Adam is coming into the cafeteria just as Barbie and her annoying friend come out.
Isn’t Barbie ever alone?
Adam wants so desperately to talk to her. All right all right, he’s got to try anyway. Get under control. Deep breath.
“Hello, Barbie. How’s your computer handling Ubuntu?”
“Oh, hi, uh, Alan, it’s doing just great. You have a magic touch!” Barbie bestows a million dollar smile and then she’s gone.
Instead of being dazzled, Adam feels as though he’s taken a punch. Alan? She still doesn’t even know his name? He’s going to be paying his brother back for that god awful concert for years and she doesn’t know his name.
Adam continues into the cafeteria. He grabs a tray, adds a pint of milk and the chicken entrée, slides it along the metal track. After paying he looks listlessly around for an empty seat when he notices someone is waving. At him? Oh, it’s Dave. Adam smiles, and threads his way through the scattered tables and students to join his new friend over by the window.
§
Maggie, Kate and Krystal are sitting around their table in the sun. Krystal is looking a little off colour.
“Are you okay, Krys?”asks Maggie.
“I just need some lunch.”
Kate looks a question at Maggie who almost imperceptibly waves her off. Suddenly Krystal flushes, and Maggie glances over to note it’s a reaction to Quentin and Jose coming through the doors. “You still got a thing for that boy?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Why not go talk to him or something?”
“He’s only interested in that Barbie doll. See he’s looking all over the room, trying to catch a glimpse of the precious little bitch. But she’s not here. Watch his face fall ’cause she’s not here to lead him around by his prick.”
Kate laughs. “You’ve got it bad, Krystal.”
Krystal shakes her head, “Yeah, I know. Oh well, I’ll have to make do. Admire from afar.”
“He is good looking.” Kate says, “Nice shoulders.”
“Very,” agrees Krystal. “Broad shoulders.”
“Nice buns too,” says Maggie.
Krystal says, “Mmmmmm.”
“What’s up with that?” asks Kate.
“What do you mean?” asks Krystal.
Kate says, “He’s pretty sedentary. You never see him working out, or doing anything except being languid. What I want to know is why such a couch potato like Jose who smokes up and doesn’t exercise has such a great butt while all I get is cellulite.”
“Good genes,” Maggie tells her.
“Real good jeans. All I want is one chance to chew them off.” Krystal smiles.
Maggie starts giggling, “God girl, watch yourself or you’re gonna end up having an orgasm right here.”
“Maybe then he’d notice me.” says Krystal.
Kate throws up her hands. “Enough already. Anybody have anything interesting to talk about?”
“Uh, I had my interview with the cops.” says Maggie.
“How’d that go? As bad as you thought?” asks Kate.
Maggie nods. “That Detective Lewis chewed me out for not reporting the flasher.”
“It wouldn’t be a flasher,” says Krystal.
“Maybe they think the flasher graduated into rape.” says Kate. “Deviant sexual offenders usually start small and then work up to the bigger shit.”
Maggie shakes her head. “But the guy ran away when I laughed at him. Where would he get the balls to rape someone?”
“Don’t need to be brave if you hit somebody over the head from behind.” ventures Kate quietly.
“Oh god, I didn’t think of that. Jesus maybe it was my fault.”
“Look, it was probably Boris. It’s always the boyfriend right?” Krystal shakes her head, “But even if it was your flasher, if you’d have gone to the cops with your flasher story what do you think they would they have done?”
“Maybe found the guy. Before he attacked Natasha.”
Krystal shakes her head, “Naww, they’d have done the same thing we did, they’d have laughed.”
Kate says, “Maggie, stop. Even if it was the flasher you didn’t make the creep go out and do it. It isn’t your fault, it’s his. I am so sick of hearing excuses for bastards like that. Lots of people have crappy lives and don’t go around attacking other people. He did it. You didn’t. End of story.”
“They were interested when I told them about his bike.”
“What?”
“It was a red Schwinn.”
“What on earth is that?”
“A very expensive but very cool bike. Stu has one, which is why I recognized it. Maybe it’ll lead to something.”
“You guys do what you want, but far as I’m concerned, I’m watching my back when that Boris guy is around.” Krystal says.
