Expectations (wlw)

Chapter 4

It was early on a Friday evening that Emil and I were discussing new developments in the social ecosystem, according to her. She meant the house party later, but Emil just says things sometimes.

She was sprawled across the floor of her room, and I was sat on the edge of her bed. Her baby lay in a cardboard box crib on her nightstand, blissfully quiet. Curiously, she didn’t share the dorm with anyone.

“You should go. I heard it was exclusive,” said Emil, tapping away at a text on her phone.

“If it’s for the A-list of this place, I don’t think I’m invited.”

“Only because they don’t know you yet! You would be, I think. You’re hot enough.”

“Thanks.”

“If you want to go, go in my stead.”

“You’re invited?”

“You wound me,” she put her hand on where her heart would be, half-rising from the floor to sway in pain, “But yes. Just told them I’m not going but my hot friend might, so there you go.”

She exaggerates by hitting send on the screen with her index finger.

Just then, her door swung open. Fairul stepped in. Navy shirtsleeves and tight trousers balanced her fitting vest embellished with violent swirls of glittering color. If anyone else wore that, they would have looked like a particularly garish circus ringmaster.

She had Alecto in her arms as her polished shoes clacked across Emil’s hardwood flooring.

“I’m going out.” She pushed the baby to me.

“What about the kid?” I stood so I didn’t have to crane my neck to look at her. Might give her ideas.

“What about her?”

“It’s your turn to watch her.”

She shrugged. “Take care of it. I have places to be.”

Emil, bless her, interrupted before domestic violence could commence. “I’ll babysit for you guys tonight, I’m staying in with mine anyway.”

“Would you? Thanks.”

“Will you take her with you to the cabin? She doesn’t know how to get there,” said Emil, gesturing to me. Fairul whirled around at that, but couldn’t say anything.

“I’ve already told John she’ll be there, he won’t think it’s weird.”

I didn’t have my heart set on attending, but this is a little triumph over Fairul so I won’t do anything to stop it. Compared to her peacock ensemble, my black shirt and slightly less black jeans looked plain, but that’s fine. You can get away with plain.

Fairul so badly looked like she wanted an excuse to ditch me, but couldn’t find one. Eventually she sighed and beckoned a finger at me. I followed her through the door, mouthing a thanks to Emil on my way out.

I’m used to her ignoring me as much as possible, so I was caught off guard when she started making conversation.

“So, you and John?”

“Huh? No, I think I was supposed to be Emil’s plus one. Doesn’t really make sense if she’s not coming, so we’ll see how that turns out.”

She hummed in response, looking distracted.

“I don’t like boys.” I don’t know why I felt like I had to clarify that.

“Yes,” said Fairul.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence until we came to a car near the school gates. The driver rolled down their window.

“Hey, we have a problem. There’s only space for one more person -” he turned to glare at someone inside the car. “So one of you has to sit on someone else.”