Page 78 of Damnation
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Fresh off a night of bitterly weeping, I thrash restlessly in the bedclothes. My phone has been ringing nonstop for I don’t know how long. But this time, instead of stretching my arm out to the bedside table and rejecting the call, I grab the phone irritably. An unknown number flashes on the display.
“What?” I answer in an unsteady voice, sitting up on the edge of the bed.
“Hey, finally! It’s about time,” an irritated and not-at-all-familiar voice exclaims. “You’re Clark the sophomore, right?”
“Um…yeah, that’s me. Who am I speaking with?”
“I’m Athena. I’ve been instructed to give you the keys to your new residence. And considering that this is also my Saturday and I don’t have time to waste, the sooner we can get together, the sooner I can get out of your hair. Tell me where you are so I can meet you.”
I press my hand to my forehead, staring bewildered out the window, absolutely stunned.Keys? Residence? What is she talking about?
“W-what?”
“Tell me where you are so I can meet you there. I’m not going to say it again; I don’t have all day. It’ll be a short meeting, trust me. Just long enough to sign some paperwork, get you the keys, and show you your new apartment.”
I get up and start pacing the room. Of course, I’m so dumb—my new residence! Only now do I remember the conversation I had with the dean and the rental contract he gave me.
“Right now I’m at a fraternity house, but—”
“Woah, woah, woah. I’m not setting foot in that den of brain-dead drunks.”
“I can come to you; that’s no problem. I have a session with my book club on campus at eleven. I apologize for the inconvenience; I didn’t know we were supposed to meet up today. If I had, I would have been more prepared,” I explain.
“Yeah, well, I wasn’t notified until the last minute either,” she says, still slightly annoyed. “Either way, I’ll be waiting for you in front of Howell Hall in half an hour. Is that enough time for you?”
“Wait, I’m living in Howell?” I burst out in amazement. It’s undoubtedly the best residence hall on campus, completely made up of full apartment-style suites instead of just shared rooms. It’s owned by a university benefactor, who rents the apartments to the university community by application only.
“Daddy made your dreams come true, eh?”
“Ah, no. I don’t actually have a—”
“Sure, fine, whatever,” she interrupts. “I’ll be waiting for you there in twenty minutes.”
“Wasn’t it half—”
Too late. She hung up.
Still in a daze, I put my hair up into a bun, go to the bathroom, and, after brushing my teeth, hop in the shower. I put on a pair of high-waisted dark jeans and a turquoise cashmere sweater. I head downstairs, hoping that Thomas will be more willing to talk this morning after sleeping on it. I don’t want to leave the house before I clear the air with him.
When I get down to the kitchen, I find a full plate of breakfast on the stove with a Post-it note next to it, which reads,Hands off this plate. It’s for our girl,and is signed,Matt. I grin because his little everyday thoughtfulness warms my heart. Next to the plate, I find a thermos full of steaming coffee. I cup my hands around it and stick my nose into the top, breathing in the aroma.
I move into the living room, noting the disgraceful condition of the house. It’s 9:25, and obviously everyone else is still asleep. Some of them are on the floor. Some, like Vince, are on the sofas, where he’s lying like a corpse with one limp arm dangling down. Someone’s even passed out on the beer-pong table outside on the lawn. God…what a disaster. The guys are going to have a lot of cleaning to do when they finally wake up.
With a pang of hurt, though, I realize that someone is missing… I don’t see Thomas anywhere. Did he leave already? Without saying anything to me? No, he wouldn’t have done that.Yes, he would, you moron. Of course he would have done that, the little voice inside my head responds.
I squat down in front of the couch where Vince is sprawled out and give his shoulder a firm shake. “Vince, wake up!”
“Mhghfg…” He mutters something incomprehensible before rolling over, still in the arms of the alcoholic version of Morpheus.
“Vince, open your eyes. I need to know where Thomas is.”
“I dunno. Now let me sleep, I’m begging you…”
“Are you sure? Is it possible that you heard him leave, or maybe he told you where he was going…?”
“Ah…” Vince swears, rubbing his eyes with his thumb andforefinger. “You’re a menace, Little Gem. I have an all-time hangover, and here you are tormenting me first thing in the morning with this shit. I don’t know where he is. If he’s not here, he probably went out.”
