Excerpt
From Chapter 6 - "Chasing Boys"
The next morning, what a disaster. I woke up and there was Dennis and his huge naked body. His huge naked hairy body. And Marissa just about had a heart attack when she practically stepped on him coming down the ladder. And then when he left she was freaking out: what if she hadnt had her pajamas on? What about her privacy? What about her boundaries? Things were already strained with her. She had heard about my shower speech, which she probably thought was about her. So now she was convinced I didnt respect her issues.
After that I didnt feel like going to brunch. Dennis would be there and everyone would be wondering about that. So I got my Pea Coat and walked down to Dory's Diner by myself. It was a cold walk. It was the last week of February and the snow was dirty and old and bunched up in piles on the edges of the streets.
At Dory's there was a table of Wellington upperclassman in the back and so I sat at a booth in the front and had a milkshake and some eggs. It was good though, I needed a break. Everything was becoming too much. I had been drunk two nights in a row and now Id spent the night with Dennis and everyone knew about my shower speech. And I wasnt studying very hard even though my grades were bad and my parents would probably freak out if they knew what I was like here. And Id been a bad friend to Vanessa and was secretly wishing to be better friends with Carol. It was all so exhausting. I drank my milkshake.
Then Spence walked in. I caught my breath. He didnt see me at first. He came striding in, undoing his big red coat, blowing on his hands. Then he saw me. He was like, Andrea?” I looked up at him. Are you by yourself?” he said. I shrugged. He sat down opposite me. The waiter came and he ordered a cheeseburger deluxe. He took off his coat. He had a beautiful blue sweater underneath it. He was so stylish. Carol would end up with him. It was inevitable. She was the only one cool enough for him.
We talked a little. He ate his burger. I played with the dregs of my milkshake. I didnt know what to say to him but I was glad he was there. He didnt say much either. Afterward, he gave me a ride back to campus in his Jetta. Thats when I asked him if he had hung out with Carol more after the beach party. He hadnt. I said, You guys are so perfect together.” He looked at me with surprise. So I said: You know, visually, shes sort of
but I didnt know what I meant so I shut up. Yeah, shes awesome,” he said, but you know
” When he said that he looked at me. Like he might like me. It was too weird and probably impossible but it gave me a little shiver up my spine.