Amelia opens the door and smiles at the sight of Liz snoring with a book collapsed on her chest. She pries the book from Liz’s hands and lays it on the night table next to the charging cellphone.
Draping her jacket on the back of her chair, Amelia changes into her neon green nightgown, slides into her fuzzy green slippers, pulls on her purple robe and grabs the bathroom bag before switching Liz’s bed lamp off. She leaves on a night light that will allow her to get back to bed without disturbing Liz.
Pulling the room door closed, she turns down the dimly lit hallway toward the bathroom. Amelia has decided to settle for a pirate bath, saving a real shower until morning. And she just has to get the fur off her teeth or she’ll never be able to sleep. As she rounds the corner she runs into a strange man. Amelia’s blood curdling shriek would put many a Hitchcock heroine to shame, and is more than enough to trigger the man’s shriek in response.
The hall light comes on full, throwing the tableau into sharp relief. Amelia stares at the man she’s never seen before as doors open and resident female students step into the hall or peer through cracked doorways. The sound of pounding feet from downstairs announces the arrival of reinforcements.
Maggie glares at the man, who is wearing only a woman’s pink chenille robe stretched rather tautly across his weight lifter form. She plants her hands on her hips and says, “Think we need to call the cops on you pal?”
“Hey, lady, I’m visiting with Elsie. Just using the bathroom,” he says.
“It’s like this,” Maggie tells him, “This is private property and you are not authorized to be here.” Seeing Amelia is shaking, Maggie throws a protective arm around her shoulder just as Eric and Jake burst into the scene.
“Are you okay?” Eric asks, and Amelia nods.
Jake is overwhelmed at being surrounded by a universe of scantily clad young women, so he averts his eyes and drops into a crouch, busily gathering up all the things that Amelia’s bag has spilled over the floor. Eric joins Maggie in glaring at the interloper; he has never seen the guy before, but he damned well recognizes that robe.
Maggie says to the guy, “Aren’t you leaving?”
“Okay, okay, I just have to go get dressed, then I’m outta this nuthouse.” He pushes past and around the corner.
Joining the confab Liz asks, “What on earth is going on?”
Amelia squeezes Maggie’s hand and says, “Thanks”, then tells Liz. “I was just going to brush my teeth and I ran into that guy. It… um… he startled me, that’s all. But maybe I over reacted.”
Maggie folds her arms.”This has to stop.” Amelia nods.
Jake hands the bag back to Amelia, still feeling somewhat embarrassed, “Uh, everything is under control here, time to go Eric.” Jake flees down the hall. Eric looks to Amelia, “So everything is okay then?”
“Yeah, fine. Under control anyway. Go.”
Eric wants to give her a reassuring hug, but isn’t sure that it’s allowed, so he just says, “Okay,” and follows Jake.
Amelia calls after him, “Thanks, Eric.”
Eric waves and heads out. As he rounds the bend to catch up with Jake, Elsie’s door swings open and the strange man steps out, still tucking in his shirt, clearly in a rush to be gone. Now wrapped in the chenille robe, Elsie leans against the door frame, narrowing her eyes as Eric passes, pointedly ignoring her.
The guy follows Eric, calling, “Hey guy, wait up.”
Eric doesn’t slow down but the guy hurries to catch up. “No, really, bro. How the hell do I get out of here?”
Eric sighs. “Follow me.” Eric starts down the central stairs into the common area. Having just turned off the television, Jake watches Eric lead the stranger to the exit. Opening the door, the guy asks, “What’s the big deal?”
“We’re all on on edge here because one of our roommates was raped.”
“Oh, Jesus, man, I had no idea. I’m really sorry.”
Eric shakes his head as the guy heads out. “Not your fault. Elsie isn’t exactly the soul of tact.”
Back in the upstairs hall the roused students mill around, discussing the general discomfiture they have all been feeling. It’s quickly agreed that Maggie can lead the delegation. So the company follows Maggie to Elsie’s firmly closed door. It opens immediately on Maggie’s knock, and Elsie surveys the crowd.
“Ah. Maggie. Can I help you with something?”
Amelia says, “We’ve decided that there aren’t going to be any more nocturnal guests.”
“That was you who screamed?” Elsie asks. “You scared the poor guy half to death.”
Maggie interrupts, “No more, Elsie. That’s part of the deal when you live in residence.”
“Nobody said anything when it was Eric.” says Elsie.
“No, but we all know who he is. He’s a housemate.”
Amelia adds, “I never ran into him up here.”
“That’s bullshit, Amelia. What’s your problem anyway? You were screwing around with Eric in the common room the other night.”
Amelia is momentarily shocked at the accusation, but then grins at Elsie, “You’re jealous.”
Liz shakes her head. “It isn’t going to happen again, Elsie. Natasha was just beaten to a pulp and raped. I’m sure she wouldn’t like running into strange men in the dark, and she shouldn’t have to. Have some compassion.”
Elsie glares up at Liz. “And your point?”
Faces inches apart, Liz doesn’t flinch, she shakes her head. “You’re living in residence. The community is on edge. There will be no more strangers on this floor. Period.”
Folding her arms, defiant, “And what if I say no?”
“Then I get you bounced out of residence quick as I can.”
“I’ve been here longer than you have.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that you’re breaking residence rules. Who knows, maybe it could even get you expelled.”
The colour drains from Elsie’s face as she stares in horror at this woman who has never even made it to her radar before.
“What have I ever done to you?” Petulant in the face of Liz’s implacable calm.
“Nothing, until tonight when your lack of consideration caused harm to my friend.”
Glaring at Amelia, Elsie says, “She looks fine to me.”
“This is not negotiable.”
“I’ll think about it.” Elsie retreats to her room, slamming the door. There are snickers and whispers as everyone disperses.
Amelia tells Liz, “That was awesome.”
“I just said what we were all thinking.”
Amelia nods, “That’s right. But you said it.”
§
In the dark, Natasha is pressed up against the head board, clutching a pillow, heart pounding, eyes wide in terror. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fu–
She holds her breath as there is a knock on the door. Then she hears Maggie say, “Natasha? Can I come in?”
Breathing again in relief, Natasha says, “Just a minute.”
She tries to get her breathing under control as she crosses to the door and unlocks it to let Maggie in.
§
Inside her room, Elsie leans against her door. They’re all stupid and jealous. She doesn’t have time to find an apartment before Christmas. It’s gonna be more expensive too. Just because they can’t get laid enough, they want to make her conform. Maybe she could cut back a little, but it isn’t fair though. She isn’t hurting anybody. And it isn’t any of their god damned business.
If anybody is hurting anybody it’s that loser Amelia. Seems fucking Eric isn’t enough for her. Elsie is not giving up sex. No way, no matter what those jealous bitches want. It’s her release. It’s therapeutic. As necessary as breathing. The physicality and the endorphins make it possible for her to stay on an even keel. With her course load she needs the release, damn it. It’s healthy.
Okay, she can understand Natasha probably doesn’t … damn it anyway. The problem is, she knows Liz is right.
Until she finds an apartment, sex will have to happen elsewhere. It’s so unfair. She hasn’t done anything wrong. Given a chance, she’d stake the fucking rapist down on an ant hill for messing up her life.
But getting turfed is not an option.
