Idolize Me

Chapter Eight

She snorted so loud, it actually startled me, "Smartest? It was genius. He deserved it."

I blinked at her, shocked, "Really? I mean, yeah I agree he deserved it, totally, but it was also really stupid."

She pointed to her hair, "Look at me, I look like an egg with glasses. One of Ezra's girlfriends put hair removal in my shampoo bottle. Everyone thinks I had a mental breakdown because Ezra refuses to acknowledge me." She shrugged, "Granted, it wasn't Ezra who did it, but it was because I tripped over his desk in class that made his creepy girlfriend do it." She returned her gaze to her camera, "The girls here are almost as toxic as he is. They're like his loyal subjects or something, it's creepy."

I nodded, "I know, I'm scared to wake up, thinking they'll be standing at the end of my bed, watching me while I sleep.."

"I'm surprised they haven't gutted you and stored your body in the dumpster behind the dorms."

I swallowed, "Yeah I hope they don't do that."

She pointed to my bag, "What homework do you have?"

I glanced down, "Uhh, American lit, and some economics."

I could see the smile grow on her face, "Damn, you really do spend the whole day with Ezra, don't you?"

I frowned, "Don't remind me."

She started to walk towards the dorm building, and I realized she must be the type of person to jump from one conversation to the other. "If you want you can do some homework with me in my dorm."

I didn't hesitate, "Sound like a lot more fun than being alone in my own dorm."

"My thoughts exactly."

Her dorm was beautiful. The walls were covered in photographs of random people, nature, and gorgeous architecture. I noticed multiple pictures of one man scattered around the room. His eyes were bloodshot in all the pictures, some photos he had a cast around his hand, in others his arm was wrapped in a sling. I pointed to one of the photos of him, "Who is this guy?"

She followed my gaze to the picture, "Oh that's Cain."

I rose my eyebrows questioningly, "Who?"

"Cain, you know, Cain Luther?"

I shook my head, and she gasped, "You don't know who Cain Luther is? Oh my god, you know, the brilliant chemist who created the first ever chemical plague?"

I shivered, "Sounds creepy, if I'm honest."

She put her camera on a dresser, "I can't believe you never heard of him, he's like my idol."

I nodded, dropping my book-bag onto the floor, "So you have a thing for chemistry?"

She shrugged, "No, I mean kind of, I'm more intrigued in his photogenic qualities."

I examined the picture of him, yes, he was somewhat attractive but definitely not what I would call photogenic. "Right."

I dropped the subject.

We both sat on the floor and did our homework while getting to know each other. I concluded that I really liked Vanessa, and completely went against my own rule of not making any friends here at Trinity University.

Besides, she was just as alone and an outcast here as I was, it'd only make sense for us to stick together.

"So," Vanessa said, while taking a bit of a cold piece of pizza that she pulled out of her minifridge, "Are you going to the End of Summer party next Friday?"

I narrowed my eyes, "I wasn't planning on it." The End of Summer party was exactly that, a massive party thrown by the students of Trinity University. Everyone agreed that the party was overrated, but because Ezra was going to be there, so was everyone else.

Everyone but me.

"Oh, come on." She nudged me with her elbow, "You'll never have another chance to experience an event like this for the rest of your life!"

"If you mean getting trampled on by all the students who hate me, then yeah, I agree."

She shook her head, "Seriously, I think you should go. I'm going because there are going to be some pretty great photo ops there, and I can't pass that up."

"Don't tell me you want some pics of Ezra getting wasted on expensive liquor."

She stifled a laugh, "That's exactly what I want. Can you imagine how much someone would pay for a pic of him like that?"

"You're insane."

"Insane for the arts." She beckoned to her broken camera, "So, will you go with me?"

How is it that I can't say no? I had memorized all my own personal rules over and over before coming to this damned university, and I've now broken every single one. "Fine, but that doesn't mean much, considering I probably won't make it through the week before some student runs up and stabs me with a hand-made pencil shank."

She hit my back with her hand a little too hard making me cough, "That's the spirit! Rest in peace Olivia, and Vanessa, the two dumbest girls attending Trinity University."