The Booth

The Fall was my least favorite season. It was supposed to be when things got colder, cool enough that hoodies were back in style and nobody would be foolish enough to wear flip flops out. But not this year. It was still summer weather well into October at this point. Beer country was close enough to the coast to get the nice coastal breezes, but far in enough that we didn’t have to worry about the risks that came along with living directly on the pacific ocean. But that’s what I get for counting on anything around here. Even mother nature herself would let me down. It had been a summer of disappointment.

I had spent my summer working at a grocery store, making more than minimum wage, and worked full time and then some. It was stressful on myself and my relationship. When I did finally get free time. My friends had moved onto another new game, and my girlfriend only wanted to go out. It seemed like every two weeks they’d bounce from one to another and I'd get lost in the dust. I was dead beat tired all the time so going out for activities wasn’t very high on my list of things I wanted to do with her. The last two weeks I spent getting ready for the school year and finally getting to spend time with my girlfriend. At least, that’s what I planned.

Turns out Daisy had other things in mind when I found out she was cheating on me with an old friend of mine. Jeff and I hadn’t been as close in recent years, and now we definitely wouldn’t be. So the last few days were spent getting supplies and books. And trying to straighten out the fog that had been filling my mind before the end of school. I even celebrated my eighteenth birthday with my friends online. Alone in my room since I wasn’t exactly in a good spot to have a bunch of people physically around me. Not yet anyway.

My dad was there for me through it all. Kind and patient through it all he was incredibly supportive, but given that there were well over three and a half decades between when I was his age and now. A shoulder to cry on and some ears to listen. But not a lot of the advice rang true with me. But he did give me one pointer that made perfect sense. I had been following it since I started high school. “On the day before your classes start. Go on campus and walk around to find out where they are. So you aren’t spending your first day flying totally blind.”

So here I found myself wandering the halls with a few other students who had similar ideas. I was a pretty lanky guy, 5’10” and thin as a rail. It was easy to lose track of me in a crowd. It was particularly fun with my taller friends who should see me coming but completely miss me. Until I'm standing right next to them and even then sometimes they space that is. I found some enjoyment in it at the very least. With some people it would just get annoying. Those situations usually ended with me getting shoved into a wall or something. Such was the life of a nerdy art student.

As I was rounding one particular corner near the senior wing of lockers I heard some girls talking. “That’s such a bullshit story.”

“Ya no way that exists.” I could instantly tell they were some of the more popular girls on campus. Their tone gave it away alone. Once I got a look at who it was, my presumption was correct.

“I swear it’s true! My sister swears she’s been there!” It was three cheerleaders, a trio of rumor mongers and trouble makers. Every high school had a set of these. In this case it was Ashley, an odd mildly superstitious brunette who stood in the middle of them. Average of the three she was 5’6” and well. Average. Not too thin but not pudgy, nice B cups if I had to guess. A bit smaller than my now ex. On either side however were two other girls who both out sized her. Rina stood at 5’9” and Maxi at 5’7”. Practically sisters the pair shared quite a bit in common. Maple hair, bright amber eyes, and hips that were far beyond anyone else in the school.

“My sister said that if you see a door with a pink handle somewhere on the grounds you should go in no matter what! It’s magic or something!” Ashley said, pulling out her phone frantically while keeping up with her friends.

“Uh huh, and what happens beyond that magic door? A straight path to hell? Or maybe a queer one?” Rina chuckled, there had been a rumor (potentially started by her) that Ashley wasn’t the straightest arrow on the cheer squad.

“Ya, or maybe that’s where your princess charming is waiting to be saved by her dashing knight in pink armor?” Maxi added the two looking over Ashley doing a high five without breaking their stride. It wasn’t hard for me to tail behind them over hearing all this.

“Here!” Ashley said, finally finding her mcguffin. “There was a local legend about the high school that I used to hear about. The legend goes that seniors in their last year would see a door with a pink knob on it. And those who would go in would be greeted with one of their fantasies. They were welcome to participate and indulge and leave no consequence. But if they kept seeing the door and indulging they’d start to take on properties of that fantasy. Their private sides would start to become their outer looks and perspective. I heard that one girl started to openly act more dominant and assertive. To the point where she started to dom for men online towards the end of highschool.”

The other girls almost stopped walking because they had started laughing so hard. “Jesus Ashley that’s so ridiculous!” Maxi said between chuckles.

“Seriously what the fuck! What kind of kinky shit do you and your sister get up to!” Rina laughed only inciting more. Ashley was visibly shrinking into her clothes with how uncomfortable she looked.

“Why does she put up with them if that’s how they treat her?” I thought to myself. It was a shame. Ashley was the kindest of the various popular girls. And with the right amount of work she would be a real success. But the people around here wouldn’t lead to that success. Rina and Maxi were only the tip of the spear too. But that’s what happens when stuck up brats get power. After they left I headed back to find my last class room and go home. It was going to be a long school year.