PULLED IN FRONT OF US.WE PII,LED IN AND THE CHAUFFER TIPPED HIS HAT.
             I SAID HI AND TURNED ON THE TV.MOM PASSED OUT COLAS .MOM DRESSES: STRANGE
             BECAUSE SHE WORKS AT AN’ OLD TIMEY 60’ s—70’s SHOP.SHE WAS LIKE A COUN(~ILR
             O~ SOIVIETHING.WE ALL EXOKANGED PLANS AND ALL AND WATCHED THE RERUNS 0?
             MAMA’S FAIVIJLY.I FLIPPED TO MTV.~REE AND BRAT ARE TWINS.THEY HAVE THE SA~
             JET BLACK HAIR,FLAWIJESS SKIN,ANL) TALL WIIJLOWLY FIGURES.THEY WERE TRULY
             MODEL MATERIAL. JESS GDUGGED DOWN HER SODA AN]) MOM TRASHED IT.MOM WAS
             DECENT • 011 YES BçIT SHE WAS STRANGE. IN HER OWN W~Y~SHE SMILED AWAY AN]) FAG)
             ED AWAY SO I WOtJI1DN’T SEE THE TEAR ESCAPE HER EYES .JULIE ~TARTED SINGING
             AND WAS SOON JOINED BYI ALL OF US.TI{E SUN WAS JUST SETTING AND I HAD REM-
             EMBERED THAT THE SUN WAS SETTING IN MARYLAND WHEN I HAP’ IjEFT.WE PASSED
             THROUGH A TIME ZONE DIP~1VIY CONSIENCE SCOLDED’.
                “YOO-HOO: EARTK’ CALLINd~ MOON ZAPPA CQRE. THERE IS A PHONE CALL FOR YOU
             FROM SETH.” ART>OOOED~I SNAPPED TO ATTENTION.LIZ HANDED ME YH~ PilON’E.
                 “HIYAHOW YOU DOIN’?” HE SAID IN HIS SEXY BARITONE VOICE.A CHILL
             RAN ALONG MY2 HACK.’
                 “SETH” I PRETENDED TO BE SHOCKED. “‘WHAT A SURI’RISE~HUW ARE YOU?DO
             YOU MISS ME?1’ I SAID OVER EXAGERATING A SIGH.~IIVI PRETENDED TO FAINT.
             “OF COURSE.I LOVE YOU DUMBY~ PROMISE ME YOU WON~T DATE A~(YCNE” H-E
             PLEADED.1VIY FACE CLOUDEHi OVER I COULD TELL BECAUSE ALL THE GIRLS STRAIGWE
             ENED UP.KIM SAT UP TOO.AMAZING.I COULDN’T ANSwER!
                   “CORI?” HE ALMOST YELLED.
             ‘SETH BAD CONNECTION.” I FAKED THE STATIC.
               “I’LL CALL FROM COLLEGE.BYE.” I HUNG UP AND EVERYONE LEANED CLOSER.EV~
             MOM.
                 “‘HE WANTS ME TO PROMISE THAT I’LL NEVER DATE WHILE I’M AWAY.” I AM
             SURE MY VOICE SOUNDED 1WCRE DROSS THAN INTENDED.JESS ROLLED HER EYES AND
             LIZ AND ARI ROLLED ONTO THE FLOOR.THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT AND LIZ
             AND ARI ENDED UPSIDE DOWN IN MY LAP.
                   “T—YOU TWO WEIGH A TON “ I SHREIKED.
             “SOCOOCRRRIIIIEBE.” THEY BOTH COMPLAINED.OUTSIDE A CROWD OF GEORGOUS
             MALE BEINGS WERE TRYING TO PEER IN.WE ALL PULLED OU! COMPACTS AND ADDED
             FINISHING TQUCHED TO OUR PERFECTED MAKEUP.PEIRRE AND A FEW MILLION GUYS
             HELPED WITH THE LUGGAGE.WE WERE IN MONROE HALL. WE TOOK THE ELEVATOR AND
         QUICKLY FOUND OUR RCOMS.JESS AN]) BREE,             BRAY AND ERIN,A~ ~ND ME,
             JULIE AND LIZ,AND KIM AND ARE.THE ROOMS WERE ~PACIOUS AND NEAT.1VfO1v1 HAD
             DONE MY HALF IN COUNTRY PEACH WITh A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF A TEENAGER
             IVIOTHER IN W~fflITE HOLDING UP AN INFANT.IT HUbIGABCUE MY BED.THE DESK WAS
             PRELAVISHED WITH PENCILS,PENS,PApER,AND LORD ONLY IQWWS WHAT ELSE.SHE
             HAD EVEN GOT~12E~ CEREALS,BQW2EiS ,PLASTIC UTINSELD,AND A MINI REFRIGATOR.
             AND YES IT WAS FULL.1WO1VI WAS CAREFULLY HANGING UP MY CLOTHES.ABBY”S,HALF
             WAS BASICAI3Y THE SAME EXCEPT DONE IN WHITE.
                 “BREAK~’AST IS EVERY DAY2 A!’ 8:00 IN THE MESS HALL.THERE’S A MALL DOWN
             THE STREET,AND A GROCERY~ STROE TWO BLOCKS S0UTH~.LUNCH” IS AT NOON ‘AND
             SUPPER IS AT FIVE.OR WHEN EVER YOU GET 2THERE I GUESS.” MON EXVLAINED
             READING THE BROCHURE.
                   “THE BOYS DO~1 IS ~OOR,CURRU ID AT MIDNIGHT ON ~OHOCL NIGHTS AND
             TWO ~N WEEKENDS.” ABBY2 AND I EXCHANGED A MISCHIVIOUS SIVIILE.THEN MOM
             H ANDED ME A PINK BOX.I OPENED IT.INSIDE WAS MY’ BIKE LOCK,A FEW HUN~DRED
             DOLLARS AND A WATER PISTOL.I HUGGED MC1VI TIGHT.THEN’ THERE WAS ALIGHT ~
             AT THE DOOR,ABBY’s MOM STEPPED IN.SHE HANDED ABBY’ ANFEW THING~XMOM PULL~

         





             ME INTO THE HALL.
                   “I’VE REALLY GOT TO GET BACK TO O.C.LYDIA AND ANTONIO ARE WAITTING.
             TERRS FLOODED HER CKEEKD.
                 “FIVE WHOLE YEARS~ WITH OU~ MY BABTP’ SHE CRIED~SHE WAS HOLDING ME &
             300 TIGHT I COULDN’T BREATH.I SMILED AND FORCED A TEAR TO HE SHED.DA~