2. Athens-2
541 Words
My mind was still whirling when I pulled up in front of my dorm twenty minutes later. I didn’t even check my phone as I climbed the hill to the all-girls dorm, Brumby. If I had, I wouldn’t have been as shocked to find Josie sitting on the futon, watching a baking show.
“Josie! Oh my God!”
She jumped up from the futon and threw her arms around me. We swayed side to side with excitement. Josie—though she went by Josephine now—was one of my two best friends. She had grown up in Atlanta with her dad and spent summers in Savannah with her mom in her ridiculous mansion on the coast. We’d met at the age of six and looked forward to every summer together. Now, I was here in Athens, and she was full-time in Savannah at Savannah College of Art and Design, studying film.
“How did you get past security?” I gasped, releasing her.
She laughed, flipping her long black ponytail. “I smiled.”
Of course she had. “I completely forgot that you were coming into town this weekend.”
“You forgot?” Josie asked. “Who are you, and what have you done with Lila Greer?”
If I couldn’t call her Josephine, she certainly wasn’t going to start calling me Delilah.
“I just had a weird day.”
“Define weird.” She narrowed her hazel eyes, which were almost gold today. “Because you must have had something catastrophic happen to make you forget that I was coming up.”
I winced slightly. “I … kind of have a date tonight.”
Josie shrieked, dramatically jumping up and down and twirling in place. The little drama queen. “That’s such amazing news. Tell me everything.”
She dragged me to the futon and muted the show.
“Well, there’s this guy in my kinesiology class who asked me to a party, but it’s a football party.”
“Ah,” Josie said, understanding without me having to say anything.
“So, I said no. And I thought that was that, but he offered to ditch the party and take me out.”
“Oh my God. You said yes?”
“I mean … I probably shouldn’t have. He’s … Cole Davis.”
Josie’s mouth dropped. “Holy s**t! He’s the one we were all swooning over when I came up for a game in the fall?”
I nodded.
“Remind me why you said no the first time.”
I shrugged, averting my gaze. “He … reminds me of him.”
Josie blew out a harsh breath. “Is this your first date since Ash?”
My body twitched involuntarily at the name. “I mean, no. I made out with a few guys at a frat party and went on a date or two. But …”
“But?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe I’m being crazy.”
“Crazy is good for you, Lila. Forget Ash. You’re going to go out with Cole Davis tonight and have the most amazing time.”
“What about you?”
Josie rolled her eyes. “It’s me. I’ll manage.”
Understatement of the century.
“But we’re still going to the spring game tomorrow.”
“Oh, absolutely. I fully intend to drink a few bottles of André at the tailgate and walk into Sanford Stadium, trashed.”
I snort-laughed, immediately falling back into the ease of being with Josie. We were just missing Marley, and then we’d be complete.
“You have to help me find something to wear.”
Josie jumped to her feet. “My expertise is required. Come. I’ll be your fairy godmother for the night.”
- Writer
