Evelyn's Pendant

26.

I open my eyes the following morning to big doe eyes and bright blue hair. I groan. "Mia... What are you doing in my room?"

    "Mornin' sleepy head! It's almost eleven in the morning! I made you breakfast."

    I open my eyes more and adjust them to the brightness... Could it be? It is!

    "Mickey Mouse pancakes!" I exclaim.

    "Yep! Made from scratch," she says with a big, dazzling smile.

    "You're the best," I say as I take the platter of pancakes and fruit with a glass of orange juice. I take a bite from the pancakes and they have a hint of vanilla flavoring in them and melt in my mouth. I give Mia a thumbs up and say, "Just like my first morning here last semester."

    "I knew you liked them back then! You ate all of it!"

    "Thanks Mia, I appreciate it."

    She nods with a smile and heads out the door.

    It's Friday, so I have one more day until I try to interact with Asher and Hazel.

    I spend the remainder of the day making sure I'm all set for my upcoming classes and have all the materials I need. I got my required books and have my class schedule. I'm still undeclared - I need to work on thinking about what I want to major in. I'm not just here for getting dirt on Hazel and confronting Asher, I'm also here to get my degree. Hannah's here for pre-med, Mia's here for psychology, so I need to figure out where I belong. I need to learn to prioritize my thoughts, but I can't help but be focused on Asher and Hazel right now. I'll have to remember to talk to Dr. Redding about that in our next video-chat meeting, which is on Monday.

    Saturday comes quicker than I thought, and I find myself pacing in my room an hour before the party is supposed to start. What to wear? Do I want to look good or look like I'm not trying hard? What do I say? I've rehearsed it before but now I've forgotten everything I was going to say to Asher and to Hazel. When did I start becoming so scared of social interactions?

Mia taps on the door and lets herself in. "Lil?"

    "What's up?" I question nonchalantly while still deep in thought and a secret panic.

    "Do you wanna like, rehearse, or something?" she asks.

    I lose my cool. "There's no time! I gotta find what to wear, I need to do my makeup and-!"

    "Relax, Lillian! Let me do your makeup and we'll talk it out," she gestures towards my floor mirror with my makeup scattered around it. I huff and sit down next to it. "Is Hannah going to be here soon?" she asks.

    "Any minute," I reply.

    "Good, she can probably help us out too."

    The three of us arrive at the frat house where the Dissidents hold their parties. The familiar sounds of bass and muffled rap music fill my ears and people are scattered across the lawn and porch. I take one last drag of my cigarette and stomp it on the hard ground, then adjust my leather jacket as Hannah puts her hand on my shoulder. "You ready?" she asks.

    "Now or never," I reply.

    The house reeks of alcohol and weed and the lights flash and blind me for a moment; nostalgia hits me and I feel the familiarity of the environment I'm in. It reminds me of who I used to be - some parts I miss, this included. Hannah and Mia walk close behind me and Mia even holds onto my jacket. I bet she wants to go home to the comforts of her cozy bedroom, but I need her support now more than ever. I can't blame her for being nervous as we pass by a group of people covered in tattoos and piercings, glaring at us. This can be a lot to take in for someone that's new to the scene. Hell, it's like I'm pretty much new to it as well, but instead of grabbing onto someone's shirt, I grab the closest drink I can find, which is in a girls hand to our right as we walk by. I chug down the fruity concoction and the alcohol burns my esophagus. "Hey!" she yells from behind us. I ignore her as I wipe off my mouth.