Chase and I usually try to meet up every day for lunch, but today, I’m having lunch with Alyssa. She wants to talk to me about something, which works out because I want to talk to her about our dorm. I’m not going to totally confide in her, just let her know I’m going to be spending more time at Chase’s.
While I’m waiting, I get a call from my mom.
“Hey, Mom!”
“Well, you sound happy,” she says. “Jadyn might have told me about Chase and you not knowing where he was, and I just wanted to call and check on you.”
“Oh, it was just a misunderstanding. He lost his phone. It’s all good.”
“I know from experience that it can be hard to date someone like Chase. So, if you ever want to talk about stuff like that, trust me, I will understand.”
“I know, Mom. And thank you. I wasn’t worried about him cheating. Just worried he was okay kind of thing.”
“That makes me happy. But let’s get to why I called you. I have some exciting news.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re going to get to spend a lot of time in the Ozarks this year if you want. You’re invited to the Archibald family reunion.”
“That’s really cool, Mom. Can Chase come with me?”
“Of course he can.”
“And when is it?”
“Late May. The Diamond-Mackenzie one would be their usual weeks in August. I also wanted to see if you had any plans for spring break.”
“Oh, well, not specifically, but over Christmas break, Chase and I discussed that we’d go somewhere together. At least, I hope so. He has to wait until he gets his spring practice schedule, but I’m pretty sure they still get the week off. We thought maybe we’d go somewhere warm. Like Florida. Hang out on the beach together.”
“Well, if he can’t go, let me know. We’ll plan a trip together.”
“Okay, thanks, Mom,” I say, ending the call just as Alyssa takes a seat at my table.
“How’s your mom?” Alyssa asks.
“She’s good. Was just telling me the dates for our family vacations. And we were talking about spring break. You planning anything?”
“Girl, I have been planning that since the first snowflake hit the ground in November. Padre Island. A bunch of the girls in my sorority are going. We can just drive down. Should be fairly cheap.”
“Cool.”
“So, look, I just wanted to clear the air. I’m sorry about the guy. Well, the guys. I think we need some kind of system. Like a note on the door or something.”
“Well, I was going to tell you that I won’t be staying there much. I’ll probably stay with Chase most nights.”
Her eyes brighten for a second, but then she frowns. “Because of the guys?”
“No,” I tell her. “Well, partially. It’s awkward for me. I would think it would be awkward for you.”
“It’s not that awkward when you’re drunk,” she admits.
I just nod.
“I’m sorry, okay?” she says. “You don’t have to move out. I’d miss you.”
“I’m not moving out. But I won’t be there most nights.”
“What about his roommate? I thought he had girls over. Also, why haven’t I gotten to meet all of Chase’s hot teammates yet?”
“Because I haven’t met most of them yet,” I tell her, knowing introducing her is the last thing I will do. It’s funny because I really thought we’d be close friends.
She sighs. “You swear you don’t hate me?”
“I swear.”
“How do you think it will be, living in the sorority house next semester?” she asks. “They don’t allow boys in there at all, which is going to suck.”
“You’re right. They don’t,” I say while at the same time realizing I hadn’t thought about that. We went through the house rules at some point when I pledged, but I didn’t pay that much attention since I wouldn’t be living there until the following year.
Alyssa looks at her phone even though it didn’t vibrate and says, “Oh, I have to go. See you later.”
I roll my eyes but am glad we didn’t have to discuss things further. The less she knows, the better.
Who I do want to talk to is Aunt Jadyn, so I press her number.
“Sorry I’m just getting back to you,” I tell her when she answers.
“So, what do you think?”
“I think it’s amazing. I want to live there all the time. Things have been very weird with my roommate.”
“Weird how?”
I let out a sigh. “I’ve walked in on her and a guy a couple of different times.”
“Oh, that’s not good.”
“No, it’s not. Did you live in the sorority house when you were here?”
“I didn’t. Your dad, Phillip, and I lived in a townhouse just off campus.”
“Gosh, yes, I do remember that. And you had a lot of fun, didn’t you?”
“We definitely did. Are you thinking you’d like to live in the condo full-time next year?” she asks.
“I’m thinking I’d like to live there full-time right now. Will I get in trouble for that?”
“No, honey, you won’t. The school doesn’t really check on that sort of thing. They just make sure they get their check. What happens after that, as long as it’s legal, they stay out of it.”
“So, technically, I could move right in? Right now? And so could Chase?”
“Uh, you, yes. I just wouldn’t spread it around. Keep a few things in your dorm that you don’t really need, and your roommate will probably be thrilled to basically have her own place. Chase is another story. Football is about the camaraderie, and they do put the guys together with certain roommates for that reason. That doesn’t mean he has to spend all his days and nights there, but I wouldn’t have him fully move out or really talk about where he goes. Next semester, he can just say he’s going off campus to stay with a friend.”
“So, it’s a gray area.”
“It most definitely is. And you should talk to your parents about it. They were fully on board with the idea, but I got the building done way ahead of schedule, so …”
“Awesome. Thank you.”
I’m getting ready to say goodbye when she says, “I know it’s none of my business, but are you and Chase doing okay? Is he doing okay?”
“It hasn’t been quite as easy as we thought it would be with football, school, and the sorority. And when you are seriously dating someone, going to mixers with the frats isn’t a fun way to spend your time when your time with that person is limited as it is.”
“That makes sense. Maybe having a place to go to just hang out will help.”
“It absolutely will. I can’t thank you enough, really. And I hope it works out that Haley and Damon live with us eventually, too. That would be so much fun. Can I ask you a question?”
“You know you can,” she says.
“I don’t want you to get mad at me though. I know you loved your time in the sorority.”
“I’m not going to get mad. Is it not quite what you expected?”
“I thought I’d make a ton of close friends, but it seems like the girls who are the closest are that way because they party together.”
“I always say that when you clean up someone’s puke, it bonds you,” she says with a laugh. “But I get what you are saying. Dani, if something isn’t right for you, you don’t have to keep doing it. No one will judge you.”
“Well, some of the girls would. I’ll stay in it for now, and if I still feel like this at the end of the semester, I might not keep going.”
“I think that sounds like a good plan, Dani. You’re a smart girl. Always have been. I’m proud of you.”
I can’t help but grin. “Thanks, Auntie Jay.”
I go to class with a smile on my face and start thinking about how I will slowly move most of my stuff to the condo without Alyssa realizing it.
