Back to Her Dorm

Tiffany stumbles out into the campus quad, eyes still wide with shock and just-dawning comprehension of her situation. She refuses to cry, however. She will. Not. Cr...

She has to lean against one of the London planetrees dotted around the quad, papery bark against her forehead as she first hyperventilates, then sobs in confusion, frustration and ... fear. Fifteen minutes ago she was a student with a bright future. Now? Now she's an unemployed, homeless EX-student with, by Act of Congress, no job skills, massive debt, and not even a degree to show for it.

And it's even worse than that. According to the law, her nearly two years of college and most of her high school college prep work can't even be considered by most employers. The term 'no prospects' keeps flashing through her mind.

But after a few minutes, her breathing calms and she lifts her head. "No," she thinks, "I can get past this. I WILL get past this."

But where to begin? I don't have six grand and change, and I've got less than four hours to clear out and return my books. So: back to the dorm! I hope Nicole or one of the girls is around to help me pack! But I'd better call Mom and Dad for some help, too.

With that decision made, she picked up her cell phone and, wishing she had one of the new AI-controlled models ("Fat chance now ..."), pulls up her parents' contact info and presses 'Call'.

The phone only rings a couple of times before her father's rough, gravelly baritone answers, "Hi there, pun'kin! Happy birthday! You get our presents yet? Jesse sent you someth..."

"Hi, Daddy. Thanks. No, not yet. Listen, I..."

"Well, we overnighted them yesterday to make sure you got 'em on your special day, so if they weren't there before you left this morning, they should arrive by the time you get home tonight. Hey, did we tell you Jesse asked us to let him move back in for a while? We're..."

"Daddy, please! I... I need some help..." Tiffany hates to interrupt her dad, and it isn't like he never let a person get a word in edgewise; it was just that, like the sea, his **** of personality sometimes just seemed to roll you along with it. And she can't afford to waste any time right now.

His jovial voice immediately takes on a more somber tone, if a rock crusher can be considered somber, "I'm sorry, baby. What's wrong? How can Mom and I help?"

Tiffany sighs, a shuddering breath full of released tension. Everything was gonna be alright, "I ... I got caught up in that 'Education and Employment Readiness' mess. Now I've been kicked out of school, I hafta get all my stuff out in under four hours or they're going to charge me six grand and change, I've got no place to go and no money and I don't know what to do!"

There is a moment's silence on the other end of the line, during which time Tiffany's heart nearly stops. Finally, her dad says, "Wow. That's... that's a lot to take in, honey. I'm afraid your mom and I don't have that kind of money..."

"Oh, I know, Daddy," Tiffany lies. She suspected but did not know that her parents would never be able to pay off her loans for her, "I was just hoping maybe I could come home for awhile? Just long enough to save up some money? I think I can scrape together bus fare..."

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," her father's voice sounds truly contrite over the phone, "but you remember how we decided to rent out Jesse's room after he moved out, right? It got taken by a nice, young girl, an intern over at the Oceanographic Institute. Anyway, when your brother asked if he could move back in..."

"...you decided to let him use my room. Okay, Daddy. Sorry I..."

"Now hold it, baby; let me finish. I have a few friends down in the city. Let me make a few calls and get one or two of them to give you somewhere to stay while you get back on your feet. You just take care of what you have to down there, and I'll text you some names and comcodes in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. That's one load off my mind, anyway. Thank you."

"Oh, honey, I'm just sorry we couldn't be any more help than this. Tell you what: if any of my friends has any work for you, I'll let them know to contact you, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. Thanks again."

Tiffany is at her dorm room door by now, so she disconnects and leans her forehead against the door. At least it looks like she might have a place to sleep tonight, but it looks like her academic career is over. Even if she wanted to change her major (no!), according to the new E&ER law she can't do that until she repays that almost-thirteen-grand... AND another six-plus if she doesn't get her butt in gear!

She opens her dorm room door and immediately spots Nicole, one of her two roommates, seated at her desk, on her laptop.

"Hi, Tiff!" she exclaims, looking up quickly, "Happy birthday again! What's shakin'?"

"Hi, Nikki. Listen, I've got a problem and I could use some help..."

Tiffany quickly explains to her friend what's happened and her deadline for vacating the dorm, all the while packing up her own laptop and packing textbooks and library books into her computer bag.

"Wow. Girl, for someone still carryin' her V-card, you just got fucked HARD. Well, come on, then, let's get started."

She takes Tiffany's hand and pulls her towards her room. She returns to her own room and comes back just a few seconds later, carrying some cardboard boxes and a roll of plastic garbage bags, "Okay, good thing I kept some of my moving-in stuff in case of emergencies. You start packing your shoes in one of the boxes; I'll start throwing clothes in bags."

With Nikki's help, the impossible became possible. At quarter to six, Nicole ordered her friend to get her books over to the university library while she finished bagging the last of Tiffany's clothing. With a grateful smile, Tiff did so, rushing them over to be certain of making the deadline. On the way back to the dorm, she returned to worrying about both her long-term prospects and short-term plans... her father hadn't yet texted the names he'd promised. Maybe none of his friends was willing to help?

When she got back to the dorm room, Nikki and all of her bags were gone. Just before she could begin panicking, however, Nikki returned to the room.

"Hi, Tiff," she grinned at her, "You look worn to a frazzle! Listen, though. You remember my older sister Naomi, right? Well, she and a couple of friends have an apartment here on the island, and they have a couch you can crash on, if you want. I already set it all up for you!"

"Nikki, where are all my clothes?!"

Nikki's grin grows, if anything, wider, "I had 'em all couriered over for you. You and I, babez, are gonna take a well-deserved in my case, and desperately-needed in yours, mental health birthday party night. Drinking, dancing and wild partying! C'mon, you need it!

"Oh, and before I forget, this package came for you this afternoon..."

Tiffany had learned over the past year or so not to fight too hard when Nicole went off on one of her wild tangents or 'adventures', but she really was worn out by the afternoon's events, "Hon, I really AM worn out. Besides, if you sent all my clothes away, what am I gonna wear..."

Nikki was holding out a slinky, strapless little black dress and spike-heeled sandals. The dress MIGHT fit Tiffany... barely, covering from just above her nipples to maybe three inches below her thighs and leaving very little to the imagination in between.

"Happy birthday, beeyotch! Now you got some, if I may say so, DESPERATELY needed party clothes. Come on, whaddaya say?"

"Come on, Nikki, you know I don't wear that kind of dress. It sexualizes and demeans women and..."

"...And slaves to the patriarchy and women are more than their bodies and blah, blah, blah, blah. Listen, babe, let me give you the real clue, here: Ain't nothin' wrong with advertising to the plebs what they'll never have even if they can afford it someday. Sooner you learn that, the more fun you'll squeeze outta life. Now, go jump in the shower, shave your legs and pits, and Put. On. Your. Birthday. Present! You and me, we're gonna go drop off your package at my sister's place and then we are gonna party!"

Something about Nikki's phrasing... 'even if they can afford it' or something ... strikes Tiffany as a little odd, but she can recognize a losing battle when she's clubbed over the head with it, and besides, Nikki's right. After today, she desperately needs a little party time... even if she DOES have to dress a little, well, slutty... to please her roomie, the friend who helped her out when nobody else could. With a sheepish smile, she reaches out and takes the clothing.