us a drink, will you?"
She doesn't wait for an answer. She rushes forward, and I'm dust in the wind.
I'm not upset that she's left me here in a den of horny boys because they sure aren't men, not yet. She'll be back. Solar is loyal and protective of me and our friendship. She wants to see Max, but he's not her world. Sometimes I'm not sure Solar has found her world at all.
Someone bumps into me and I use the push that follows as motivation to head toward what I think is the kitchen. I've made it halfway across the room when I stop dead in my tracks, my heart thundering in my chest—no, pounding. This sensation is most definitely more pounding than thundering. Heavy, steal my breath, pounding.
Lisa is here. She's standing under the archway leading to another room and she's watching me.