A New
Beginning
Chapter
3: Same People, New Stories
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You haven’t experienced college unless you’ve attended a stupid college party.
I’m a jock now, so that means that I can be how unpopular I want, and I’m still invited to the best parties on campus. Well, technically, I’m not invited, but the team is. Reality check: The last time I was at a party was in Miami last year. What have I been doing all year?
So, drunken frat-guys might sound fun, but that wasn’t why I went to the party tonight. I was planning on settling into my new room, but after the team gathered at our first meeting, Charlie told us that we were all invited to some sort of huge party at a fraternity-something. I guess they want to scout some of the guys, and us girls just get to tag along anyway.
It’s more dignifying this way; because I refuse to attend any parties were the entrance fee is to take off my top. That low I haven’t stooped yet...
Another reason for me going to the party was that Fred asked me if I was going, and when I said no, he insisted that I should come. So I went. He wasn’t the only one insisting that I should go; both Adam and Charlie tried their best to convince me. I thought after a whole year in complete absence that they would care less about little me then ever, but I guess they still considers me as ‘one of them’.
Fred was on my tail, yapping about how much he needed to talk to me. There’s nothing I’d rather do then to talk to him, but I enjoyed the attention I got from him. Hey, maybe I’d be able to make him grovel? Hmmm...
The roles are changed. I’m not the one following Fred around and adoring him anymore, like I did in both high school and early elementary school. Now he’s the one following every step I take, breathing down my neck, begging to get to talk to me. It’s actually quite annoying. Maybe it’s payback for when I annoyed him like that earlier?
“Having fun?” Adam asked me. “You look more bored then ever.”
“I’m just trying to defy my life. Is it just me, or does this party really suck?”
“You’re not drunk enough to appreciate it yet,” Portman pointed out. “Take some tequila-shots, you were famous for that back in...”
“High school, yes, I know,” I muttered. “Sorry, but getting horribly drunk is not something I’m practicing anymore. I got enough of that back in high school.”
Portman just stared at me. “You’re kidding?” he asked. “We’re in college, and you’re refusing to get drunk? What sort of person did you become during last year?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but as I remember it, you didn’t exactly love me back in high school. You could barely stand me, less be in my presence. How would you know how my life back in high school was, when you didn’t even know me?”
“First of all; I said I was sorry about that when we were in Miami, and second of all; you’re much less annoying now then you were in high school. And speaking of that, if you don’t say the word ‘high school’ in every other sentence, I’ll be very content.”
He had a point. When we went on that cruise last year, he’d apologized about treating me like air during high school. Actually, he’d gotten me drunk, and then apologized about both that and about treating me like air. Portman and I didn’t exactly get along well back at Lincoln. I didn’t worry much about that back then, since lots of people on the team disliked me for different reasons.
“Okay, I’ll shut up,” I said. “Don’t try and get me drunk again, ‘key?”
Portman gave up a laugh. “Sure thing, sweetie. No tequila-shots. How ‘bout a beer?”
“There’s still alcohol in that, right?” I rolled my eyes. “No alcohol whatsoever.”
“You’ve become boring,” Portman accused me. “The last time we partied, you got drunk just like that!” He snapped his fingers in front of my nose and I grunted.
“Leave her alone,” Adam said. “If she doesn’t wanna drink, she doesn’t have to. She probably has a great reason for not drinking, right?”
I nodded and searched the room for someone else to talk to. I’m still the master of escaping out of uncomfortable situations. I saw Charlie standing over by the stairwell, talking to a girl. I decided to go and disturb him instead, but Portman wasn’t done talking to me.
“So, what’s the reason?”
“Huh?” I said.
“The reason for you not drinking,” Portman went on. “We’re friends, right?”
“I guess so. Even though we rarely talk or hang out, or even notice each other,” I answered.
Portman grinned at me. “The reason?”
“I dunno,” I began. “I have a few reasons for not touching alcohol anymore. One reason is that I had an alcoholic boyfriend back in high school. Another reason is that I grew tired of drinking myself unconscious every weekend. And there’s also the reason that I didn’t want to end up like Fred. Besides from the fact that I’m too broke to spend my money on alcohol. I barely even have money enough to buy food. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and disturb Charlie for a while.”
Adam moved out of my way when I pushed myself between him and Portman. Spilling my guts is one of my favorite hobbies. It comes on second place right after talking to my parents about my life.
“Charlie?” I cheered with a fake voice. “Charlie Conway? Is that you?”
Charlie turned around and stared at me. “What are you doing...?”
“What I’m doing here? It’s only been five months since we last met, I’ve missed you, stupid. Little Charlie Jr is asking about his Daddy every day. When are you coming home to stay?” I joked.
The girl gave Charlie a suspicious look. “Who’s she?”
“No one, just some nut-case from my team. Ignore her, everyone does.”
“I think I’ll go and get something to drink,” the girl answered and backed away from Charlie. “I guess you two have some unsolved business to talk about.”
Charlie turned around and looked like he was about to strangle me. I put my hands up to protect myself. “Easy, Conway. I’m still yours to watch over. I’m only seventeen, remember?” I said.
“You’re right. Maybe I’ll just slap you around a little, instead of killing you. Why the hell did you do that?” he growled. “She was...”
“She seemed stupid, so I saved you from a few thoughtless comments,” I said.
“Actually, she studies law, and she’s smarter then everyone in this room.”
“Okay, so I saved you from a few months of meaningless sex, but I’ll make it up to you.”
Charlie gave me threatening look again. “You better, or else I’m... I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’ll be painful, trust me. What do you want?”
“Nothing, I guess. I wanted to get out of a conversation with Portman. Thank you, Charlie. You saved me.”
While Charlie were muttering insults under his breath, I tried to locate my other teammates. They were all pretty much the same. Am I the only one who’s actually changed since high school? Portman is right, I use that word way too much...
Charlie was still flirting with every girl he could find. Adam was trying his best to not get too drunk too fast. Guy was hanging out with Connie, making out. They do that a lot. Fred was... well, at that point he was nowhere to be seen, but I just figured that he was drinking too, or avoiding alcohol the best he could. One of those two things. Julie was wild as usual, trying to hit on as many guys as she could find. Portman was bugging some poor girl’s brain out.
The only ones who didn’t act like usual was the younger squad of the team.
When we attended Lincoln, neither of the younger players was allowed to drink alcohol. We just did it anyway, since everyone else did it. But if we got caught, we got harsher punishment then the older ones. I still don’t get why.
I think a lot changed when we went on that cruise. I still haven’t decided if that was good or a bad cruise. A lot happened, that much is true.
Fred and I decided to move to New York. Guy asked Connie to marry him, so he didn’t have to leave her when he went off to college. They both lost their virginities during that cruise (Yes, for some strange reason I happen to know that...). Adam decided that he was better off going to college then to tag along to New York with me. I think it was for the best. Travis and Sarah got together, after they both got drunk during a wild party, which by the way went totally out of hand. Before that cruise, Travis had never touched alcohol.
Well, that just worked out fine, right? I’m being sarcastic, by the way.
Fred and I broke up. Connie and Guy never got married (even though they’re at it like bunnies). Adam had to leave Yale so he could get the scholarship here. Travis and Sarah broke up.
So, now we’re changed. I’m not drinking anymore, for several reasons. Travis is actually attending parties without worrying his brains out, he’s drinking just like the others. Sarah is too, and she’s talking to guys she would’ve avoided back in... well, you know. I saw Erik earlier, and he was talking to some girl. He never did that back at Lincoln. Marcus isn’t getting horribly drunk anymore, maybe he have learnt his lesson too?
Whatever, I’m not in the mood for defying our behavior.
“So, what’s up with you and Fred? Are you still together, or what?” Charlie asked.
I guessed that he’d noticed how Fred kept following me around. “No, I guess we’re not. He left me.”
Charlie raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, coz that’s the version he gave me. He said that he thought that you weren’t broken up.”
“If a guy avoids me and never calls me, I assume that we’re not as close as we were before. It’s none of your business anyway, it’s between Fred and me.”
“He’s my roommate, so I’m bound to get some details later,” Charlie pointed out. “You could just save us the trouble, and tell me right away.”
I shook my head. “No,” I smiled. “I’m still not in the mood for talking.”
“You’ve never been,” Charlie said pointedly. “It’s okay, I won’t ask again. I’ll get the dirt anyway. Look, speak about the Devil.”
Fred showed up, and I was relieved to notice that he didn’t have a beer or any kind of alcohol at all with him. We’ve both learnt our lesson from our days back at Lincoln.
“What are you two discussing? Portman said that you wanted to talk to me, Cecilia.”
I sighed. It’s okay if Portman wants to me make up for the four years he ignored me, but why start with butting into my life? I wish I had the guts to tell him to mind his own business.
“No, he’s delirious,” I said. “Too much alcohol. You know how that can be.”
“Ouch,” Fred laughed. “You got me there.”
Charlie left in a hurry, I guess I was bugging him too much. “So, what’s up?” I asked Fred. He just shrugged and leaned against the wall.
“Nothing,” he answered easily. “I’ve been looking for you. Are you avoiding me?”
“Yes, I am,” I said honestly. “How does it feel?”
Fred tilted his head and gave me an apologizing gaze. “You know that it wasn’t like that.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I had some problem I had to deal with, and you had your own trouble to solve. I needed a break. I assume you needed that too.”
Fred broke my heart when he left. I can’t just forgive him for that. He’s the only guy I’ve ever loved, the only one I have ever... He’s the only one I want. I still love him.
“That’s no excuse for not calling me for three months. You broke your own heart.”
“Who said anything about a broken heart?”
Ah, man.
“You don’t miss me?”
“Of course I do,” he said. “I miss you, and I missed you terribly when I was in Sweden. I just couldn’t leave my brothers and my parents. You know that.”
“You just all of a sudden began to care about your parents. I can understand that, since they treated you like shit trough-out your whole childhood. You had to leave.”
“I did have to leave.”
“Don’t be stupid. You didn’t leave just because of your family. I know that it was one of the reasons for you leaving, but you can’t honestly say that it was the ONLY reason. I know better then that.”
Fred avoided meeting my eyes. I didn’t expect an answer from him. He’s too proud to give in just like that. I am too. I guess he won’t follow me around anymore after this...
“You’re a smart girl, Cecilia. I know that. I also know that we had some trouble. I’m sorry for bailing, but I couldn’t deal with that at that point. I had too much on my mind.”
“So you chose to leave me by myself, while you were off saving your family out of a situation they would’ve solved all by themselves? What about me?!” I snapped. “You’re selfish, because you know I needed your support back then. You can just thank your lucky star I didn’t break down completely after you left.”
Fred looked away. “I know.”
“Well, done is done,” I said with an up-beat voice. “Life goes on. I’m glad you’re off alcohol.”
Fred gave me a puzzled look. “The same goes for you.”
I spotted Portman by the door. I needed another excuse for leaving.
“I missed you too,” I told Fred. “Too bad you didn’t care about that earlier. See ya.”
I left in the same hurry as Charlie had done earlier. I rather talk to Portman about why I’m not drinking, then to talk to Fred about what went wrong last year. We both know the reason, so why bring it up again?
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