Page 10 of Catch My Fall (Catch)

You totally just lost your man card and you can never, ever get it back.

JWow and Snooki? Really? I’m not getting drunk and chasing juiceheads with you!

The truth hurts, but as your friend, it had to be said. I’m sure you’ll get through it. As Dori says: Just keep swimming!

-Mimi

Class was coming to an end as I signed my “name” to the note. Folding it quickly I handed it to him and smiled. “I’m going to the cafeteria for coffee. Since you don’t have a class now either, do you want to go with me?”

Fiddling with the note that was now in his hand, he mumbled something that I couldn’t quite make out.

“I didn’t hear what you said.”

“I’ve got a class now.”

It was the first week of school and I knew it was pretty common for people to be changing their schedules. Obviously he’d added something new to his roster.

“I get it, you added to your schedule. No biggie.”

He mumbled again so I had to ask for clarification.

“Uh, what’s up with the wicked case of mush mouth? I can’t hear a damn thing you’re saying.”

Clearing his throat, he blurted, “I’ve had the class since I made my schedule over the summer. I just…didn’t feel like going the other day.”

I stared at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion as I said the first thing that came to mind. “Who the hell skips class on the very first day?”

I could tell he was uncomfortable because the tips of his ears were red and he was fidgeting up a storm. “I, uh, wanted to go to the cafeteria. Look, I’m going to be late so I better go. I’ll see you later… pal.”

With a smile he turned and hustled off down the hallway, leaving me to wonder what or who had been in the cafeteria that he skipped class for. He’d only had a cup of coffee when he sat down at the table with me on Monday morning, so it isn’t like he was starving.

Mentally shrugging my shoulders at myself I let it go, instead focusing on the fact that I just officially made my first male friend.It was going to be so fun to show his note to Macy and tell her all about college life.

Chapter Six

I hate to admit that I felt something a lot like disappointment when Darby didn’t say anything about us going back to the guys’ house to hang out on Wednesday night or tonight. That means that I won’t see Tristan until tomorrow. I can’t believe that I’m going to admit this, but I’m kind of… bummed out that I haven’t seen him.

After I finished Skyping with my mom and Neil, Darby and I wound up going to the cafeteria and eating one of the god-awful premade salads. They only had ONE fat free option and it was Thousand Island. That meant we both went full fat with the ranch dressing… and once that dressing was on our trays we both wound up getting French fries. By the time we left the cafeteria I felt like I’d probably consumed my sodium quota for the week.

As we entered the lobby at our dorm building we met up with one of the girls from the room next to us, Tiffany. Darby and Ihad already talked about the fact that she gives off a snobby-bitch vibe to a lot of people—it was definitely noticeable on move-in day in particular—but I guess she’s warming up because for the last few days she’s been very friendly to Darby and me. Tiffany’s roommate Rosie is really nice, so we’ve become friendlier with her than with Tiffany, but I guess that could change over the course of the year. Maybe the first few days were just overwhelming for her and she covered up her nerves with a wicked case of bitch.

“Hey girls! What are you two up to tonight?”

“Trying to digest the salad and fries we just choked down in the cafeteria,” I said as I rubbed my stomach.

“Ew, I know what that’s like! It’s only been a few days and already I’d give my left pinky-toe for one of my Mom’s dinners. Any-hoo, you chickies up to go play pool with Rosie and me? I don’t want to brag or anything, but I’m amazing. Can you two handle being hustled?”

Darby laughed like it was the funniest thing she had heard all day. “Dude, it’s no hustle if you tell us beforehand that you’re going to do it.”

The two of us exchanged looks that were our way of having a conversation without words. Her look told me that it was up to me, and I gave her an almost imperceptible nod that I was willing to go. She told Tiffany that we’d love to go, and after getting changed we headed off to a pool hall that was in a strip mall a few miles away. Like me, Rosie is an out-of-town student, so she’s got her car. The four of us crammed into her convertible VW Bug and sang our hearts out to the new Bruno Mars CD for the entirety of the drive.

I like this—this hanging out with people and having fun. It had all been taken away from me back at home, but here, I’m finding that I’m able to let myself have fun. I don’t think that I’ll ever be a person who finds it easy to trust, but I accept that. When you’ve actuallyseenthe monster in the closet, it’s impossible to pretend that it isn’t in there.

When we got to the pool hall, I noticed that Tiffany was extra…peppy. I’m generally a fairly happy person,but peppy and I have never been used in the same sentence. Tiffany’s pep is making me tense because I can tell that it’s forced. When Darby gave me a sideways glance I was relieved to know I wasn’t the only one noticing that something seemed off.

The place wasn’t crowded, but then again,it was only just after seven so I was trying to psych myself up for the likelihood that it would begin to get busier over the coming hours. I did really well at Tristan and Trace’s house this week, and I know that I can learn to deal with these kind of social situations again if I just keep doing it.

The four of us cued up at a table near the back. Although it seemed an odd choice for Tiffany since she strikes me as one of those girls who always needs to be on display,it was the perfect spot for me. We were near the bathroom and the emergency exit, and if I got unbearably anxious, I could walk out. It didn’t hurt that the table next to us was marked RESERVED and there wasn’t a soul in sight trying to take the sign off. I liked being tucked back in this quiet corner; I’m just surprised that Tiffany didn’t mind.

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