GB96 s2 - Plans

The dumb, smelly bikers don’t matter.

You and Stef got an unexpected afternoon off, which was nice. But you already had evening plans.

“I invited Ellen,” you tell Stef as you both get dressed at her house. You’re the same size, so your wardrobes have become more or less merged. The grownup part of your mind has started to think that the two of you should probably start looking for an apartment soon.

You see Stef pulling on her serious boots. They are, you admit, cool as hell: big and chunky goth-style with studs and everything, but she always says they’re the least comfortable shoes ever. That’s why she usually just wears her Pumas.

“What’s the occasion?” you ask her as you put on one of her flannel shirts.

“You never know who’s going to be there,” she replies. She’s being weird. This isn’t even a real party, it’s just some people hanging out at Lily’s friend’s house. You haven’t seen or heard much from Lily lately and you’re hoping to catch up with her, but you’re also worried about it. Stef never stops talking about how hot that one night was and how great she thinks Lily is. You think Lily’s great too, but it still bugs you.

“Are you serious?” You remember that girl from the pool. You know, the blonde. “You think that girl’s going to happen to be at this party?”

Stef just kind of shrugs and goes back to deciding between two tops.

You’re picking up Ellen, so you take Stef’s truck. Her car finally died, so her dad fixed this junker for her. It’s awful, but you do love how the front seat is basically a bench so you can all ride up there together like the Scooby Doo gang.

Ellen has changed the way that she dresses since she started hanging with you two. There’s more flannel and less black now, but she still wears clothes that are too big in order to hide her skinny body. You and Stef aren’t models, but at least you look like women when you’re in silhouette. Ellen, though? Not so much. She’s cute, though—when she bothers to wash her hair. Her eyes are big and brown and her face is oddly round, but it works for her.

She knows herself.

“I’m not good at these parties,” she says as she climbs into the truck.

“This isn’t a party,” you assure her. It’ll just be another night smoking weed in the basement of some girl who wishes she was brave enough to join CCL, but isn’t so she just tries to hang around girls like Lily in the hopes of some of that awesomeness rubbing off.

OK, you are wrong.

“Oh boy,” Stef says, slowing to a stop in front of the house. It’s getting dark, but the house is lit up and the curb is choked with cars. There are even people on the front lawn.

This is a party.

Stef has gained an… obnoxious amount of confidence since you took her virginity and got together. But even she looks nervous. You’ve been to parties, but this is a big, somewhat wealthy, college party.

Your feelings about college are… very complicated right now. This is a lot.

“I’m not sure this is where we need to be,” you say, and it looks like Ellen agrees with you.

But Stef’s eyes are on the house and her hands are tight on her steering wheel.

“No,” she says. “Let’s give it a try.”